NioCorp Developments Soars 12.11% on Strategic Initiatives

On April 16, 2025, NioCorp Developments saw a significant rise of 12.11% in pre-market trading, reflecting strong investor interest and confidence in the company's strategic initiatives.

NioCorp CEO Mark Smith is set to appear on Fox Business Network's 'Mornings with Maria' show on April 16, 2025. The interview will focus on China's recent export restrictions on heavy rare earths and critical minerals to the U.S. and allied nations. Smith, with his experience from China's 2010 rare earth export restrictions, is leading the development of the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project in Nebraska. This project aims to produce both light and heavy rare earth elements, along with critical minerals niobium, scandium, and titanium. The facility will include an integrated underground mine and processing facility capable of producing purified and separated rare earths, and it will also process rare earth carbonates and concentrates from other mines.

NioCorp is developing the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project in Southeast Nebraska, which is expected to produce niobium, scandium, and titanium. The project also has the potential to produce several rare earths. Niobium is used in specialty alloys and High Strength, Low Alloy steel, while scandium is a critical component of advanced solid oxide fuel cells. Titanium is used in various lightweight alloys and aerospace applications. Magnetic rare earths, such as neodymium, praseodymium, terbium, and dysprosium, are critical to the making of Neodymium-Iron-Boron magnets, which are used across a wide variety of defense and civilian applications.