Groundbreaking Critical Minerals, Mining and Processing Facility In Nebraska

MILWAUKEE - NioCorp Developments Ltd. has awarded a major contract to Rockwell Automation to engineer, design and procure process automation and instrumentation for NioCorp’s proposed critical minerals, mining and processing facility in Elk Creek, Nebraska. 

Three superalloy metals – niobium, scandium and titanium – are expected to be produced by the facility as early as 2021. These critical materials are used in the aerospace, defense, automotive, clean energy, commercial aviation and mega-infrastructure sectors. Generally, these superalloys enable increased strength and lighter weight in transportation and other systems, leading to better fuel efficiency and lower greenhouse gas and other air emissions, according to NioCorp.

“We selected Rockwell Automation and its partners to automate our process equipment and power control systems with the goals of optimizing material handling and processing, increasing efficiencies and reducing time to market,” said Mark Smith, Executive Chairman and CEO, NioCorp. “Their combination of industry expertise, proven methodologies and advanced automation technology should help us develop a truly world-class mine that can initiate the first-ever greenfield mining and processing of niobium and scandium in the United States.”

Rockwell Automation will be the main automation contractor for this project. The system integration will be provided through MAVERICK Technologies, a Rockwell Automation company that specializes in process automation solutions. Endress+Hauser, a strategic alliance partner, will provide field instrumentation including analysis, temperature, pressure, level and flow measurement devices, along with valves and related field devices and services.

The Elk Creek Project is known to be the highest-grade niobium deposit in North America. Once in full-scale production, the NioCorp facility is expected to produce more than 7,000 tonnes of ferroniobium, 103 tonnes of scandium trioxide and over 11,000 tonnes of titanium dioxide each year, with a 32-year operating life.