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NioCorp adds Railveyor electric haulage to Elk Creek feasibility study
The updated plan targets steady-state production of 3,047 tons per day and keeps the project’s 40-year reserve life.
NioCorp has incorporated Railveyor’s fully electric, automated haulage system into its updated feasibility study for the Elk Creek critical minerals project in Nebraska, Mining.com reported. The company says the Railveyor system is included across key elements of the mine design.
According to the updated Elk Creek study, the integrated operation would produce niobium, scandium, titanium, and magnetic rare earth products. The mineral reserve supports a 40-year production life, and the project is designed to process 46 million short tons of ore, with steady-state mine output targeting 3,047 tons per day.
The revised design replaces an earlier twin-shaft approach with two ramps. The South Ramp is designated for Railveyor haulage, while the North Ramp provides personnel, equipment, and service access, along with integrating Railveyor into the mine’s ventilation architecture.
NioCorp also tied the update to its electrification strategy, prioritizing battery-electric underground equipment to reduce emissions, heat load, and ventilation demand. The company previously estimated that the twin-ramp concept could cut initial underground capital by 53% versus the shaft configuration, and reduce operating costs by about $0.63 per tonne, Mining.com said.