West Faces Challenges with Limited Supply of Heavy Rare Earth Elements, Reports Reuters
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Nov 19 2025
0mins
Supply Chain Development: The West is striving to establish a domestic supply chain for rare earth magnets to reduce dependence on China, which is crucial for various products.
Element Scarcity: The scarcity of heavy rare earth elements, particularly dysprosium and terbium, poses a significant challenge for the West's efforts, particularly for companies like MP Materials.
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Analyst Views on NB
Wall Street analysts forecast NB stock price to rise
3 Analyst Rating
3 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 5.420
Low
9.50
Averages
12.25
High
15.00
Current: 5.420
Low
9.50
Averages
12.25
High
15.00
About NB
NioCorp Developments Ltd. is developing the Elk Creek Project that is expected to produce niobium, scandium, and titanium. The Company is also evaluating the potential to produce several rare earths from the Elk Creek Project. The Elk Creek Project is a shovel-ready pure-play critical minerals project with the highest-grade Niobium resource in North America and an indicated rare earth resource in the United States. The Elk Creek Project is located approximately 105 kilometers (kms) southeast of Lincoln, Nebraska (the state capital); 129 kms south of Omaha, Nebraska, and three miles west of Elk Creek, Nebraska and six miles south of Tecumseh, Nebraska.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Greenland Mines Secures Key Industrial Site in Iceland
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- North Atlantic Metals Corridor: This industrial site will support the company's vision of a 'North Atlantic Critical Metals Corridor' linking the Skaergaard deposit in Greenland with low-cost renewable-powered processing in Iceland, expected to improve resource transportation efficiency.
- Rich Mineral Resources: The Skaergaard deposit hosts a resource of 25.4 million ounces of palladium-equivalent and 23.5 million ounces of gold-equivalent, making it one of the largest undeveloped palladium-gold deposits globally, aligning with Western nations' goals to reduce reliance on Russia and China.
- Environmentally Friendly Development: Greenland Mines is committed to modern, low-impact industrial development at Helguvík, ensuring compliance with high environmental standards, aiming to secure social license from local communities, thereby enhancing project feasibility and sustainability.
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- Resource Integration: The company holds a resource of 25.4 million ounces of platinum-group metals at its Skaergaard deposit in East Greenland, and with the infrastructure at Helguvík, it is expected to significantly enhance its competitiveness in the critical metals market.
- Environmental Commitment: Greenland Mines is committed to modern, low-impact industrial development at Helguvík, ensuring compliance with high environmental standards to gain social license from local communities, thereby enhancing project sustainability.
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- Market Discount: Despite NioCorp's market value of $2.35 billion, its shares are trading at a significant discount, with analyst Nick Giles attributing this to market perceptions of financing risk, which he believes is closer to resolution than current pricing suggests.
- Catalyst Outlook: Giles identifies several catalysts that could drive a strong re-rating of NioCorp shares in the near to medium term, including an updated feasibility study, the conversion of commercial agreements with Traxys to binding contracts, and ongoing progress with the Export-Import Bank towards securing $780 million in debt financing.
- Financing Progress: NioCorp's $780 million debt application has cleared all major Ex-Im review stages since 2023 and is well-positioned for final board authorization in the coming months, which Giles views as a re-rating event that would shift the project from a discounted pre-production NPV to a construction-stage project with a known capital structure and contracted revenue.
See More
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- Analyst Upgrade: B. Riley initiated coverage on NioCorp with a buy rating and a price target of $12, indicating a potential upside of 140% from yesterday's closing price of $4.99, reflecting optimistic market expectations for the company's future.
- De-risked Project: Analysts believe that NioCorp's Elk Creek project is one of the most de-risked critical minerals development projects in the U.S., containing scandium oxide and ferroniobium, which are not produced domestically, highlighting the project's significance in resource development.
- Positive Market Reaction: Despite NioCorp shares falling over 2% after Friday's close, the stock rebounded by 0.5% today following the analyst's bullish rating, indicating investor confidence in the company's prospects, although it had earlier surged by 6.6% during the session.
- Investment Risk Advisory: While B. Riley's high price target has attracted investor interest, NioCorp is still in the development phase, and there is uncertainty regarding the project's progression and profitability, suggesting that investments should be made by those with a high risk tolerance.
See More
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- Project Potential: The Elk Creek project is considered one of the most de-risked critical minerals development projects in the U.S., containing rare minerals like scandium oxide and ferroniobium, which are not produced domestically, highlighting its strategic importance.
- Market Reaction: Although NioCorp shares briefly surged by 6.6% following the analyst's rating, they later settled at a 0.5% increase, indicating market uncertainty regarding the company's future profitability, necessitating caution among investors.
- Investment Risks: Given that NioCorp is still in the development phase and the project's profitability remains uncertain, the stock is suitable only for investors with high risk tolerance, while conservative investors are advised to consider other more stable mining stocks.
See More
Greenland Mines Secures Key Industrial Site in Iceland
- Strategic Industrial Site: Greenland Mines has secured approximately 60,000 square meters of the Helguvík industrial site in Iceland, featuring deep-water port access and 40 megawatts of power, which enhances its position in the critical minerals supply chain.
- North Atlantic Metals Corridor: This industrial site will support the company's vision of a 'North Atlantic Critical Metals Corridor' linking the Skaergaard deposit in Greenland with low-cost renewable-powered processing in Iceland, expected to improve resource transportation efficiency.
- Rich Mineral Resources: The Skaergaard deposit hosts a resource of 25.4 million ounces of palladium-equivalent and 23.5 million ounces of gold-equivalent, making it one of the largest undeveloped palladium-gold deposits globally, aligning with Western nations' goals to reduce reliance on Russia and China.
- Environmentally Friendly Development: Greenland Mines is committed to modern, low-impact industrial development at Helguvík, ensuring compliance with high environmental standards, aiming to secure social license from local communities, thereby enhancing project feasibility and sustainability.
See More
Greenland Mines Acquires Industrial Site in Iceland
- Strategic Acquisition: Greenland Mines (NASDAQ:GRML) has secured a First Right of Refusal for the Helguvík industrial site in Iceland, covering approximately 60,000 square meters and equipped with deep-water port access and 40 megawatts of power, aimed at supporting its North Atlantic Critical Metals Corridor.
- Resource Integration: The company holds a resource of 25.4 million ounces of platinum-group metals at its Skaergaard deposit in East Greenland, and with the infrastructure at Helguvík, it is expected to significantly enhance its competitiveness in the critical metals market.
- Environmental Commitment: Greenland Mines is committed to modern, low-impact industrial development at Helguvík, ensuring compliance with high environmental standards to gain social license from local communities, thereby enhancing project sustainability.
- Market Positioning: By integrating the Skaergaard and Sarfartoq rare-earth projects, Greenland Mines is working to establish a vertically integrated critical metals platform to meet the urgent demand from Western nations to reduce reliance on Russian and Chinese supplies.
See More
REalloys Secures Rare Earth Resource Agreement
- Priority Resource Access: REalloys has signed an agreement with Patriot Exploration & Mining, granting it preferential access to 30% of a 2 billion-ton rare earth resource in the Appalachian region, which is crucial for supporting the domestic supply chain ahead of the Pentagon's 2027 ban on Chinese materials.
- Production Capacity Enhancement: The company is investing approximately $20.6 million in Saskatchewan, expected to increase neodymium-praseodymium output by 25% and double dysprosium and terbium production, thereby solidifying its leadership in the North American rare earth processing market.
- Strategic Partnership Expansion: A 15-year offtake agreement with Critical Metals Corp. secures REalloys 15% of production from the Tanbreez project in Greenland, enhancing its competitive edge in the global rare earth supply chain, particularly in heavy rare earths.
- Increased Policy Support: The U.S. Department of Energy has allocated $67 million this week for rare earth extraction projects, reflecting the government's commitment to building a domestic supply chain, as REalloys actively positions itself to meet defense demands and secure future market share.
See More
NioCorp Rises 1.2% as B. Riley Initiates Buy Rating with $12 Target
- Coverage Initiation: B. Riley has initiated coverage on NioCorp with a Buy rating and a $12 price target, highlighting the Elk Creek critical minerals project in Nebraska as one of the most technically de-risked development projects in the U.S., which is expected to attract more investor interest.
- Market Discount: Despite NioCorp's market value of $2.35 billion, its shares are trading at a significant discount, with analyst Nick Giles attributing this to market perceptions of financing risk, which he believes is closer to resolution than current pricing suggests.
- Catalyst Outlook: Giles identifies several catalysts that could drive a strong re-rating of NioCorp shares in the near to medium term, including an updated feasibility study, the conversion of commercial agreements with Traxys to binding contracts, and ongoing progress with the Export-Import Bank towards securing $780 million in debt financing.
- Financing Progress: NioCorp's $780 million debt application has cleared all major Ex-Im review stages since 2023 and is well-positioned for final board authorization in the coming months, which Giles views as a re-rating event that would shift the project from a discounted pre-production NPV to a construction-stage project with a known capital structure and contracted revenue.
See More
NioCorp Shares Bounce Back as Analyst Sets Bullish Price Target
- Analyst Upgrade: B. Riley initiated coverage on NioCorp with a buy rating and a price target of $12, indicating a potential upside of 140% from yesterday's closing price of $4.99, reflecting optimistic market expectations for the company's future.
- De-risked Project: Analysts believe that NioCorp's Elk Creek project is one of the most de-risked critical minerals development projects in the U.S., containing scandium oxide and ferroniobium, which are not produced domestically, highlighting the project's significance in resource development.
- Positive Market Reaction: Despite NioCorp shares falling over 2% after Friday's close, the stock rebounded by 0.5% today following the analyst's bullish rating, indicating investor confidence in the company's prospects, although it had earlier surged by 6.6% during the session.
- Investment Risk Advisory: While B. Riley's high price target has attracted investor interest, NioCorp is still in the development phase, and there is uncertainty regarding the project's progression and profitability, suggesting that investments should be made by those with a high risk tolerance.
See More
B. Riley Initiates Coverage on NioCorp Stock with Bullish Price Target
- Analyst Rating: B. Riley has initiated coverage on NioCorp stock with a buy rating and set a price target of $12, indicating a 140% upside from yesterday's closing price of $4.99, reflecting optimism about the company's future prospects.
- Project Potential: The Elk Creek project is considered one of the most de-risked critical minerals development projects in the U.S., containing rare minerals like scandium oxide and ferroniobium, which are not produced domestically, highlighting its strategic importance.
- Market Reaction: Although NioCorp shares briefly surged by 6.6% following the analyst's rating, they later settled at a 0.5% increase, indicating market uncertainty regarding the company's future profitability, necessitating caution among investors.
- Investment Risks: Given that NioCorp is still in the development phase and the project's profitability remains uncertain, the stock is suitable only for investors with high risk tolerance, while conservative investors are advised to consider other more stable mining stocks.
See More
