Strategic Materials

[gfp927z]

>>> NioCorp Named as a "Top 10" Mid-Tier/Junior Mining Company for 2021


Yahoo Finance

July 27, 2021


https://finance.yahoo.com/news/niocorp-named-top-10-mid-110000413.html


CENTENNIAL, Colo., July 27, 2021 /CNW/ -- NioCorp Developments Ltd. ("NioCorp" or the "Company") (TSX:NB) (OTCQX:NIOBF) is pleased to announce that it has been named as a Top 10 U.S.-based mid-tier/junior mining company by Northern Miner, a leading industry publication.

NioCorp was ranked #4 on the list of Top Ten companies in this category, which excludes coal and precious metals mining companies. The list by Northern Miner is based upon growth in market capitalization of the companies named over the past year.

"We are very pleased to receive this award, as it reflects the tremendous growth in the Company's market valuation over the past year," said Mark Smith, CEO and Executive Chairman of NioCorp. "Over the past 12 months, our market cap has increased by approximately 84%. I think that reflects very positive investor reaction to the major advancements that the team has made in the Elk Creek Project over the past year, and the fact that these advancements have brought an influx of new investors to the stock."

According to the Northern Miner article:

"NioCorp Developments (TSX: NB; US-OTC: NIOBF) is focused on developing a superalloy materials project in southeastern Nebraska. The Colorado-based company plans to produce three commercial critical mineral products at its proposed Elk Creek mine: niobium, scandium and titanium. NioCorp is also considering the production of several magnetic rare earth products at the site.

"Elk Creek would be North America's only niobium/scandium/titanium project and include an advanced materials manufacturing facility located by the proposed underground mine. The superalloy metals found at the Elk Creek project include the highest-grade niobium on the continent, and one of the largest prospective sources of scandium in the world.

"The company released a feasibility study in April 2019 that estimated average annual production at Elk Creek of 7,220tonnes of ferroniobium, 95 of tonnes scandium trioxide and 11,642 of tonnes titanium dioxide. The mine's expected lifespan is 36 years. The study pegged initial total net capex for Elk Creek at US$1.14 billion, with gross revenue of US$20.8 billion over the life of the mine.

"In April, NioCorp announced it had purchased a key land parcel associated with Elk Creek, giving the company ownership of the mineral rights to more than 90% of the project's mineral resources and mineral reserves. In June, NioCorp initiated testing of mineralized material from Elk Creek, using high-pressure grinding rolls (HPGR) technology. HPGR technology is an energy efficient and low-emission alternative for reducing the size of the ore to enable the recovery of niobium, scandium, titanium and potential rare earth products. The testing involves taking about three tonnes of drill core from the site and reducing it to the one-millimetre size required for hydrometallurgical assessment."

@NioCorp $NB $NIOBF #ElkCreek #Niobium #Scandium #Nebraska

For More Information:

Contact Jim Sims, VP of External Affairs, NioCorp Developments Ltd., 720-639-4650, [e-mail]

About NioCorp

NioCorp is developing a superalloy materials project in Southeast Nebraska that will produce Niobium, Scandium, and Titanium. Also under consideration by the Company is the production of several magnetic rare earth products. Niobium is used to produce superalloys as well as High Strength, Low Alloy ("HSLA") steel, which is a lighter, stronger steel used in automotive, structural, and pipeline applications. Scandium is a superalloy material that can be combined with Aluminum to make alloys with increased strength and improved corrosion resistance. Scandium is also a critical component of advanced solid oxide fuel cells. Titanium is used in various superalloys and is a key component of pigments used in paper, paint and plastics and is also used for aerospace applications, armor, and medical implants. Magnetic rare earths, such as Neodymium, Praseodymium, Terbium, and Dysprosium are critical to the making of Neodymium-Iron-Boron ("NdFeB") magnets, which are used across a wide variety of defense and civilian applications.

<<<