Friday, May 27, 2022 8:26:01 AM
REPLAY: NioCorp Investor Webcast of May 25, 2022
(I am not a chemist; but I've noticed the following & also reference attached responses from Jim)
A) It appears to me several "Separation System Circuits" have been eliminated from the flowsheet P&ID's.
B) The Proprietary CO2 Supercritical separation "Appears to play a role PRIOR to HCL leaching & SX separation of Scandium & the rare earths into oxides" as compared to the 2019 F.S. methods.
C) The Separation of Fe appears to occur earlier in the stages & an Fe end product (interesting!?) is shown (Prior to Separation of Titanium & Niobium products.)
D) Which in turn may lead to improved recovery rates for both Titanium & Niobium & future improved OXIDE production.
Refer to Jim's response to Dougnil 4/12/22
Q/Can you provide any information about about the elements, grades and pounds of REEs that may be included in the revised 2022 FS?
See Jim's response to higher purity niobium & titanium & ponder what increased recovery rates %'s & purity %'s for just Niobium & Titanium oxides could mean once proven at scale utilizing the optimized processes now underway...
Repost of Jim's response to questions-3/17/2022-
A) Could you comment on what the production of higher purity niobium & titanium could be utilized for once realized?
B)Niocorp’s preferred separation method is SX. Are these higher purity processes part of an improved SX process or “something else”?
(L3 & team Niocorp are diligently working on that now! Interested parties could most certainly be watching IMHO!)
****Please take into account the possible increases to NPV from completing the FINAL -Hydro-Met- optimization of the "NEW"- HPGR ground ore & Pilot Plant testing (starting in April 2022) - to Production Scale (For Titanium, Niobium, Scandium & Rare Earth Minerals!) ***Consider what higher recovery rates & improved oxides could bring to the table including viable REE's***
NIOBIUM
* Niocorp's recovery rate for Niobium currently is 83% & 165,000T. The optimization could lead to higher recovery rates over 93%plus -IMHO.
*The last remaining 25% of production has yet to be placed under an enforceable contract! (Why?)
*Niobium Oxide upgrading is also a future possibility for battery grade oxides.
TITANIUM
*Titanium recovery rate currently sits at 40% & 418,000T. I can easily Imagine 70% recovery & upgrading to "pigment grade oxide" is a possibility.
*L3/Eric LaRochelle hold current Patents on "Titanium Oxide" production.
See Also L3's Eric Larochelle's patent- Process for recovering titanium dioxide from titanium containing materials (THEY KNOW TITANIUM!")
https://uspto.report/patent/grant/10,480,047
*Two Titanium Ingot/Billet production Plants currently sit IDLE (safe-store) in the U.S. (One is in Nevada & the 2nd is in Utah!)
*Pricing Chinese Titanium Dioxide Pigment 2022
https://www.made-in-china.com/products-search/hot-china-products/Titanium_Dioxide_Pigment_Price.html
(*The Titanium "PIGMENT" grade pricing appears to be far greater than 1$ per ton)
*Russia is a major producer of Titanium & may no longer be an option moving forward.
SCANDIUM: The Chicken & the Egg may be all put to rest soon... The REE's & Hydro-Met improvements should easily match/offset any pricing concerns. (*Note: Niocorp has continued to stand behind their numbers here. 46 months is plenty of time for a major market to form with a need for a diverse supply?)
Rare Earth Minerals
*Recent Niocorp news releases lead me to believe they can ("Separate Them All-At the Lab Bench Scale! Form your own opinions & conclusions)
https://www.niocorp.com/niocorp-reports-significant-advance-in-plan-to-process-critical-minerals-in-nebraska/
Elk Creek determined as nation’s second Largest Rare Earth Resource
https://northamericanmining.com/index.php/2022/05/24/elk-creek-determined-as-nations-second-largest-rare-earth-resource/
Scott Honan COO- Stated in the video below - REE production “North of 750 tons per year!”-
~OVER 750 TONS OF RARE EARTH MAGNET-GRADE OXIDES READY FOR MARKET/YR.!!~
NioCorp Developments has a 'very large rare earth deposit' in Nebraska
https://www.proactiveinvestors.com/companies/news/982962/niocorp-developments-has-a-very-large-rare-earth-deposit-in-nebraska-982962.html
Grunt's REE Calculations Post #78176 :
A pretty sweet addition to our bottom line:
Tb - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -$24,771,000
Dy - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -$22,419,000
NdPr - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - $92,357,000.00
Profit from the 3 oxides: - -$142,547,000.00
My guess when compared to MP materials & 3 other U.S. projects (& This could be low!)
600 tons per year Nd/Pr = 600,000kg x $173 = $103,800,000 (not far off Grunt's estimate!)
24 tons per year of Tb = 24,000kg x $2,383 = $57,320,000
120 tons per year of Dy = 120,000kg x $495 = $59,400,000
Total REE annual value prior to OPEX = $220,392,000 Million
~ & I THINK Niocorp's numbers for Dy & Tb might be a touch more! 30mt & 170mt respectively???~
That’s in the range of @ $200M plus +\~ in additional earnings (Before Opex). **NOTE: This doesn’t include increased recovery rates for the Nb & Ti & OXIDES!!!$$$.
Niocorp may very well be looking at yearly revenues "North of $500M/yr -$600M....!"
NIOCORP could never tout it's Rare Earth Potential to the world-"until now"...
(It will be interesting to see where Niocorp's Elk Creek Mine will Rank very soon!)
https://www.mdpi.com/minerals/minerals-07-00203/article_deploy/html/images/minerals-07-00203-g007.png
Four outstanding issues remain:
A) Material News on the "status" of the Loan Extension from Mark Smith. (Due the end of June. Could this be extended again or other?)
B) Material News & announcement that the pilot plant testing has begun & then followed by successful completion & disclosure of ~ Optimizing & proving the process methods intended for use~
C) Announcement of a Fully completed & amended 2022 F.S. (Subject to conclusion of successful completion of testing above with updated economics)
D) Can the team Finally close on a (Deal with an Anchor Investor $25M), or on a Large Substantial "Tranche" to kick off the project?
~**NOTE: Team Niocorp has been in talks with the U.S. govt. (Sounds like this is still in play!), Automakers, Investors, Banks & more on in Europe & the U.S. per Jim's responses to AO** A COMBINATION of PLANS -A, B, C, D, E & "Competitive Tension"???~
It is IMPRORTANT TO Form your own opinions & conclusions & run your own napkin numbers.
As we all wait for material news as it becomes available & the successful conclusion of outstanding issues. (These next few months should "Tell the Tale" on weather or not this "highly de-risked Elk Creek Mine is "Possible!")
"Staying Tuned... in my front row seat with many." (Go team Niocorp & L3!)
Chico
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