Niocorp Developments Ltd (NB)

[chico237]

ZapBatt Partners with Toshiba to Unlock Proven Lithium Titanium-Niobium Oxide Battery Technology for Micro-mobility
https://www.powermag.com/press-releases/zapbatt-partners-with-toshiba-to-unlock-proven-lithium-titanium-oxide-battery-technology-for-micro-mobility/

Toshiba’s LTO cells are ideal for micro-mobility applications due to their high-performing characteristics in several categories. The SCiB Cells are designed for fast charging and high-power environments with a minimal decrease in function even after thousands of charges and uses. The cells provide up to a 100 percent usable charge without shortening cycle life, allowing for longer use. Additionally, the cells perform in freezing temperatures as low as -30 degrees celsius, compared to 0 degrees celsius for typical Li-ion.

Using Niobium Titanium Oxide (NTO) as a next-generation anode material
https://www.global.toshiba/ww/products-solutions/battery/scib/next/nto.html
https://www.global.toshiba/ww/products-solutions/battery/scib.html

Titanium-niobium composite oxide-based electrode active material and lithium secondary battery using the same
https://patents.google.com/patent/US20150243979A1/en

Please see Jim's response to questions posed for comment-3/17/2022
A) Could you comment on what the production of higher purity niobium & titanium could be utilized for once realized?

If the higher purity niobium and titanium intermediates that L3 was able to produce at bench-scale are replicated and proven at demonstration scale, this would put us in a position to more easily move to other products beyond those outlined in our 2019 Feasibility Study. Niobium oxide for use in Li-Ion batteries is one possible example, although the production of that product would require additional processing steps beyond the higher-purity niobium intermediate that we discussed in last week’s news release. The company is not yet in a position to make a determination on whether or not, and when, to possibly expand our Niobium product offering. Higher grade TiO2 could expose us to additional markets where higher margins could be obtained. But, again, we are not in a position to speak to those possibilities in any detail yet.

B) Niocorp’s preferred separation method is SX. Are these higher purity processes part of an improved SX process or “something else”?

No, the processes we recently discussed occur in the earlier stages of the flowsheet, prior to any SX processing. We look forward to unveiling those details once these processes are verified at the demonstration plant level and once all associated work needed to complete an updated Feasibility Study is completed.

(Since 2020- The last remaining 25% of niobium production has yet to be placed under an enforceable contract. A major "U.S. Steel producer was rumored to be interested, yet no action to date has occurred. Perhaps Toshiba would be interested if they intend to build a Battery Plant in the U.S.?
Once the current demo-plant operations once completed, the results should be very interesting indeed!)
Waiting with many ..... ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
(Loved the E-Z Bake Oven video!)

Chico