Niocorp Developments Ltd (NB)

[The_Gman]

Fun facts to know and tell

Elk Creek carbonatite was first indicated in a 1963-64 regional aeromagnetic survey flown by the USGS over SE Nebraska on 3.2 km spaced east-west lines and 300 m altitude. In 1970, a reconnaissance gravity geophysical survey of SE Nebraska by the Conservation and Survey Division of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln outlined a positive gravity response coincident with the magnetic anomaly detected by the USGS. The geophysical gravity and a concurrent magnetic survey outlined a near-circular anomaly that was ~7 km in diameter. Analysis of the geophysical data modelled a cylindrical mass of indefinite vertical length, and a radius of 1675 m. In 1971, the Nebraska Geological Survey, with some support from the United States Bureau of Mines, drilled a hole to test the anomalies. This hole passed through 191 m of marine sedimentary rocks, into a carbonatite that persisted to the end of the hole at 290 m (Brookins et al., 1975). From ~1973, the Molybdenum Company of America (Molycorp) and briefly in 1974, Cominco American, investigated different parts of the anomalous area, although the former continued investigations until ~1986. In May 2010, Quantum Rare Earth Developments Corp. acquired the mineral rights to the Project and undertook further drilling from 2011. In March 3, 2013, Quantum changed its name to NioCorp Developments Ltd. and continued delineation and development drilling from 2014. The proposed Elk Creek Project is expected to produce Ferroniobium (FeNb), Scandium Trioxide (Sc2O3) and Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) over the 36 year operating life of an underground mine.

https://portergeo.com.au/database/mineinfo-mb.asp?mineid=mn1734