NioCorp has incorporated Railveyor's fully electric, automated haulage system into multiple key elements of its updated feasibility study for the Elk Creek critical minerals project in Nebraska, according to the company's August NI 43-101 Technical Report released on August 27, 2026. Railveyor CEO Tas Mohamed confirmed that the fully electric, automated system is planned to become the principal underground-to-surface haulage solution for the project. The updated Elk Creek project study envisions an integrated underground mine and processing operation that will produce niobium, scandium, titanium and magnetic rare earth products, with mineral reserves supporting a 40-year production life.
The project is designed to process 46 million short tons of ore at steady state, targeting 3,047 tons per day of production. The revised mine design replaces the twin-shaft concept from the earlier feasibility study with two ramps. The South Ramp is dedicated to Railveyor haulage, while the North Ramp provides personnel, equipment and service access.
The fully electric, automated material-handling system includes underground loading stations, surface discharge loops for ore and waste, a maintenance facility, track switches and automated control infrastructure. The Railveyor ramp is also designed to form part of the mine's overall ventilation architecture. According to NioCorp, the twin-ramp configuration delivers substantial economic benefits.
An earlier NioCorp scoping study estimated that this concept could reduce initial underground capital by 53% compared with the shaft configuration, with additional operating cost savings of approximately $0.63 per tonne. NioCorp Chief Operating Officer Scott Honan noted that the Railveyor system is well suited to underground mining environments and can be operated and maintained by personnel with basic underground mining skills. The Railveyor technology aligns with Elk Creek's broader electrification strategy, which prioritizes battery-electric underground equipment to reduce emissions, heat load and ventilation demand.
Railveyor itself is electrically powered, enabling a significant portion of underground bulk haulage to operate without a conventional diesel truck fleet. Mohamed emphasized the broader operational philosophy, stating that rather than asking how to replace diesel machines with electric equivalents, the industry should consider how to fundamentally redesign mining operations when electricity is the primary energy source. Precedent for the technology's effectiveness exists in the mining sector.
In 2024, Agnico Eagle Mines implemented the Railveyor system at its Goldex mining complex in Val-d'Or, Quebec, achieving a 39% reduction in carbon emissions and operating cost reductions of up to 75%.
Source: mining.com