NioCorp’s Elk Creek mining project welcomes federal and state leaders

ELK CREEK, Neb. (KLKN) — A major mining project in southeast Nebraska is one step closer to becoming a reality after receiving a letter of support from the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

Federal and state leaders gathered Wednesday at NioCorp’s Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project in Johnson County, where officials highlighted progress toward securing an approximately $840 million federal loan.

The bank is working toward final approval of the financing, but additional steps must be completed before the funding is secured.

“This is a step, a big step in the right direction. We have lots of work ahead to do,” Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said. “But I’m incredibly proud to be a small part of it.”

The Elk Creek project is designed to produce eight critical mineral products used in industries ranging from defense and aviation to advanced technology and manufacturing.

Unlike operations that send raw materials overseas for processing, NioCorp plans to mine and process the minerals in Nebraska.

The project is part of a broader effort to reduce America’s dependence on foreign countries for critical minerals, particularly as concerns grow over China’s dominance in global mineral processing.

“This is not just the economics of the United States,” U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said. “This is our national security that rests on what’s underground right here.”

Beyond its potential national impact, the project could bring significant economic opportunities to southeast Nebraska.

NioCorp estimates the mine could support approximately 1,200 construction jobs and 500 permanent positions over its expected 40-year operating life.

“I’d like to say it’s really not a project to us anymore,” NioCorp Chairman and CEO Mark Smith said. “It’s a generational job-creating powerhouse is what it’s going to be, and it’s going to make Johnson County a different place, a better place.”

Construction work is already underway at the Elk Creek site as NioCorp continues working toward full commercial operations.