Boilermaker, smokingjoe (Kmack...)
Upon recieving financing I think this MIGHT be the the blueprint of how they acquire (or have contracted to acquire) the land around the mining site and continue to be a good neighbor.
The site and shafts have a small footprint (50-100 acres/ 2 quarter sections?) relative to the total area they purchase (Several sections/miles of farm land initially). A sales contract for farm land typically stipulates that the seller/farmer can harvest any standing crops. They would probably do this in any area on which they do not work. They would reimburse if they needed to site prep over any planted area.
There will probably be some provision that excludes the Farmer's house and farm buildings from the sale, or stipulates sale after he or she passes (Or that his family can continue to live on the excluded property)
Since NioCorp is purchasing land to secure access and underlying mineral rights, there will be a lot of surface farming land that they will NOT use initially or possible ever. If they are a good steward for the shareholders and a good neighbor--as I believe they are--they will rent the purchased land back to the farmers who will continue to farm. Any rental income recieved can offset county and township real estate taxes.
(IF this were Louisiana, whose laws were based in Napoleonic law, and the farmer was really attached to his or her land, he might try to sell to NioCorp with a title registration of Naked owner/Usufruct. The farmer does NOT own the land, but is entitled to the use of the land to farm (use of the fruits.
It being Nebraska I assume that the legal system is based English law and this title registration does not exist, but they might have an "unused surface land" rent back stipulation written into the sales contract that allows the farmer to continue to plant the land or sub-tenant rentals based his rental rights.
Anyway, Just thinking out loud. (I did have an Illinois Real estate license at one time, but am a pretend attorney on the internet:)
Kmack...don't you sell real estate in NE?
