Mark Smith explains why niobium is the unsung hero of the metals industry
NioCorp Developments Limited (TSX: NB | OTCQX: NIOBF | FSE: BR3) is developing North America's only niobium / scandium / titanium project. Located near Elk Creek, Nebraska, the Elk Creek Project is the highest grade niobium project in North America, as well as the largest prospective producer of scandium in the world. NioCorp is positioned to emerge as the United States' only producer of niobium and scandium. These elements are unique and valuable superalloy materials that are strategic and critical to many industries and national defense technologies.
No new niobium mines have come into production since 1976. Three years ago, Geoscience Australia combined and averaged all the “critical metals” lists (compiled by the United States, Britain, the European Commission, Japan and South Korea) and found that niobium rated the seventh most critical metal in the world (after rare earths, gallium, indium, tungsten, platinum group metals and cobalt).
