NioCorp officially gets $10 million grant from DOD as it hopes to build southeast Nebraska rare earth minerals mine
RESPONSE. A COMPANY LOOKING TO BUILD A RARE AND CRITICAL MINERALS MINERALS MINE IN SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA GETS A BOOST FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THEY SAY $10 MILLION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SHOWS THE GOVERNMENT IS SERIOUS ABOUT PRODUCING THESE MINERALS HERE IN THE U.S. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S ERIN HAGERTY WAS AT THE PROPOSED SITE TODAY. HERE AT THE PROPOSED ELK CREEK MINE SITE IN SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA, THE GOAL IS TO GET A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT’S IN THE GROUND. DRILLING IS WELL UNDERWAY, AND THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO BUILD A FIRST OF ITS KIND MINE SITE IN THE U.S. MORE MATERIAL IS COMING OUT OF THE EARTH FROM MORE THAN 2500FT BELOW THE SURFACE IN SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA. LOCALS KNOW THIS MINE HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR DECADES. HOPEFULLY THIS THING GETS OFF THE GROUND SOON BECAUSE, LIKE IT’S BEEN 40, 50 YEARS. GREG KRUEGER CONTRIBUTED TO THE DRILLING HERE IN THE 70S. IT’S BEEN OFF AND ON EVER SINCE, AND IT’S AS STRONG NOW AS EVER. KRUEGER IS NOW LOCAL. CONTACT. THE COMPANY HAS BEEN LOOKING TO START A RARE EARTH MINE HERE FOR MORE THAN A DECADE. HE SAYS THE FIRST HINT THAT SOMETHING SPECIAL WAS IN THE GROUND CAME FROM THE SKY. WHEN PILOTS NOTICED COMPASSES DEVIATING AS THEY FLEW BY. US? NOW, NIA CORP SAYS A MINE IS CLOSE TO REALITY AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GOVERNMENT IS STRONG. THEY PLAN TO WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO DEVELOP A FULL SUPPLY CHAIN. THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE AIR FORCE, THE NAVY, FOR OUR SPACE PROGRAMS. THIS WEEK, NIA CORP OFFICIALLY RECEIVED A $10 MILLION GRANT FROM THE DOD, MOSTLY TO HELP THEM DO THE ONGOING STUDY TO PROVE WHAT’S UNDERGROUND AND SECURE A NEARLY $800 MILLION GRANT FROM A GOVERNMENT BANK. THIS MINE IN SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA CAN PRODUCE MORE SCANDIUM THAN WHAT IS PRODUCED IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. FROM ALL THE MINES TODAY. THE COMPANY AND LAWMAKERS LIKE SENATOR PETE RICKETTS SAY GETTING THIS OFF THE GROUND IS CRITICAL FOR NATIONAL SECURITY. THE VAST MAJORITY OF RARE EARTHS PRODUCTION HAPPENS IN CHINA. RICKETTS CALLS THE CHINESE PRESIDENT DANGEROUS. NOW THAT WE KNOW HOW DANGEROUS HE IS, WE’VE GOT TO START TAKING STEPS TO PROTECT OURSELVES. AND THAT MEANS INVESTING IN RARE EARTH ELEMENTS AND CRITICAL MINERALS. NIOBRARA EXPECTS THAT ANALYSIS OF WHAT’S IN THE GROUND TO BE COMPLETE BY THE END OF THE YEAR. AND ONCE THOSE LOAN FUNDS ARE RELEASED, THEY SAY THEY CAN START BUILDING THE MINE ALMOST IMMEDIAT
NioCorp officially gets $10 million grant from DOD as it hopes to build southeast Nebraska rare earth minerals mine
Updated: 8:11 PM CDT Aug 5, 2025
Editorial Standards
A company looking to build a rare and critical earth minerals mine in Nebraska officially received a $10 million boost from a Department of Defense grant this week.NioCorp says its mine near Elk Creek in southeast Nebraska would be the first of its kind in the U.S., which imports the vast majority of rare and critical earth minerals. It plans to produce the minerals on-site. The company says building the mine is critical to national security. Currently, China produces the vast majority of rare and critical earth minerals. China retaliated against U.S. tariffs in part by restricting its exports of the materials.NioCorp is using the grant primarily to help with its ongoing work to learn more about what’s under the ground on the site. If it is successful, the Export-Import Bank of the United States would provide a nearly $800 million loan to allow NioCorp to begin building the mine.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
A company looking to build a rare and critical earth minerals mine in Nebraska officially received a $10 million boost from a Department of Defense grant this week.
NioCorp says its mine near Elk Creek in southeast Nebraska would be the first of its kind in the U.S., which imports the vast majority of rare and critical earth minerals. It plans to produce the minerals on-site.
The company says building the mine is critical to national security. Currently, China produces the vast majority of rare and critical earth minerals. China retaliated against U.S. tariffs in part by restricting its exports of the materials.
NioCorp is using the grant primarily to help with its ongoing work to learn more about what’s under the ground on the site. If it is successful, the Export-Import Bank of the United States would provide a nearly $800 million loan to allow NioCorp to begin building the mine.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
