ELK CREEK — The company behind a long-awaited minerals mine in southeast Nebraska told a packed room of about 350 people Friday to expect to see work on the project start next year with a goal of extracting from the site in about three years.Â
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Gov. Jim Pillen speaks during a town hall Friday at the Elk Creek Fire Department about a rare earth mineral mine that NioCorp is building in southeast Nebraska. Pillen said that the project would not just be a major economic driver for the region, but that it would also be essential to national security.Â
Looking southwest Friday from the intersection of Nebraska Highways 50 and 62 at the NioCorp mine project near Elk Creek.
Photos: Elk Creek holds town hall over rare earth mining project
Looking southwest from the intersection of Highways 50 and 62 at the NioCorp Developments Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project near Elk Creek, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
Gov. Jim Pillen speaks during a town hall at the Elk Creek Fire Department about the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project in Elk Creek, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
A water tower photographed in Elk Creek, Neb. on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
Roger Helgoth asks a question during a town hall at the Elk Creek Fire Department about the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project in Elk Creek, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
Looking east toward the intersection of Highways 50 and 62 , the NioCorp Developments Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project is to the bottom right near Elk Creek, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
Looking south, snow is in a field on land southwest from the intersection of Highways 50 and 62 at the NioCorp Developments Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project near Elk Creek, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
A frozen pond sits on land southwest from the intersection of Highways 50 and 62 at the NioCorp Developments Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project near Elk Creek, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
Gov. Jim Pillen speaks during a town hall at the Elk Creek Fire Department about the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project in Elk Creek, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
County Road 721 near the intersection of Highways 50 and 62 will be paved as part of the NioCorp Developments Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project near Elk Creek, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
A mailbox with the name of NioCorp sits on the land of the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project near Elk Creek, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
A portion of the Elk Creek runs through the NioCorp Developments Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project near Elk Creek, Neb on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
Gov. Jim Pillen speaks during a town hall at the Elk Creek Fire Department about the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project in Elk Creek, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
A no trespassing sign is on the NioCorp Developments Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project near Elk Creek, Neb on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
Sunlight illuminates the land of the NioCorp Developments Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project near Elk Creek, Neb on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
A truck heads north on Highways 50 toward Highway 62 near Elk Creek, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. The area to the right is the at NioCorp Developments Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project.
Tony Fulton director of NioCorp speaks during a town hall at the Elk Creek Fire Department about the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project in Elk Creek, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
Gov/ Jim Pillen, left, talks with Tony Fulton director of NioCorp, talk during a town hall at the Elk Creek Fire Department about the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project in Elk Creek, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
Mark A. Smith CEO of NioCorp, speaks during a town hall at the Elk Creek Fire Department about the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project in Elk Creek, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
Jim Sims, Chief Communications Officer for NioCorp speaks during a town hall at the Elk Creek Fire Department about the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project in Elk Creek, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
Mark A. Smith CEO of NioCorp, speaks during a town hall at the Elk Creek Fire Department about the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project in Elk Creek, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
Scott Honan COO NioCorp, speaks during a town hall at the Elk Creek Fire Department about the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project in Elk Creek, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
