Andy Vandy

Any stances, positions, or opinions expressed here are solely my own; they do not constitute any form of advice, financial or otherwise, and do not necessarily reflect the stances, positions, or opinions of any other organizations or entities.

Two small but notable developments for NioCorp $NB got quietly announced today: • The company has proposed funding an additional deputy for the local Sheriff’s Department • The county is now bidding out a road project that leads directly to the mine entrance Incremental, but both point toward tangible project progression. 1) A conference-call with Jennifer Stehlik-Ladman was conducted to go over the proposal from NioCorp to pay for an additional deputy to be added to the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department roster. This will be an extra position, not filling a current open position. The three-year contract, beginning January 1, 2027, will reimburse the county for all expenses related to that position: salary, benefits, and equipment. They will pay what the county pays for regularly staffed deputies. In addition to personal equipment, NioCorp will also pay for the deputy’s vehicle. The cost estimate to cover all expenses is $93,000. 2) A road construction project to construct a turn lane on Highway 50 and pave approximately 1500 feet of 721 Road for an entrance to the NioCorp rare earth metals mine has gone to bid. Bidders have until 9:45 a.m. on April 7 to get their bids to the county clerk. At the commissioners meeting at 10:00 a.m., the commissioners will open the bids and possibly accept one of them, conditionally. The decision will be finalized by March 21. Source: anewspaper.net/article/1866,j…

NEWS: U.S. Locks in Rare Earth Supply Deal with Lynas to Bolster Defense Industry @LynasRareEarths $LYSDY $MP Lynas Rare Earths has signed a binding Letter of Intent with the U.S. Department of War for a four-year supply of light and heavy rare earth oxide products, backed by about US$96 million of U.S. government funding. The arrangement sets a floor price of US$110 per kilogram for NdPr oxide and is intended to enhance U.S. national security and supply chain resilience. The new offtake framework replaces an earlier agreement that had been clouded by uncertainty over the planned heavy rare earth processing facility in Seadrift, Texas. Lynas and the U.S. government are continuing talks on additional heavy rare earth supply, underscoring the company’s growing strategic role in the Defense Industrial Base. Source: tipranks.com/news/company-a…

We’re approaching the moment where certain Rare Earth stocks stop being “stocks” and start becoming strategic national security assets. $MP is the clearest example right now. It’s operational. It’s scaling. It’s vertically integrating in real time while the geopolitical temperature keeps rising. In a world where supply chains are weaponized and critical minerals decide military readiness, companies like this don’t just produce materials… they underpin defense infrastructure. And this is only the beginning. More names will transition from speculative plays to strategic necessities. The question isn’t if… it’s who’s next? $UAMY $UUUU $AREC $UURAF $NB $USAR $ALOY $MTMCF

@cekdrew I'm not really surprised either and considering I'm going 10 yr long on this sector, this ride is just getting started.

@AndyVandy88 Yeah, not super shocking but definitely didn’t expect this craziness across the market!

May as well repost since you named off half of my portfolio 🤣

@cekdrew ...aaaand it didnt lol.

@AndyVandy88 Much needed bump after the downfall after October. Don’t know if this lasts though.

Vance says plan is to set "reference prices for critical minerals at each stage of production" and for those reference prices to "operate as a floor maintained through adjustable tariffs to uphold pricing integrity"

🚨 @VP invites allies to form a critical minerals trading bloc: "For those of you who join, we offer you a necessary foundation for private financing, and secure access to the critical mineral supplies your nation would require in an emergency or some other contingency."

BREAKING: DoE Announces Realignment of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation Programs $MP $UUUU $USAR $UAMY Effective immediately, The Office of Critical Minerals & Energy Innovation will be divided into three pillars, each of which will be led by a corresponding Deputy Assistant Secretary. 1) The Office of Critical Minerals, Materials, and Manufacturing Will accelerate mining activities, diversify supply chains for critical minerals and metals, expand battery and magnet research, stimulate innovation in processing and metallurgy, and facilitate the recycling of black mass, battery materials, and other critical minerals. 2) The Office of Energy Technology Will continue to lead the world in research and development for cutting-edge energy technologies, fuels, chemicals, and hydropower. This office will also drive the commercialization and deployment of technologies that enhance energy networks across the United States and reduce the cost of energy for American ratepayers. 3) The Office of Innovation, Affordability, and Consumer Choice Will exercise DOE’s appliance standards and building codes authority, with an emphasis on fact-based analysis, process transparency, and consumer choice and affordability. The office also oversees and manages multiple state and community energy and weatherization programs. This office will promote innovation and the adoption of new and beneficial technologies for buildings and industrial applications. energy.gov/cmei/articles/…

SCOOP: Trump administration no longer plans to extend price floors to critical minerals projects, sources tell me and @JarrettRenshaw for @Reuters. reuters.com/world/asia-pac…

$UAMY Unforeseen Fire Leads to Rectification and Production Halt at Hunan Zhenqiang Antimony Industry SMM News, January 27: According to official information from Hunan Zhenqiang Antimony Industry Co., Ltd., a severe accidental fire broke out yesterday evening due to aging wiring within a factory building on the premises. After overnight firefighting efforts and inspections, the site currently shows no further fire hazards. However, the fire extensively damaged the factory building and also affected the plant's blast furnace and reverberatory furnace, rendering them inoperable. Fortunately, there were no casualties in the incident. It is reported that, under requirements from relevant municipal government departments, Hunan Zhenqiang Antimony Industry must undergo a suspension of production for rectification lasting at least two months. Company personnel also indicated that, factoring in both the rectification period and equipment repairs, the production halt is expected to last more than two months, potentially affecting antimony ingot output by over 2,000 tons. Market sources noted that as Hunan Zhenqiang Antimony Industry Co., Ltd. is one of the major private manufacturers in Lengshuijiang City, Hunan Province, the two-month production suspension could, to some extent, lead to an overall decline in domestic antimony production. news.metal.com/newscontent/10…

BREAKING: U.S. Government To Take a Stake in $USAR in $1.6bn Critical Minerals Deal The Trump administration is planning to inject $1.6bn into an American rare earths company, its biggest investment in the sector, in Washington’s latest foray into private industry to shore up supplies of key minerals. 🚨 Important Note: No deal has been officially finalized yet. This is per reporting from the Financial Times, which says a formal announcement is expected on Monday. The US government will receive a 10 per cent stake in USA Rare Earth, a publicly traded Oklahoma-based miner that controls significant US deposits of heavy rare earths, according to people familiar with the matter. The government investment and a separate $1bn private financing deal are expected to be announced on Monday, according to people familiar with the situation. One person said the government would get 16.1m shares in USA Rare Earth and warrants for another 17.6m, both at a price of $17.17. The government agreed to pay $277mn for the equity, giving it an implied gain of $490mn for the equity and warrants based on the current share price of $24.77. USA Rare Earth will also receive $1.3bn in senior secured debt financing at market rates from the government. The money will come from a finance facility created for the commerce department as part of the CHIPS and Science Act passed in 2022. A commerce official said the department completed the transaction directly with the company. ft.com/content/0a337d…

@rawsalerts Salt Typhoon at it again eh? I was posting about them a couple months ago when I was hitting the cybersecurity news cycle.

🚨#BREAKING: Chinese hackers linked to the group known as Salt Typhoon have breached the email systems of U.S. congressional committee staff, gaining access to internal communications.

💥Thar she blows!🐳 US government is awarding $2.7 Billion to producers of domestic enriched #Uranium fuel for US #Nuclear reactors as #AI boosts the demand for 24/7 reliable #CarbonFree #electricity.🌞🇺🇸💰⚛️⛏️🏭🧑‍🏭🤠🐂 #RideTheNuclearWave🌊🏄

Some times you just need to take a moment and watch a dog napping. 🤎

Few things bring me more peace and happiness than a photo of a sleeping dog. In particular, my sleeping dog. ❤️

Driving to work and turn the radio on. Economic Analyst talking about the next big thing is owning all your own energy: uranium, oil, minerals, etc. $MP $UUUU $AREC $UAMY Sometimes the starts just align.

We started seeing the signs back in 2022 after the Pelosi visit. And earlier than that if you count the smaller "exercises" China has been doing around Taiwan. At the time I felt as though they would make their move during the Biden admin.