Fischer Welcomes U.S. Energy Secretary, EXIM CEO to Elk Creek

ELK CREEK – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) visited the NioCorp Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project alongside U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM) Chairman John Jovanovic, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), and Rep. Adrian Smith (NE-03). Fischer has long supported the Elk Creek Critical Mineral Project, including helping to secure $10 million in federal funding for U.S. aluminum-scandium master alloy production. “I've long pushed to bring critical mineral production and processing back to the United States,” Fischer said. “I could not be prouder to see Nebraska leading the way in securing America’s energy dominance. I appreciate the administration’s focus on strengthening our domestic critical mineral supply chain, and I thank Secretary Wright and Chairman Jovanovic for supporting NioCorp’s plant in Elk Creek." “I was proud to join Nebraska’s Congressional delegation to advance the Elk Creek mining project that will deliver prosperity and more than a thousand jobs to residents, while also securing our nation’s critical minerals supply chains,” Wright said. “The Elk Creek Minerals Project is exactly the type of opportunity EXIM was always designed to support,” Jovanovic said. “By advancing U.S. control over the critical minerals essential to aircraft, automobiles, advanced manufacturing, and our broad industrial base, this project means more good jobs in Nebraska, more opportunities for American workers and a stronger, more secure industrial future for the United States.” The Elk Creek Project will mine and process niobium, scandium, titanium, all minerals the U.S. imports today, and will support over 1,000 well-paying jobs in rural Nebraska. The U.S. is entirely dependent on imports for niobium, scandium, and foreign competitors dominate heavy rare earth processing. Elk Creek holds the highest-grade niobium resource in North America, the second largest indicated rare earth resource in the nation, and one of the largest scandium resources in the world. ###