$NB - The IRL Aerotyne International (But This Time Not a Scam)
u/GloveNo4997 ·
Reddit — r/wallstreetbets
· April 13, 2026 at 07:40
· ⬆ 18 pts
· 💬 12 comments
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Summary
The post argues that NioCorp Developments ($NB), a pre-revenue rare earth mining company, is on the verge of a major catalyst. The author's thesis is that the imminent release of a positive feasibility study will clear the final hurdle for a $780M U.S. government loan, sending the stock higher.
Quality assessment: Speculation with some research. It cites specific upcoming catalysts, SEC filings, and partnerships, but the investment hinges entirely on uncertain binary outcomes (loan approval, study results).
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While everyone’s busy panic-posting about Iran and the Gay of Hormuz getting blockaded, the real beneficiaries of the war have been completely overlooked: rare earth companies. They’ve been getting dumped with everything else, even though the U.S will need to heavily restock after using all this firepower in Iran. And one company wins:
The stock is NioCorp Developments ($NB), an early-stage mining company valued at $700M with no revenue, no profit, and $300M in cash that is currently being burned like wood in a fireplace.🔥
So why is it trading at 2x book value? Because they’re pending a **$780 million loan** from the government to build their $1.2B mine in Nebraska. Specifically, the US Export-Import Bank (AKA Trump’s piggy bank) is in stage 2 technical review for the loan. To approve it, the government just needs 2 things:
1. Signed offtake agreements (buyers) for NioCorp’s rare earths
2. A positive updated feasibility study on the economics of their mine.
**Well, on Friday NioCorp** **signed an offtake agreement** **with Traxys North America for ALL of their rare earths. Requirement #1 done** ([source](https://www.niocorp.com/niocorp-reaches-non-binding-agreement-with-traxys-north-america-for-potential-purchase-of-all-of-niocorps-remaining-planned-products/))**.**
And NioCorp’s updated feasibility study (requirement #2) is dropping any day now. The CEO has said multiple times that the study will be released mid-April, which could literally be tomorrow. \*\*Once it comes out, this report either puts $NB in the grave or clears the path for loan approval and sends it to the moon.\*\*🌙
And guess what? The big boys are boarding the rocket ship, not reaching for their shovels. Citadel has quietly scooped up 4.3% of the entire company as of 2 days ago[ (SEC Filing)](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1512228/000110465926041071/xslSCHEDULE_13G_X02/primary_doc.xml). BlackRock owns 5%.
**"Ok but why is this different from $MP or $UUUU?"**
The answer is everybody’s favorite defense company: Lockheed Martin.
Lockheed needs a rare earth called Scandium for their next-generation fighter jets so we can continue 🚀💥💥💣ing the middle east. And guess who owns the only scandium mine in the U.S? NioCorp Developments. They’re already collaborating with Lockheed’s Skunkworks division on a scandium-titanium alloy, and previously got a $10M grant from the pentagon. **The US government has already paid NioCorp once. Now they just have to do it again.**
**Tldr;** The name of the company? ~~Aerotyne International~~ \[NioCorp Developments\]. It is a cutting edge high-tech firm out of the Midwest awaiting imminent ~~patent~~ \[loan\] approval on the next generation of ~~radar detectors~~ \[rare earths\] that have both huge military and civilian applications. **But for real this time. Unironically.**
Positions: (on fidelity because I'm not regarded)
https://preview.redd.it/mwhdb3q9wwug1.png?width=689&format=png&auto=webp&s=6322d37531a521f9e811d5a0361b327ce7d17928
NioCorp has signed a key offtake agreement (Traxys) and its final feasibility study is due imminently (mid-April). These are the last two requirements for a $780M U.S. EXIM loan. Loan approval would de-risk and finance the construction of its Nebraska mine, a critical U.S. rare earth (especially scandium) source, leading to a major re-rating of the stock. The stock is a binary play on the loan approval, with the imminent study release acting as the trigger. Institutional buying (Citadel, BlackRock) suggests smart money agrees. The feasibility study could be negative or show uneconomic metrics. The EXIM loan could still be denied even with a positive study. The company is pre-revenue and burning cash.