Vinson & Elkins structures 15-year critical-minerals offtake for NioCorp

On October 13, Vinson & Elkins announced that it advised NioCorp on a binding long-term offtake and marketing agreement with Traxys for the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project in Nebraska. The firm reported that Traxys will buy half of planned ferroniobium output for the first 15 years under a take-or-pay obligation, while an existing ThyssenKrupp agreement covers the other half for the first 10 years; the transaction supports NioCorp’s pursuit of U.S. Export-Import Bank debt financing. The announcement is a firm-reported transaction, not independent confirmation of project output or financing, but it shows ESG and energy-transition work being embedded in offtake, marketing, bankability and industrial-policy advice. Practice leaders should measure transition capability by whether teams can connect resource development, long-term sales, public finance and supply-chain resilience in one mandate.