Business
NioCorp Launches Phased Approach to Commercial Production of Made-in-America Aluminum-Scandium Master Alloy
NioCorp Partnering with Nanoscale Powders LLC to Explore the Possibility of Establishing the First US-Based Mine-to-Master-Alloy Vertically Integrated
About this update from Niocorp Developments Ltd.
[{"type":"text","content":"NioCorp Partnering with Nanoscale Powders LLC to Explore the Possibility of Establishing the First US-Based Mine-to-Master-Alloy Vertically Integrated Production of the High-Performance MaterialNioCorp's Potential Commercial Production of Al-Sc Master Alloy Could Launch Prior to the Company's Planned Production of >100 Tonnes/Year of Scandium Oxide at its Proposed Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project in Nebraska and Would Use Scandium Produced at the Elk Creek Facility as well as From Other SourcesChina Now Dominates the Scandium World, but North America is Now Positioned to Emerge as a \"Leading Scandium Producer,\" says NioCorp CEOCENTENNIAL, CO / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2023 / NioCorp Developments Ltd. (\"NioCorp\" or the \"Company\") (NASDAQ:NB)(TSX:NB) today announced its intent to launch a phased approach to commercial-scale production of aluminum-scandium (\"Al-Sc\") master alloy in the US for commercial and defense applications. Coupled with the Company's intended plans to produce more than 100 tonnes per year of scandium oxide from its proposed Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project (the \"Elk Creek Project\") in southeast Nebraska, and depending upon the results of the Al-Sc master alloy initiative, receipt of necessary funding and other factors, the initiative could establish the US as a leading producer of scandium, according to NioCorp CEO and Executive Chairman Mark A Smith.Under an exclusive agreement with Boston-based Nanoscale Powders LLC (\"Nanoscale\") the initial work is expected to result in the production of several ingots of Al-Sc master alloy at potentially commercial amounts of scandium content using a proprietary process developed by Nanoscale that increases efficiency and reduces environmental impacts of Al-Sc production over traditional approaches.The addition of scandium to aluminum alloys produces a much stronger alloy that reduces weight, improves corrosion resistance, and allows for reliable welding operations. Al-Sc alloy has large emerging applications in automotive and mass transit systems, commercial aviation, space, and defense markets. The traditional method of introducing scandium into Al-Sc alloys is via a master alloy containing 98% aluminum and 2% scandium. NioCorp's and Nanoscale's goal is to demonstrate the ability to make Al-Sc master alloy containing up to 5% scandium.NioCorp and Nanoscale ...