Niocorp Developments Ltd (NB)

[chico237]

U.S. Strategic Stockpile & LPO Tech Talk: Critical Materials FEBRUARY 16, 2023
Currently, the United States is almost entirely reliant on imports of processed materials such as lithium, cobalt, and graphite for use in clean energy technologies. The production of many of these raw and processed materials are concentrated in a few countries, some of which do not meet the United States’ standards for social, environmental, and ethical business practices.
https://www.energy.gov/lpo/articles/lpo-tech-talk-critical-materials

LPO can support qualifying projects that increase the domestically produced supply of critical minerals, which may include but are not limited to:
~Critical Minerals Processing: Projects that process critical minerals using innovative technology for end use in a variety of eligible clean energy technologies, or for projects that manufacture eligible advanced technology vehicles or their components.
~Components Manufacturing: Innovative manufacturing projects for end use in a variety of clean energy technologies, or projects that manufacture eligible advanced technology vehicles or their components.

IN August 2022 NIOCORP ANNOUNCES IN ADDITION TO TAX BENEFITS ~The New Federal Legislation Could Deliver Powerful New Benefits to NioCorp for its Critical Minerals~(Niocorp stated -"Other Provisions That Could Benefit NioCorp" & CALLS OUT THE $40 billion commitment authority for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program (Title XVII), on top of DOE’s existing commitment authority of approximately $24 billion. As a Possibility!
https://www.niocorp.com/new-federal-legislation-could-deliver-powerful-new-benefits-to-niocorp-for-its-critical-minerals/

DOE ~Sector Spotlight: Critical Materials Loan Programs Office FEBRUARY 9, 2023~
https://www.energy.gov/lpo/articles/sector-spotlight-critical-materials
DOE LPO: $412 Billion in Estimated Remaining Loan Capacity Available!

In the last few months, LPO has made four announcements connected to the ATVM program – loans closed with Ultium Cells and Syrah Vidalia, and conditional commitments to Rhyolite Ridge and Redwood Materials.

1) The total number of current active applications that have been formally submitted to LPO (126)
2) The cumulative dollar amount of LPO financing requested in these active applications ($119.9 billion)
3) The 24-week rolling average of new applications per week as of the close of the previous month (1.4)
4) Technology sectors represented by applications
5) Proposed project locations represented by applications
6) Status of where applications stand in the review process: Of the 125 active applications, approximately 45% of applications are under initial review, approximately 40% are under advanced review, and roughly 15% are in due diligence!!!!!!

The U.S. STRATEGIC MINERALS STOCKPILE was valued at nearly $42 billion in today’s dollars at its peak during the beginning of the Cold War in 1952. That value has plummeted to $888 million as of last year following decades of congressionally authorized sell-offs to private sector customers. *****Lawmakers anticipate the stockpile will become insolvent by FY25.************
MAY 2022, Congress and Pentagon seek to shore up strategic mineral stockpile dominated by China
https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2022/05/23/congress-and-pentagon-seek-to-shore-up-strategic-mineral-stockpile-dominated-by-china/

The House Armed Services Committee will seek to bolster the National Defense Stockpile of rare earth minerals in the fiscal 2023 defense authorization bill, Defense News has learned. And earlier this week, the Defense Department submitted its own legislative proposal to Congress asking the committee to authorize $253.5 million in that legislation to procure additional minerals for the stockpile. The stockpile includes valuable minerals essential to defense supply chains, such as TITANIUM, tungsten and cobalt.

***BACK IN OCTOBER OF 2022 Congress was Considering amending the FY2023 NDAA: National Defense Stockpile
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IN/IN12041

ON NOVEMBER 15th, 2022: JIM:
Has Niocorp recently applied for a DoE/LPO loan for "debt"..?
Response:

"We are indeed in discussions with several U.S. federal agencies about potential financial assistance to the Project, but all have very strict rules about disclosure of those discussions and processes. I’m sorry but I cannot say anything more about this at present. "

ON JANUARY 2nd 2023: Jim: Can you offer comment on how the recent NDA 2023 legislation Might benefit Niocorp & the Critical Materials it will produce in the future?
RESPONSE:

"There are a number of potential sources of U.S. federal funding that could be applicable to NioCorp, AND WE ARE ENGAGED IN PURSUING ASSISTANCE THROUGH MULTIPLE PROGAMS & AGENCIES. We do not comment on the details of these efforts unless and until a public announcement is allowed and/or required. "

ON Jan. 31st 2023 Working with White House officials on critical minerals issues. This Administration is working hard to help support environmentally responsible critical minerals projects like NioCorp’s Elk Creek Project in the great State of Nebraska.


ON FEB. 16th 2023 AS China sanctions Lockheed, Raytheon after vowing to retaliate against US restrictions

https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/16/business/china-sanctions-lockheed-raytheon-hnk-intl/index.html
China has imposed sanctions on two American defense manufacturers over arms sales to Taiwan, a day after Beijing pledged to take “countermeasures” in response to Washington’s handling of a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that entered American airspace and was shot down by US forces earlier this month.
Lockheed (LMT) Martin Corporation and Raytheon (RTN) Missiles & Defense, a subsidiary of Raytheon (RTN) Technologies Corp, will be added to China’s sanctions list, its Ministry of Commerce said in a Thursday statement. They are banned from importing, exporting and investing in China.
Lockheed makes the F-22 Raptor fighter, the model that was responsible for shooting down the Chinese balloon off the coast of South Carolina on February 4. Raytheon makes the AIM-9X Sidewinder missile, which was used in the mission.


FEB. 18th, 2023, ~Pentagon to boost RARE EARTHS and lithium stockpiles~
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/exclusive-pentagon-boost-rare-earths-lithium-stockpiles-sources-2022-02-18/

The new stockpile agreement guidance is expected to be announced as soon as next week, one of the people said, nearly a year after U.S. President Joe Biden issued an executive order to study U.S. supply chain resiliency in February 2021.

ON FEB. 19th 2023 Lockheed Martin awarded Navy hypersonic missile contract worth over $1 billion

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/lockheed-martin-awarded-navy-hypersonic-missile-contract-worth-over-1-billion/ar-AA17GUJH
Lockheed Martin announced Friday that it will receive a contract that's potentially worth more than $2 billion to integrate a hypersonic missile system onto certain U.S. Navy destroyers.
The deal, which is initially worth $1.1 billion, involves the integration of the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic missile system onto the Navy's Zumwalt-class guided missile destroyers. If all contract options are exercised, that figure would rise to more than $2.2 billion.
"Lockheed Martin continues to advance hypersonic strike capability for the United States through this new contract," Steve Layne, Lockheed Martin's vice president of hypersonic strike weapon systems, said in a statement. "Early design work is already underway. Our team looks forward to supporting the warfighter by providing more options to further protect America at sea."

ON MARCH 10th 2023 NioCorp to Hold Special Meeting of Shareholders on March 10, 2023 Regarding its Proposed GXII Transaction
https://www.niocorp.com/niocorp-to-hold-special-meeting-of-shareholders-on-march-10-2023-regarding-its-proposed-gxii-transaction/


FORM YOUR OWN OPINIONS & CONCLUSIONS ABOVE!
IMHO: TEAM NIOCORP & L3 ARE READY TO


Waiting with many for material News! (Maybe tommorrow! Keep your eyes peeled!)
Chico