Niocorp Developments Ltd (NB)

[Prudent Capitalist]

Developments and progress like this PR just out late today, to answer your question.

NioCorp to Begin Construction of Mine Portal at its Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project

Portal Will Establish the Mine Entrances and is a Critical First Step in Enabling Underground Mine Access and Advancing the Project

Portal Project Expected to Commence in Q1 of Calendar Year 2026

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (December 22, 2025) – NioCorp Developments Ltd. (“NioCorp” or the “Company“) (Nasdaq: NB), a leading U.S. critical minerals developer, today announced that its Board of Directors (the “Board”) has approved the Company’s Mine Portal Project (the “Portal Project”), a major initiative to advance the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project (the “Elk Creek Project”).

The Portal Project will establish the main entrances to the Elk Creek Project underground mine and will serve as the primary access point for personnel, equipment, and materials for the Company’s planned underground mining operations. The Board-approved scope also includes excavating to bedrock, drilling and blasting to establish the twin mine ramps, on-site access road construction, as well as on-site supporting infrastructure. Work is expected to begin in Q1 of calendar year 2026 and the current estimated capital cost for the project is approximately $44.6 million.

The portal will provide access for the Company’s planned implementation of the Railveyor™ system, which NioCorp announced in 2024 as the preferred bulk material handling solution for the Elk Creek Project. (See this announcement). Utilizing the Railveyor™ system replaces the previously planned twin-shaft design and, according to the scoping study, is expected to reduce initial capital costs through simplified underground infrastructure and a shorter pre-development schedule.

The Railveyor™ system will run on electricity, as will all of NioCorp’s underground mining equipment, offering potential environmental, safety, and operational benefits when compared to conventional diesel-powered underground mining systems.

“Approval of the Portal Project is a significant milestone for NioCorp,” said Mark A. Smith, CEO and Chairman of NioCorp. “This initiative allows us to advance one of the critical path schedule items for the project as we continue working toward securing the remaining financing needed for the Elk Creek Project. We greatly appreciate the strong support shown by Nebraskans and our project partners as we continue advancing.”

“Given the size of this excavation work, the Portal Project really marks the beginning of a major pre-construction activity at the Elk Creek Project site and is an important step toward preparing for underground development,” said Scott Honan, President and Chief Operating Officer of NioCorp. “Advancing this work now helps keep our schedule moving. It’s going to be exciting for the community to see major activity at the site - something many of us have been looking forward to for quite some time.”



Qualified Persons:

Scott Honan, M.Sc., SME-RM, COO of NioCorp Developments Ltd., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release.


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Why are you guys bullish on this stock? Just wondering.