Niocorp Developments Ltd (NB)

[chico237]

2021 The passage of LB650 (Adopt the Nebraska Geologic Storage of Carbon Dioxide Act) allows for the geologic storage of carbon dioxide.
https://www.environmentalleader.com/2021/06/nebraska-embarks-on-major-carbon-capture-initiatives/

The Ninth ICEF Roadmap
icef2021_roadmap.pdf

Mining companies and manufacturers should seek opportunities for carbon mineralization in their exploration and production activities. Companies that extract mineral resources from mafic and ultramafic rock bodies should consider assessing the carbon mineralization resources in tailings and host rock and modifying the treatment and disposal of tailings.

Ex situ: Reactive rocks are transported to a source of CO2, industrial facility or other location, where they are crushed and ground and then reacted with captured or ambient CO2, often under high temperature and/or pressure conditions.
Indirect mineralization method- in which calcium and magnesium are first extracted from slag/ (ORE) by acid leaching, followed by dissolution of pressurized CO2 in the leachate and precipitation of carbonate. This approach is more complex, but it allows the conditions of leaching, CO2 dissolution and carbon mineralization to be separately optimized.

Jim: 6/29/2022
Could the Elk Creek mine "Separation Process" now under development be utilized as a method for "In situ carbon mineralization/carbon capture"?

"Not in-situ....The carbonization process we are testing may result in some carbon sequestration, depending upon whether and how we end up making more byproducts from the magnesium and calcium we remove from the ore. That is all still TBD."

Process Enhancements to NioCorp’s Critical Minerals Project Plans Point to Possible CAPEX and OPEX Reductions and Possible Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions
https://www.niocorp.com/process-enhancements-to-niocorps-critical-minerals-project-plans-point-to-possible-capex-and-opex-reductions-and-possible-lower-greenhouse-gas-emissions/

Possible Reductions in Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The improved design also regenerates the ammonium chloride consumed during the carbonation stage. Carbonation consumes carbon dioxide and reduces the GHG footprint of the prospective operation.
(Really? how???......)

The optimized design and carbonation process all utilize proven technologies and are not expected to introduce additional technology risk to the Project if they are implemented in the Project’s final design.

Recently, L3 was able to demonstrate that this carbonation step can produce a calcium and magnesium product that is 96%-97% pure. NioCorp intends to further evaluate the use of this product for underground mine backfill as well as to investigate its potential as a saleable byproduct. The L3 demonstration plant, when constructed and operational, is expected to produce tens of kilograms of this material that can be used for evaluation purposes.

"Maybe GHG?..... Maybe Not GHG....?" I'm at the edge of my seat waiting with many for material news as it becomes available! (On all the Critical Mineral products & whatever - "Possible Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions means????"

Chico