Niocorp Developments Ltd (NB)

[Middleborder]

AO, (Chico237); In response to your post, Here is a paper regarding Elk Creek REEs based on the original MolyCorp drill cores at Elk Creek. NioCorp has done additional drilling so has updated information on which to evaluate the economic feasibility of REE separation.

( I have NOT done a back thread search so someone may have posted this before!)
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https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2014NC/webprogram/Paper237855.html

Our study utilizes drill core from Molycorp’s 1970s and 1980s exploration program; this core is now housed at the University of Nebraska

"In our study, the chemical compositions of 25 samples of various carbonatite lithologies were determined to characterize general features of the carbonatite. Much of the carbonatite has REE patterns similar to other carbonatites (moderate LREE enrichment with a negative slope); however, zones of high LREE enrichment (La to 53,100 ppm) and zones of enrichment of the more valued middle and heavy REEs (Eu, Gd, Tb, and Dy) have been identified. The zones of relatively high LREE enrichment generally occur within narrow sections of the barite beforsite and the apatite beforsite. Petrographic and microprobe analysis of samples with the greatest LREE concentrations have identified late-stage, fine-grained, LREE-rich phosphates (monazite) and LREE-rich fluocarbonates (parasite and synchysite). The zones containing middle and heavy REE enrichments (and a relative depletion in LREEs) occur within the magnetite beforsite, which is the Nb-rich lithology of Elk Creek. Mineralogical studies are underway to characterize the REE-hosts of this recently identified, anomalous middle and heavy REE enrichment."
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So; The greatest LREEs in the Molycorp Drilling program were found in areas of Monazite: The HREEs with in The Nb Rich areas of mineralization.


Again, NioCorp has access to the results of their later drilling programs.

(Related: Note that there is a firm, Medallion Resources, whose focus is extracting REEs from Monzanite sand feedstocks along the gulf coast. Medallion has an agreement with privately held firm Rare Earch Salts in Beatrice NE regarding final processing. I am not aware of any contact or connections between either firm and NioCorp.)