{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Company Interviews","title":"Niocorp Developments (NASDAQ:NB) Advances Toward 2026 Financing with Strong Government Support","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/b8e1ed74\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2380,"description":"Interview with Mark Smith, Executive Chairman, President & CEO of NioCorp Developments Ltd.Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/niocorp-nasdaqnb-critical-minerals-project-targets-us-supply-chain-security-7125Recording date: 26th January 2026NioCorp Developments (NASDAQ: NB) is accelerating toward project financing for its Elk Creek critical minerals facility in Nebraska, backed by over $300 million in cash and intensifying support from US government agencies. The company raised $370 million in 2025, including a $10 million Department of Defense grant that funded reserve upgrades and engineering work critical to securing Export-Import Bank financing.Executive Chairman Mark Smith reports unprecedented momentum with the US Export-Import Bank, which designated NioCorp as a \"very top priority project\" in December 2025. \"In the last two weeks, I have received more emails and more phone calls from EXIM than I did in all of 2025,\" Smith said, describing the pace as \"Trump speed.\" The company expects binding commitments by Q2 2026 for a 65% debt, 35% equity structure totaling $780 million.Project economics have been dramatically enhanced by surging rare earth prices. Neodymium-praseodymium oxide has doubled from $55/kg in July 2025 to $110-120/kg, while heavy rare earths show even more striking differentials—dysprosium at $1,250/kg outside China versus $250/kg domestically. These pricing improvements will be reflected in the company's mid-March feasibility study update.NioCorp has commenced detailed engineering for a $45 million underground mine portal project starting February 2026, demonstrating management confidence in near-term financing. The project offers exceptional margins of approximately $450-475 per ton, with $700 in revenue against $225-250 in processing costs across four critical minerals: niobium, scandium, titanium, and magnetic rare earths.The company has secured definitive offtake agreements for 75% of ferroniobium production and 12...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/1wv-MFlQAgnm-ca64e5kK4984dZB0os8-HJdRVsI74M/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzEzNTcyLzE2MjM5/NTQyMDctYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}