Niocorp Developments Ltd (NB)

[chico237]

The Recent News & Timing is "Interesting"..... If you follow the context of Responses shared from Niocorp Management. I remain Hopeful our team will complete the F.S. & Finance in 2023!
Sharing Jims Response to past & recent questions & given (HOW) the recent "SEVEN FIGURE CLOSED $$$$..... ) Has my attention!
Niocorp's "PRIMARY financing focus has been on Private Sector Sources!"However the possibility of a U.S. govt. loan guarantee remains.... See trail below:
U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
January 27, 2021 Hearing
ENR QFR Template (senate.gov)
Secretary Grantholm's Answer 7: Critical Mineral projects are eligible for loan guarantees under the Title XVII Innovative Technologies Loan Guarantee Program and the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Program. If confirmed as Secretary, I will encourage applications from potential projects that meet the applicable statutory and regulatory criteria involving the production, manufacture, recycling, processing, recovery, or reuse of Critical Minerals and other minerals to advance clean energy and advanced vehicle manufacturing technologies.


Please see Jim's responses 6/2021-
(Jim...Private funding methods have been the primary target however, ... can you offer any comment to the following questions.)
a) Does/Can Niocorp qualify for a U.S. govt. (DOE/DOD) Loan, or Loan Guarantee as described above or similar ?

Quite possibly, and we are in discussions with them on this now. However, the ability of this program to fund critical minerals projects will depend upon what the Democratic leadership in Congress enacts in its appropriations bills, as new funding is required to cover the credit subsidy cost of these loans. In recent years, the Congressional appropriations process has been a very politically contentious with little bipartisan agreement on much of anything. Some opposition in the Congress has already quietly developed to the Administration’s proposal to expand this program’s traditional funding focus to include critical minerals mines, which it has not funded in the past. Regardless, it is not likely that funding levels for the credit subsidies used by these programs will be finalized until late this year, or into next year.

I will add that our team is very familiar with the DOE Loan Guarantee program, as we navigated this process some years ago. It is a very slow process and requires more than a year (for some projects) to complete. It also costs a great deal of money and resources in which to engage in this process – those costs can easily grow into the 7 figures. We continue to examine the possibilities here, however.

***Given the recent news releases... I fired off a few New Questions for Team Niocorp on August 14, 2023. While we wait for the 2023 F.S. to drop! Sharing Responses to relevant questions with the Niocorp community.
AUGUST 14, 2023 ~Good morning - Jim!

While waiting for Niocorp’s 2023 F.S. Release… The announcement for Scandium Alloy Production & Scandium alloy funding are most welcome! Leading me to add to my line of questions regarding Scandium & (Niocorp).

A) Would Niocorp qualify for a portion of this recent funding once approved by Congress? Moving forward.

RESPONSE:

"This funding was placed in the FY24 DoD Appropriations bill at the request of Nebraska Senator Deb Fischer, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, for the purpose of helping to fund NioCorp's effort to establish domestic commercial production of AlSc master alloy. There is always a process within the DoD to select appropriate projects with funding provided to it by Congress. In this case, however, the House and Senate Armed Services Committees provided additional guidance to DoD on this topic in their respective National Defense Authorization bills, including prioritizing domestic production of such materials."

"Next Question ~ For context:

(Imperial mining, CleanTech, & Scandium International all have patents on Scandium & Sc aluminum alloy products. Rio Tinto has established a North American domestic supply(@15 tons/year with expansion capabilities) & has established a working relationship with Boeing.

Niocorp has produced Scandium aluminum with both IBC (under Chris Huskamp now with Jabil) & with Ames Lab, but has yet to patent any process or materials.

Niocorp has established a working relationship with Nanoscale to produce patentable Scandium Aluminum products in the years ahead…)

Jim-

B) How Does/will Niocorp’s expected Scandium production & future patentable Scandium materials be utilized by management moving forward? Once realized…. ; and How do/would they compare to those materials & alloys already developed or patented?

RESPONSE:

"Latent markets for scandium oxide and aluminum-scandium master alloy – both commercial and military -- are quite large, and we are working with a number of potential scandium consumers and related technology companies interested in scandium. We will make announcements in this area as developments require. In general, we don’t comment on detailed commercial business strategies except in the course of necessary announcements and/or public filings. "

C) In addition to Niocorp’s collaboration with NanoScale. Is Niocorp currently working/engaged with other entities such as (Ames Lab, DoD, DoE, Chris Huskamp/Jabil & others) on Scandium Materials/patents?

Or on Niobium, Titanium, or Rare Earth future products (Oxides, Magnets…)

Please comment where possible.

RESPONSE:

"There are multiple such engagements ongoing now for each product in our planned product offering. In general, we don’t comment on commercial business strategies except in the course of necessary announcements and/or public filings. "

D) Are other Entities besides EXIM Bank and Stellantis still interested as possible Debt/Equity finance or Anchor Investor/s partners moving foward?

Leading to a Final Elk Creek Finance package?

RESPONSE:

"YES"

FORM YOUR OWN OPINIONS & CONCLUSIONS ABOVE:




ENJOY THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND ALL!
CHICO