Mining Company to Resume Work in SE Nebraska
(AP) -- A Canadian mining firm is preparing to resume drilling samples from beneath southeast Nebraska to determine if it will be feasible to build a mine to harvest a valuable and rare heat-resistant element.
NioCorp Developments said Tuesday it has requested bids from drilling companies for this summer's exploration of the niobium deposit near Elk Creek.
NioCorp said last month it had raised $5.5 million to pay for this next phase of drilling and assessment.
The U.S. currently imports nearly all the niobium that's used in this country to harden steel and make it more heat-resistant for industrial uses.
NioCorp previously estimated that more than 100 tons of niobium rests several hundred feet below the ground, but it's not yet clear whether a mine will be built.
© Associated Press
MOST VIEWED STORIES
Walnut Township recall coming; Friday mtg erupts in arrest
Sabetha woman arrested in business burglary
Effingham teen facing child sex crimes charges
Two search warrants, two Horton homes, two arrests
Severe storms move through NE KS
Document forgery alleged in ATCO's Walnut Township
Two Brown Co officers honored for their bravery
Whiting woman pleads to theft of fire dept. funds
Severe storms reported Tuesday in NE KS
Flags across KS to fly half-staff Sunday
Two men arrested in Jackson Co for distribute of meth
Atchison man nabbed for neighbor's 4 wheeler theft
Four arrested for illegal activity on Kickapoo Reservation
Winning lottery ticket sold in Falls City about to expire
Meriden man bound over on rape charge
Tornado damage surveyed in NE KS
Richardson County Deputies busy during special enforcement
LATEST STORIES
Four arrested for illegal activity on Kickapoo Reservation
Two search warrants, two Horton homes, two arrests
Brown Co Sheriff's Office releases April stats
Flags across KS to fly half-staff Sunday
Commission takes action related to bridge project
Whiting woman pleads to theft of fire dept. funds
Two men arrested in Jackson Co for distribute of meth
RELATED STORIES
Elk Creek Niobium Deposit Larger than Expected
Initial Results at Elk Creek Mine Site called Encouraging
NioCorp Confident in Elk Creek Mine Prospects
Update on Possible Niobium Mining Project in Southeast Nebraska
Drilling to Resume at Elk Creek
Work Continues at Proposed Mine Site near Elk Creek
NioCorp Pleased with Latest Test Results from Elk Creek Site