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NioCorp Completes Metallurgical Test Program and Begins Making Titanium Samples for Prospective Customers
After completing its metallurgical testing program, NioCorp's demonstration plant is now making high-purity titanium samples in response to inquiries from
About this update from Niocorp Developments Ltd.
[{"type":"text","content":"After completing its metallurgical testing program, NioCorp's demonstration plant is now making high-purity titanium samples in response to inquiries from prospective customersNioCorp demonstrates potential production of higher-purity niobium and titanium than previously achieved, along with commercial purity scandium and magnetic rare earth oxidesNioCorp successfully extracts, at demonstration scale, all targeted magnetic rare earths from its Elk Creek resource, including highly-sought-after heavy rare earths dysprosium and terbiumCENTENNIAL, CO / ACCESSWIRE / December 4, 2023 / NioCorp Developments Ltd. (\"NioCorp\" or the \"Company\") (NASDAQ:NB)(TSX:NB) is pleased to announce that it has completed its metallurgical testing program at its Quebec-based demonstration plant. Results show that NioCorp's enhanced processing design can produce, at demonstration scale, higher-purity forms of niobium and titanium, and higher yields for each product, than previously attained. The results also show that NioCorp can produce, at demonstration scale, scandium and magnetic rare earth products with commercial purities at recovery rates of 92% or higher. With all metallurgical work required to update NioCorp's current Feasibility Study for the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project (the \"Elk Creek Project\") now completed, NioCorp is working to update its mineral reserve to include rare earths, complete additional engineering required by the new processing design, update project capital and operating cost estimates, and producing other information required for publication in an updated Feasibility Study. This is expected to be completed as early as possible in 2024.Higher-Purity Form of Titanium Can Be ProducedNioCorp's new process can produce, at demonstration scale, a higher purity and more valuable form of titanium, known as titanium tetrachloride (\"TiCl4\"), than its previous process. The Company has shifted operations at its demonstration plant to produce sufficient quantities of TiCl4 for quality and purity testing by multiple prospective customers who have requested samples. NioCorp expects to make a final determination on its plans to produce TiCl4 after completing all work required for publishing an updated Feasibility Study.TiCl4 is a highly versatile form of titanium that can be used to make both titanium dioxide, used in paints an...