Mining company plans to dump saltwater into Missouri River - The Daily Progress

ELK CREEK, Neb. (AP) — A company that wants to mine rare metals in southeast Nebraska plans to dump naturally occurring saltwater into the Missouri River, a prospect that has raised environmental concerns.

Colorado-based NioCorp Developments Ltd. has been meeting with regulators while firming plans to spend nearly $1 billion building the mine and processing facility near Elk Creek, about 70 miles southeast of Lincoln. NioCorp's primary target is niobium, which is used to harden steel.

NioCorp estimates the potential saltwater discharge would raise the Missouri River's average chloride content to 30 milligrams per liter, well below federal limits.

Jane Kleeb with Bold Nebraska told the Lincoln Journal Star (http://bit.ly/2dLQyvN ) that her watchdog group is monitoring NioCorp's efforts to ensure environmental safeguards and accountability.

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Information from: Lincoln Journal Star, http://ift.tt/XvFCpd