Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of March 17, 2023, by and among NioCorp Developments Ltd., GX Acquisition Corp. II, GX Sponsor II LLC and certain persons listed on Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 thereto

EX-10.1 4 exh10-1.htm AMENDED AND RESTATED REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT, DATED AS OF MARCH 17, 2023

Exhibit 10.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of March 17, 2023, is made and entered into by and among NioCorp Developments Ltd., a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Province of British Columbia (the “Company”), GX Acquisition Corp. II, a Delaware corporation (“GX”), GX Sponsor II LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”), certain holders of the common shares of the Company (the “Common Shares”) set forth on Schedule 1 hereto (such shareholders, the “NioCorp Holders”), certain current and former stockholders of GX, and other persons and entities, in each case, set forth on Schedule 2 hereto (collectively, the “Investor Holders” and, collectively with the Sponsor, the NioCorp Holders and any person or entity who hereafter becomes a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 6.2 of this Agreement, the “Holders” and each, a “Holder”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, GX and the Sponsor are party to that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of March 17, 2021 (the “Original RRA”);

WHEREAS, the Company, GX and Big Red Merger Sub Ltd, a Delaware corporation and a direct wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub”) are parties to that certain Business Combination Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2022 (as it may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Merger Agreement”), pursuant to which GX merged with and into the Merger Sub (the “Merger”), with GX surviving the Merger as a direct wholly owned subsidiary of the Company;

WHEREAS, on the date hereof, pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the Sponsor and the Investor Holders received Second Merger Class B Shares (as defined in the Merger Agreement), which are exchangeable into Common Shares;

WHEREAS, on and prior to the date hereof, certain other investors (collectively, the “Third-Party Investor Holders”) purchased an aggregate of $16.0 million principal amount of unsecured debentures convertible into Common Shares and entered into a standby equity purchase agreement to purchase up to $65.0 million of Common Shares in a variable rate facility, each in transactions exempt from registration under the Securities Act;

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 5.5 of the Original RRA, the provisions, covenants and conditions set forth therein may be amended or modified upon the written consent of GX and the Holders (as defined in the Original RRA) of at least a majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities (as defined in the Original RRA) at the time in question, and the Sponsor is a Holder in the aggregate of at least a majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities (as defined in the Original RRA) as of the date hereof; and

WHEREAS, GX and the Sponsor desire to amend and restate the Original RRA in its entirety and enter into this Agreement, pursuant to which the Company shall grant the Holders certain registration rights with respect to certain securities of the Company, as set forth in this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the representations, covenants and agreements contained herein, and certain other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

1.1              Definitions. The terms defined in this Article I shall, for all purposes of this Agreement, have the respective meanings set forth below:

“Adverse Disclosure” shall mean any public disclosure of material non-public information, which disclosure, in the good faith judgment of the Chief Executive Officer or the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, after consultation with counsel to the Company, (a) would be required to be made in any Registration Statement or Prospectus in order for the applicable Registration Statement or Prospectus not to contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein (in the case of any prospectus and any preliminary prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, (b) would not be required to be made at such time if the Registration Statement were not being filed, declared effective or used, as the case may be, and (c) the Company has a bona fide business purpose for not making such information public.

“Agreement” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto.

“Block Trade” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.4.1.

“Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

“Canadian Securities Authorities” means the securities regulators or securities regulatory authorities in the provinces and territories of Canada and any of their successors.

“Canadian Securities Laws” means all applicable securities laws in each of the provinces and territories of Canada and the respective rules, regulations, blanket orders and blanket rulings under such laws together with published policies, policy statements and notices of the Canadian Securities Authorities.

“Canadian Shelf Prospectus” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.4.1.

“Closing” shall have the meaning given in the Merger Agreement.

“Closing Date” shall have the meaning given in the Merger Agreement.

“Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Common Shares” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.

“Company” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto and includes the Company’s successors by recapitalization, merger, arrangement, amalgamation, consolidation, spin-off, reorganization or similar transaction.

“Competing Registration Rights” shall have the meaning given in Section 6.7.

“Demanding Holder” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.4.

“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as it may be amended from time to time.

“Exchange Agreement” shall have the meaning given to such term in the Merger Agreement.

“Exchange Ratio” shall have the meaning given to such term in the Merger Agreement.

“Form S-1 Shelf” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.1.

“Form S-3 Shelf” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.1.

“GX Support Agreement” shall have the meaning given to such term in the Merger Agreement.

“Holder Information” shall have the meaning given in Section 4.1.2.

“Holders” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto, for so long as such person or entity holds any Registrable Securities.

“Insider Letter” shall mean that certain letter agreement, dated as of March 17, 2021, by and among GX, the Sponsor and each of the other parties thereto.

“Investor Shares” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.

“Investor Holders” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto.

“Lock-up” shall have the meaning given in Section 5.1.

“Lock-up Parties” shall mean Sponsor and the NioCorp Holders and their respective Permitted Transferees.

“Lock-up Period” shall mean the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the earlier of (i) one year after the Closing and (ii) subsequent to the Closing, (x) the date on which the VWAP of the Common Shares has equaled or exceeded the quotient of $13.42 per share divided by the Exchange Ratio (as adjusted for stock splits (including the Reverse Stock Split), stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the Closing Date or (y) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, arrangement, amalgamation, capital stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company’s shareholders having the right to exchange their Common Shares for cash, securities or other property.

“Lock-up Shares” shall mean with respect to (i) the Sponsor and its Permitted Transferees, the Common Shares and any other equity securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares held by the Sponsor immediately following the Closing (other than Common Shares acquired in the public market) and (ii) the NioCorp Holders and their respective Permitted Transferees, the Common Shares and any other equity securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares held by the NioCorp Holders immediately following the Closing (other than Common Shares acquired in the public market).

“Maximum Number of Securities” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.5.

“Merger” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.

“Merger Agreement” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.

“Merger Sub” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.

“Minimum Takedown Threshold” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.4.

“Misstatement” shall mean an untrue statement of a material fact or an omission to state a material fact required to be stated in a Registration Statement or Prospectus or necessary to make the statements in a Registration Statement or Prospectus (in the case of a Prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading.

“NioCorp Holders” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto.

“Original RRA” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.

“Other Coordinated Offering” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.4.1.

“Permitted Transferees” shall mean (a) with respect to the Sponsor and its Permitted Transferees, (i) prior to the expiration of the Lock-up Period, any person or entity to whom such Holder is permitted to transfer such Lock-up Shares prior to the expiration of the Lock-up Period pursuant to Section 5.2 and (ii) after the expiration of the Lock-up Period, any person or entity to whom such Holder is permitted to transfer such Lock-up Shares, subject to and in accordance with any applicable agreement between such Holder and/or their respective Permitted Transferees and the Company and any transferee thereafter, including without limitation the Exchange Agreement and the GX Support Agreement; (b) with respect to the NioCorp Holders and their respective Permitted Transferees, (i) prior to the expiration of the Lock-up Period, any person or entity to whom such Holder is permitted to transfer such Lock-up Shares prior to the expiration of the Lock-up Period pursuant to Section 5.2 and (ii) after the expiration of the Lock-up Period, any person or entity to whom such Holder is permitted to transfer such Lock-up Shares, subject to and in accordance with any applicable agreement between such Holder and/or their respective Permitted Transferees and the Company and any transferee thereafter; and (c) with respect to all other Holders and their respective Permitted Transferees, any person or entity to whom such Holder of Registrable Securities is permitted to transfer such Registrable Securities, subject to and in accordance with any applicable agreement between such Holder and/or their respective Permitted Transferees and the Company and any transferee thereafter.

“Piggyback Registration” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.2.1.

“Private Placement Warrants” shall mean the warrants held by certain Holders, purchased by such Holders in the private placement that occurred concurrently with the closing of GX’s initial public offering, including any Common Shares issued or issuable upon conversion or exchange of such warrants.

“Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus included in any Registration Statement, as supplemented by any and all prospectus supplements and as amended by any and all post-effective amendments and including all material incorporated by reference in such prospectus.

“Registrable Security” shall mean (a) any (i) outstanding Common Shares and other equity securities of the Company and (ii) Common Shares issuable upon the exercise or exchange of any outstanding equity securities of the Company or of another issuer, held by a Holder immediately following the Closing (including any securities distributable pursuant to the Merger Agreement); and (b) any other equity security of the Company or any of its subsidiaries issued or issuable with respect to any securities referenced in clause (a) above by way of a stock dividend or stock split or in connection with a recapitalization, merger, arrangement, amalgamation, consolidation, spin-off, reorganization or similar transaction; provided, however, that, as to any particular Registrable Security, such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities upon the earliest to occur of: (A) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such securities shall have become effective under the Securities Act and such securities shall have been sold, transferred, disposed of or exchanged in accordance with such Registration Statement by the applicable Holder; (B)(i) such securities shall have been otherwise transferred, (ii) new certificates for such securities not bearing (or book entry positions not subject to) a legend restricting further transfer shall have been delivered by the Company and (iii) subsequent public distribution of such securities shall not require registration under the Securities Act; (C) such securities shall have ceased to be outstanding; (D) such securities may be sold without registration pursuant to Rule 144 or any successor rule promulgated under the Securities Act (but with no volume or other restrictions or limitations including as to manner or timing of sale); and (E) such securities have been sold to, or through, a broker, dealer or underwriter in a public distribution or other public securities transaction.

“Registration” shall mean a registration, including any related Shelf Takedown, effected by preparing and filing a registration statement, Prospectus or similar document in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Act, and the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and such registration statement becoming effective.

“Registration Expenses” shall mean the reasonable and documented, out-of-pocket expenses of a Registration, including, without limitation, the following:

(A)             all registration and filing fees (including fees with respect to filings required to be made with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.) and any securities exchange on which the Common Shares are then listed;

(B)              fees and expenses of compliance with securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of outside counsel for the Underwriters in connection with blue sky qualifications of Registrable Securities);

(C)              printing, messenger, telephone and delivery expenses;

(D)             reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company;

(E)              reasonable fees and disbursements of all independent registered public accountants of the Company incurred specifically in connection with such Registration; and

(F)              in an Underwritten Offering or Other Coordinated Offering, reasonable and documented fees and expenses of one (1) legal counsel plus one (1) Canadian legal counsel selected by the majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders.

“Registration Statement” shall mean any registration statement that covers Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, including the Prospectus included in such registration statement, amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to such registration statement, and all exhibits to and all material incorporated by reference in such registration statement.

“Requesting Holders” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.5.

“Reverse Stock Split” shall have the meaning given to such term in the Merger Agreement.

“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.

“Shelf” shall mean the Form S-1 Shelf, the Form S-3 Shelf or any Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement, as the case may be.

“Shelf Registration” shall mean a registration of securities pursuant to a registration statement filed with the Commission in accordance with and pursuant to Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act (or any successor rule then in effect).

“Shelf Takedown” shall mean an Underwritten Shelf Takedown or any proposed transfer or sale using a Registration Statement, including a Piggyback Registration.

“Sponsor” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto.

“Sponsor Member” shall mean a member of Sponsor who becomes party to this Agreement as a Permitted Transferee of Sponsor.

“Sponsor Manager” shall mean the managing member of Sponsor, including after the dissolution of Sponsor.

“Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.2.

“Third-Party Investor Holders” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.

“Transfer” shall mean the (a) sale or assignment of, offer to sell, contract or agreement to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant of any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agreement to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establishment or increase of a put equivalent position or liquidation with respect to or decrease of a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section

16 of the Exchange Act with respect to, any security, (b) entry into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any security, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise, or (c) public announcement of any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (a) or (b).

“Underwriter” shall mean a securities dealer who purchases any Registrable Securities as principal in an Underwritten Offering and not as part of such dealer’s market-making activities.

“Underwritten Offering” shall mean a Registration in which securities of the Company are sold to an Underwriter in a firm commitment underwriting for distribution to the public.

“Underwritten Shelf Takedown” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.4.

“VWAP” shall mean, for any security as of any date(s), the dollar volume-weighted average price for such security on the principal securities exchange or securities market on which such security is then traded during the period beginning at 9:30:01 a.m., New York time, and ending at 4:00:00 p.m., New York time, as reported by Bloomberg through its “HP” function (set to weighted average) or, if the foregoing does not apply, the dollar volume-weighted average price of such security in the over-the-counter market on the electronic bulletin board for such security during the period beginning at 9:30:01 a.m., New York time, and ending at 4:00:00 p.m., New York time, as reported by Bloomberg, or, if no dollar volume-weighted average price is reported for such security by Bloomberg for such hours, the average of the highest closing bid price and the lowest closing ask price of any of the market makers for such security as reported by OTC Markets Group Inc. If the VWAP cannot be calculated for such security on such date(s) on any of the foregoing bases, the VWAP of such security on such date(s) shall be the fair market value per share on such date(s) as reasonably determined by the Company.

“Withdrawal Notice” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.6.

ARTICLE II

REGISTRATIONS AND OFFERINGS

2.1              Shelf Registration.

2.1.1        Filing. As soon as practicable but no later than thirty (30) calendar days following the Closing Date, the Company shall submit to or file with the Commission a Registration Statement for a Shelf Registration on Form S-1 (the “Form S-1 Shelf”) or a Registration Statement for a Shelf Registration on Form S-3 (the “Form S-3 Shelf”), if the Company is then eligible to use a Form S-3 Shelf, in each case, covering the resale of all the Registrable Securities (determined as of a reasonably practicable time prior to such submission or filing) on a delayed or continuous basis and shall use its reasonable best efforts to have such Shelf declared effective as soon as practicable after the filing thereof, but no later than the earlier of (a) the ninetieth (90th) calendar day following the filing date thereof if the Commission notifies the Company that it will “review” the Registration Statement and (b) the tenth (10^th) business day after the date the Company is notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the Commission that the Registration Statement will not be “reviewed” or will not be subject to further review.

Such Shelf shall provide for the resale of the Registrable Securities included therein pursuant to any reasonable method or combination of reasonable methods legally available to, and requested by, any Holder named therein. The Company shall maintain a Shelf in accordance with the terms hereof, and shall prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective amendments, and supplements as may be necessary to keep a Shelf continuously effective, available for use to permit the Holders named therein to sell their Registrable Securities included therein and in compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act until such time as there are no longer any Registrable Securities. In the event the Company files a Form S-1 Shelf, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to convert the Form S-1 Shelf (and any Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement) to a Form S-3 Shelf as soon as practicable after the Company is eligible to use Form S-3. The Company’s obligation under this Section 2.1.1, shall, for the avoidance of doubt, be subject to Section 3.4.

2.1.2        Subsequent Shelf Registration. If any Shelf ceases to be effective under the Securities Act for any reason at any time while Registrable Securities are still outstanding, the Company shall, subject to Section 3.4, use its reasonable best efforts to as promptly as is reasonably practicable cause such Shelf to again become effective under the Securities Act (including using its reasonable best efforts to obtain the prompt withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of such Shelf), and shall use its reasonable best efforts to as promptly as is reasonably practicable amend such Shelf in a manner reasonably expected to result in the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of such Shelf or file an additional registration statement as a Shelf Registration (a “Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement”) registering the resale of all Registrable Securities (determined as of a reasonably practicable time prior to such filing), and pursuant to any reasonable method or combination of reasonable methods legally available to, and requested by, any Holder named therein. If a Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement is filed, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to (i) cause such Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement to become effective under the Securities Act as promptly as is reasonably practicable after the filing thereof (it being agreed that the Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement shall be an automatic shelf registration statement (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act) if the Company is a well-known seasoned issuer (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act) at the most recent applicable eligibility determination date) and (ii) keep such Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective, available for use to permit the Holders named therein to sell their Registrable Securities included therein and in compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act until such time as there are no longer any Registrable Securities. Any such Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement shall be on Form S-3 to the extent that the Company is eligible to use such form. Otherwise, such Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement shall be on another appropriate form. The Company’s obligation under this Section 2.1.2, shall, for the avoidance of doubt, be subject to Section 3.4.

2.1.3        Additional Registrable Securities. Subject to Section 3.4, in the event that any Holder holds Registrable Securities that are not registered for resale on a delayed or continuous basis, the Company, upon written request of such Holder, shall promptly use its reasonable best efforts to cause the resale of such Registrable Securities to be covered by either, at the Company’s option, any then available Shelf (including by means of a post-effective amendment) or by filing a Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement and cause the same to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and such Shelf or Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement shall be subject to the terms hereof; provided, however, that the Company shall only be required to cause

such additional Registrable Securities to be so covered once per calendar year for each of the Sponsor, the NioCorp Holders and the Investor Holders for an aggregate of not more than three (3) additional registrations per calendar year pursuant to this Agreement.

2.1.4        Requests for Underwritten Shelf Takedowns. Subject to Section 3.4, at any time and from time to time when an effective Shelf is on file with the Commission, the Sponsor, an Investor Holder or a NioCorp Holder (any of the Sponsor, an Investor Holder or a NioCorp Holder being in such case, a “Demanding Holder”) may request to sell all or any portion of its Registrable Securities in an Underwritten Offering that is registered pursuant to the Shelf (each, an “Underwritten Shelf Takedown”); provided that the Company shall only be obligated to effect an Underwritten Shelf Takedown if such offering shall include Registrable Securities proposed to be sold by the Demanding Holder, either individually or together with other Demanding Holders, with a total offering price reasonably expected to exceed, in the aggregate, $50 million (the “Minimum Takedown Threshold”). All requests for Underwritten Shelf Takedowns shall be made by giving written notice to the Company, which shall specify the approximate number of Registrable Securities proposed to be sold in the Underwritten Shelf Takedown. Subject to Section 2.4.4, the Company shall have the right to select the Underwriters for such offering (which shall consist of one or more reputable nationally recognized investment banks), subject to the initial Demanding Holder’s prior approval (which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). The Sponsor, the Investor Holders and the NioCorp Holders may each demand not more than two (2) Underwritten Shelf Takedowns pursuant to this Section 2.1.4, provided that the Company is not obligated to effect (x) more than three (3) Underwritten Shelf Takedowns per year or (y) an Underwritten Shelf Takedown within ninety (90) days after the closing of a prior Underwritten Shelf Takedown. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company may effect any Underwritten Offering pursuant to any then effective Registration Statement, including a Form S-3, that is then available for such offering. If the Company shall have filed and obtained a receipt from a Canadian Securities Authorities in one or more Canadian jurisdictions in respect a (final) base shelf prospectus (a “Canadian Shelf Prospectus”) which may validly qualify the offering in such Canadian jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities that the Demanding Holder is requesting to sell pursuant to this Section 2.1.4 at the time such request is made, the Demanding Holder shall be entitled to request that such Canadian Shelf Prospectus also qualify the offering of such Registrable Securities (whether or not same would constitute a “distribution” subject to the prospectus requirement for purposes of applicable Canadian Securities Laws), and, in such instance, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall apply mutatis mutandis consistent with generally accepted Canadian practice to such Canadian Shelf Prospectus, any supplement thereto and the offering of Registrable Securities thereunder.

2.1.5        Reduction of Underwritten Offering. If the managing Underwriter or Underwriters in an Underwritten Shelf Takedown, in good faith, advises the Company, the Demanding Holders and the Holders requesting piggy back rights pursuant to this Agreement with respect to such Underwritten Shelf Takedown (the “Requesting Holders”) (if any) in writing that the dollar amount or number of Registrable Securities that the Demanding Holders and the Requesting Holders (if any) desire to sell, taken together with all other Common Shares or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell and all other Common Shares or other equity securities, if any, that have been requested to be sold in such Underwritten Offering pursuant to separate written contractual piggy-back registration rights held by any other shareholders, exceeds the maximum dollar amount or maximum number of equity securities that can be sold in the

Underwritten Offering without adversely affecting the proposed offering price, the timing, the distribution method, or the probability of success of such offering (such maximum dollar amount or maximum number of such securities, as applicable, the “Maximum Number of Securities”), then the Company shall include in such Underwritten Offering, before including any Common Shares or other equity securities proposed to be sold by Company or by other holders of Common Shares or other equity securities, the Registrable Securities of (i) first, the Demanding Holders that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities (pro rata based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each Demanding Holder has requested be included in such Underwritten Shelf Takedown and the aggregate number of Registrable Securities that all of the Demanding Holders have requested be included in such Underwritten Shelf Takedown) and (ii) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (i), the Requesting Holders (if any) (pro rata based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each Requesting Holder (if any) has requested be included in such Underwritten Shelf Takedown and the aggregate number of Registrable Securities that all of the Requesting Holders have requested be included in such Underwritten Shelf Takedown) that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities.

2.1.6        Withdrawal. Prior to the filing of the applicable “red herring” prospectus or prospectus supplement used for marketing such Underwritten Shelf Takedown, a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating an Underwritten Shelf Takedown shall have the right to withdraw from such Underwritten Shelf Takedown for any or no reason whatsoever upon written notification (a “Withdrawal Notice”) to the Company and the Underwriter or Underwriters (if any) of their intention to withdraw from such Underwritten Shelf Takedown; provided that the Sponsor, an Investor Holder or a NioCorp Holder may elect to have the Company continue an Underwritten Shelf Takedown if the Minimum Takedown Threshold would still be satisfied by the Registrable Securities proposed to be sold in the Underwritten Shelf Takedown by the Sponsor, the Investor Holders, the NioCorp Holders or any of their respective Permitted Transferees, as applicable. If withdrawn, a demand for an Underwritten Shelf Takedown shall constitute a demand for an Underwritten Shelf Takedown by the withdrawing Demanding Holder for purposes of Section 2.1.4, unless such Demanding Holder reimburses the Company for all Registration Expenses with respect to such Underwritten Shelf Takedown (or, if there is more than one Demanding Holder, a pro rata portion of such Registration Expenses based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each Demanding Holder has requested be included in such Underwritten Shelf Takedown); provided that, if the Sponsor, an Investor Holder or a NioCorp Holder elects to continue an Underwritten Shelf Takedown pursuant to the proviso in the immediately preceding sentence, such Underwritten Shelf Takedown shall instead count as an Underwritten Shelf Takedown demanded by the Sponsor, such Investor Holder or such NioCorp Holder, as applicable, for purposes of Section 2.1.4. Following the receipt of any Withdrawal Notice, the Company shall promptly forward such Withdrawal Notice to any other Holders that had elected to participate in such Shelf Takedown. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with a Shelf Takedown prior to its withdrawal under this Section 2.1.6, other than if a Demanding Holder elects to pay such Registration Expenses pursuant to the second sentence of this Section 2.1.6.

2.2              Piggyback Registration.

2.2.1        Piggyback Rights. Subject to Section 2.4.3, if the Company or any Holder proposes to conduct a registered offering of, or if the Company proposes to file a Registration Statement under the Securities Act with respect to the Registration of, equity securities, or securities or other obligations exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into equity securities, for its own account or for the account of shareholders of the Company (or by the Company and by the shareholders of the Company including, without limitation, an Underwritten Shelf Takedown pursuant to Section 2.1), other than a Registration Statement (or any registered offering with respect thereto) (i) contemplated by the separate registration rights agreement and the standby equity purchase agreement, in each case, among the Company and the Third-Party Investor Holders (collectively, the “Third-Party Investor Registration Rights Agreement”), (ii) contemplated by the Warrant Agreement, dated as of March 17, 2021, between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “NioCorp Warrants Registration Obligations”), (iii) filed in connection with any registration rights obligations contemplated by the Fee Reduction Agreement, dated as of September 6, 2022, between GX and Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., the Fee Reduction Agreement, dated as of September 14, 2022, between GX and BTIG, LLC, or any similar arrangements or agreements that GX is party thereto (collectively, the “GX Fee Arrangements”), (iv) contemplated by the Convertible Security Funding Agreement, dated February 26, 2021, between the Company and Lind Global Asset Management III, LLC, as amended (the “Lind Agreement”) (v) filed on Form S-8 or otherwise in connection with any employee stock option or other benefit plan, (vi) pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-4 (or similar form that relates to a transaction subject to Rule 145 under the Securities Act or any successor rule thereto), (vii) for an offering of debt that is convertible into equity securities of the Company, (viii) for a dividend reinvestment plan, (ix) a Block Trade or (x) an Other Coordinated Offering, then the Company shall give written notice of such proposed offering to all of the Holders of Registrable Securities as soon as practicable but not less than ten (10) days before the anticipated filing date of such Registration Statement or, in the case of an Underwritten Offering pursuant to a Shelf Registration, the applicable “red herring” prospectus or prospectus supplement used for marketing such offering, which notice shall (A) describe the amount and type of securities intended to be included in such offering, the intended method(s) of distribution, and the name of the proposed managing Underwriter or Underwriters, if any, in such offering, and (B) offer to all of the Holders of Registrable Securities the opportunity to include in such registered offering such number of Registrable Securities as such Holders may request in writing within five (5) days after receipt of such written notice (such registered offering, a “Piggyback Registration”). Subject to Section 2.2.2, the Company shall, in good faith, cause such Registrable Securities to be included in such Piggyback Registration and, if applicable, shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the managing Underwriter or Underwriters of such Piggyback Registration to permit the Registrable Securities requested by the Holders pursuant to this Section 2.2.1 to be included therein on the same terms and conditions as any similar securities of the Company included in such registered offering and to permit the sale or other disposition of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof. The inclusion of any Holder’s Registrable Securities in a Piggyback Registration shall be subject to such Holder agreement to enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter(s) selected for such Underwritten Offering. If the Company proposes to qualify by way of a Canadian prospectus the distribution of equity securities, or securities or other obligations exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into equity securities substantially as contemplated by this Section 2.2.1, Holders of Registrable Securities shall be entitled to request that the offering of such Registrable Securities be qualified

by way of such Canadian prospectus as if it would constitute a Piggyback Registration and, in such instance, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall apply mutatis mutandis consistent with generally accepted Canadian practice to the applicable Canadian prospectus, any supplement thereto and the offering of Registrable Securities thereunder.

2.2.2        Reduction of Piggyback Registration. If the managing Underwriter or Underwriters in an Underwritten Offering that is to be a Piggyback Registration, in good faith, advises the Company and the Holders of Registrable Securities participating in the Piggyback Registration in writing that the dollar amount or number of Common Shares or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell, taken together with (i) the Common Shares or other equity securities, if any, as to which Registration or a registered offering has been demanded pursuant to separate written contractual arrangements with persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities hereunder, (ii) the Registrable Securities as to which registration has been requested pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof, and (iii) the Common Shares or other equity securities, if any, as to which Registration or a registered offering has been requested pursuant to separate written contractual piggy-back registration rights of persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities hereunder, exceeds the Maximum Number of Securities, then:

(a)               if the Registration or registered offering is undertaken for the Company’s account, the Company shall include in any such Registration or registered offering (A) first, the Common Shares or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (B) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (A), the Registrable Securities of Holders exercising their rights to register their Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2.2.1, pro rata, based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each Holder has requested be included in such Underwritten Offering and the aggregate number of Registrable Securities that the Holders have requested to be included in such Underwritten Offering, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (C) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), the Common Shares or other equity securities, if any, as to which Registration or a registered offering has been requested pursuant to separate written contractual piggy-back registration rights of persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities hereunder, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities;

(b)               if the Registration or registered offering is pursuant to a demand by persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities, then the Company shall include in any such Registration or registered offering (A) first, the Common Shares or other equity securities, if any, of such requesting persons or entities, other than the Holders of Registrable Securities, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (B) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (A), the Registrable Securities of Holders exercising their rights to register their Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2.2.1, pro rata, based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each Holder has requested be included in such Underwritten Offering and the aggregate number of Registrable Securities that the Holders have requested to be included in such Underwritten Offering, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (C) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), the Common Shares or other equity securities that the Company

desires to sell, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (D) fourth, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A), (B) and (C), the Common Shares or other equity securities, if any, as to which Registration or a registered offering has been requested pursuant to separate written contractual piggy-back registration rights of persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities hereunder, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and

(c)               if the Registration or registered offering and Underwritten Shelf Takedown is pursuant to a request by Holder(s) of Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof, then the Company shall include in any such Registration or registered offering securities in the priority set forth in Section 2.1.5.

2.2.3        Piggyback Registration Withdrawal. Any Holder of Registrable Securities (other than a Demanding Holder, whose right to withdraw from an Underwritten Shelf Takedown, and related obligations, shall be governed by Section 2.1.6) shall have the right to withdraw from a Piggyback Registration for any or no reason whatsoever upon written notification to the Company and the Underwriter or Underwriters (if any) of his, her or its intention to withdraw from such Piggyback Registration prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to such Piggyback Registration or, in the case of a Piggyback Registration pursuant to a Shelf Registration, the filing of the applicable “red herring” prospectus or prospectus supplement with respect to such Piggyback Registration used for marketing such transaction. The Company (whether on its own good faith determination or as the result of a request for withdrawal by persons or entities pursuant to separate written contractual obligations) may withdraw a Registration Statement filed with the Commission in connection with a Piggyback Registration (which, in no circumstance, shall include a Shelf) at any time prior to the effectiveness of such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement (other than Section 2.1.6), the Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with the Piggyback Registration prior to its withdrawal under this Section 2.2.3.

2.2.4        Unlimited Piggyback Registration Rights. For purposes of clarity, subject to Section 2.1.6, any Piggyback Registration effected pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof shall not be counted as a demand for an Underwritten Shelf Takedown under Section 2.1.4 hereof.

2.3              Market Stand-off. In connection with any Underwritten Offering of equity securities of the Company (other than a Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering), if requested by the managing Underwriters, each Holder that is (a) an executive officer, (b) a director or (c) Holder in excess of five percent (5%) of the outstanding Common Shares (and for which it is customary for such a Holder to agree to a lock-up) agrees that it shall not Transfer any Common Shares or other equity securities of the Company (other than those included in such offering pursuant to this Agreement), without the prior written consent of the Company, during the ninety (90)-day period (or such shorter time agreed to by the managing Underwriters) beginning on the date of pricing of such offering, except as expressly permitted by such lock-up agreement or in the event the managing Underwriters otherwise agree by written consent. Each such Holder agrees to execute a customary lock-up agreement in favor of the Underwriters to such effect (in each case on substantially the same terms and conditions as all such Holders).

2.4              Block Trades; Other Coordinated Offerings.

2.4.1        Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article II, but subject to Section 3.4, at any time and from time to time when an effective Shelf is on file with the Commission, if a Demanding Holder wishes to engage in (a) an underwritten registered offering not involving a “roadshow,” an offer commonly known as a “block trade” (a “Block Trade”), or (b) an “at the market” or similar registered offering through a broker, sales agent or distribution agent, whether as agent or principal (an “Other Coordinated Offering”), in each case, (x) with a total offering price reasonably expected to exceed $25 million in the aggregate or (y) with respect to all remaining Registrable Securities held by the Demanding Holder, then such Demanding Holder only needs to notify the Company of the Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering at least ten (10) business days prior to the day such offering is to commence and the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to facilitate such Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering; provided that the Demanding Holders representing a majority of the Registrable Securities wishing to engage in the Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering shall use reasonable best efforts to work with the Company and any Underwriters, brokers, sales agents or placement agents prior to making such request in order to facilitate preparation of the registration statement, prospectus and other offering documentation related to the Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering.

2.4.2        Prior to the filing of the applicable “red herring” prospectus or prospectus supplement used in connection with a Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering, a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating such Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering shall have the right to submit a Withdrawal Notice to the Company, the Underwriter or Underwriters (if any) and any brokers, sales agents or placement agents (if any) of their intention to withdraw from such Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with a Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering prior to its withdrawal under this Section 2.4.2.

2.4.3        Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, Section 2.2 shall not apply to a Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering initiated by a Demanding Holder pursuant to this Agreement.

2.4.4        The Demanding Holder in a Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering shall have the right to select the Underwriters and any brokers, sales agents or placement agents (if any) for such Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering (in each case, which shall consist of one or more reputable nationally recognized investment banks).

2.4.5        A Demanding Holder in the aggregate may demand no more than two (2) Block Trades or Other Coordinated Offerings pursuant to this Section 2.4 in any twelve (12) month period. For the avoidance of doubt, any Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering effected pursuant to this Section 2.4 shall not be counted as a demand for an Underwritten Shelf Takedown pursuant to Section 2.1.4 hereof.

ARTICLE III

COMPANY PROCEDURES

3.1              General Procedures. In connection with any Shelf and/or Shelf Takedown, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to effect such Registration to permit the sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended plan of distribution thereof, and pursuant thereto the Company shall:

3.1.1        prepare and file with the Commission as soon as practicable a Registration Statement with respect to such Registrable Securities and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective until all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement are sold in accordance with the intended plan of distribution set forth in such Registration Statement or have ceased to be Registrable Securities;

3.1.2        prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement, and such supplements to the Prospectus, as may be reasonably requested by any Holder that holds at least five percent (5%) of the Registrable Securities registered on such Registration Statement or any Underwriter of Registrable Securities or as may be required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company or by the Securities Act or rules and regulations thereunder to keep the Registration Statement effective until all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement are sold in accordance with the intended plan of distribution set forth in such Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or have ceased to be Registrable Securities;

3.1.3        prior to filing a Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, furnish without charge to the Underwriters, if any, and the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration, and such Holders’ legal counsel, copies of such Registration Statement as proposed to be filed, each amendment and supplement to such Registration Statement (in each case including all exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein), the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement (including each preliminary Prospectus), and such other documents as the Underwriters and the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration or the legal counsel for any such Holders may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Holders; provided that the Company shall have no obligation to furnish any documents publicly filed or furnished with the Commission pursuant to the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”);

3.1.4        prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities, use its reasonable best efforts to (i) register or qualify the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement under such securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement (in light of their intended plan of distribution) may request (or provide evidence satisfactory to such Holders that the Registrable Securities are exempt from such registration or qualification) and (ii) take such action necessary to cause such Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental authorities as may be necessary by virtue of the business and operations of the Company and do any and all other acts and things that may be necessary or

advisable to enable the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify or take any action to which it would be subject to general service of process or taxation in any such jurisdiction where it is not then otherwise so subject;

3.1.5        cause all such Registrable Securities to be listed on each securities exchange on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed;

3.1.6        (a) provide a transfer agent or warrant agent, as applicable, and registrar for all such Registrable Securities no later than the effective date of such Registration Statement, and (b) cooperate reasonably and promptly with the Holders and the transfer agent to effect the removal of any restrictive legends from the Registrable Securities when legally permissible, including delivery, within three (3) business days of request thereof, of any Company instruction letters and opinions of counsel requested by the transfer agent in connection with the removal of any restrictive legends from the Registrable Securities;

3.1.7        advise each seller of such Registrable Securities, promptly after it shall receive notice or obtain knowledge thereof, of the issuance of any stop order by the Commission suspending the effectiveness of such Registration Statement or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose and promptly use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such stop order should be issued;

3.1.8        notify the Holders at any time when a Prospectus relating to such Registration Statement is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the happening of any event as a result of which the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes a Misstatement, and then to correct such Misstatement as set forth in Section 3.4;

3.1.9        in the event of an Underwritten Offering, a Block Trade, an Other Coordinated Offering, or sale by a broker, placement agent or sales agent pursuant to such Registration, permit a representative of the Holders, the Underwriters or other financial institutions facilitating such Underwritten Offering, Block Trade, Other Coordinated Offering or other sale pursuant to such Registration, if any, and any attorney, consultant or accountant retained by such Holders or Underwriter to participate, at each such person’s or entity’s own expense, in the preparation of the Registration Statement, and cause the Company’s officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably requested by any such representative, Underwriter, financial institution, attorney, consultant or accountant in connection with the Registration; provided, however, that such representatives, Underwriters or financial institutions agree to confidentiality arrangements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company, prior to the release or disclosure of any such information;

3.1.10    obtain a “cold comfort” letter from the Company’s independent registered public accountants in the event of an Underwritten Offering, a Block Trade, an Other Coordinated Offering or sale by a broker, placement agent or sales agent pursuant to such Registration (subject to such broker, placement agent or sales agent providing such certification or representation reasonably requested by the Company’s independent registered public accountants and the

Company’s counsel) in customary form and covering such matters of the type customarily covered by “cold comfort” letters for a transaction of its type as the managing Underwriter may reasonably request, and reasonably satisfactory to a majority-in-interest of the participating Holders;

3.1.11    in the event of an Underwritten Offering, a Block Trade, an Other Coordinated Offering or sale by a broker, placement agent or sales agent pursuant to such Registration, on the date the Registrable Securities are delivered for sale pursuant to such Registration, obtain an opinion, dated such date, of counsel representing the Company for the purposes of such Registration, addressed to the participating Holders, the broker, placement agents or sales agent, if any, and the Underwriters, if any, covering such legal matters with respect to the Registration in respect of which such opinion is being given as the participating Holders, broker, placement agent, sales agent or Underwriter may reasonably request and as are customarily included in such opinions and negative assurance letters;

3.1.12    in the event of any Underwritten Offering, a Block Trade, an Other Coordinated Offering or sale by a broker, placement agent or sales agent pursuant to such Registration, enter into and perform its obligations under an underwriting or other purchase or sales agreement, in usual and customary form, with the managing Underwriter or the broker, placement agent or sales agent of such offering or sale;

3.1.13    make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering the period of at least twelve (12) months beginning with the first day of the Company’s first full calendar quarter after the effective date of the Registration Statement which satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder (or any successor rule then in effect);

3.1.14    with respect to an Underwritten Offering pursuant to Section 2.1.4, use its reasonable best efforts to make available senior executives of the Company to participate in customary “road show” presentations that may be reasonably requested by the Underwriter in such Underwritten Offering; and

3.1.15    otherwise, in good faith, cooperate reasonably with, and take such customary actions as may reasonably be requested by the participating Holders, consistent with the terms of this Agreement, in connection with such Registration.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be required to provide any documents or information to an Underwriter, broker, sales agent or placement agent if such Underwriter, broker, sales agent or placement agent has not then been named with respect to the applicable Underwritten Offering or other offering involving a registration as an Underwriter, broker, sales agent or placement agent, as applicable.

3.2              Registration Expenses. The Registration Expenses of all Registrations shall be borne by the Company. It is acknowledged by the Holders that the Holders shall bear all incremental selling expenses relating to the sale of Registrable Securities, such as Underwriters’ commissions and discounts, brokerage fees and, other than as set forth in the definition of “Registration Expenses,” all fees and expenses of any legal counsel representing the Holders.

3.3              Requirements for Participation in Registration Statement in Offerings. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any Holder does not provide the Company with its Holder Information as requested, the Company may exclude such Holder’s Registrable Securities from the applicable Registration Statement or Prospectus if the Company determines, based on the advice of counsel, that it is necessary or advisable to include such information in the applicable Registration Statement or Prospectus and such Holder continues thereafter to withhold such information. In addition, no person or entity may participate in any Underwritten Offering or other offering for equity securities of the Company pursuant to a Registration initiated by the Company hereunder unless such person or entity (i) agrees to sell such person’s or entity’s securities on the basis provided in any underwriting, sales, distribution or placement arrangements approved by the Company and (ii) completes and executes all customary questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, lock-up agreements, underwriting or other agreements and other customary documents as may be reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting, sales, distribution or placement arrangements. For the avoidance of doubt, the exclusion of a Holder’s Registrable Securities as a result of this Section 3.3 shall not affect the registration of the other Registrable Securities to be included in such Registration.

3.4              Suspension of Sales; Adverse Disclosure; Restrictions on Registration Rights.

3.4.1        Upon receipt of written notice from the Company that a Registration Statement or Prospectus contains a Misstatement, each of the Holders shall forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities until it has received copies of a supplemented or amended Prospectus correcting the Misstatement (it being understood that the Company hereby covenants to prepare and file such supplement or amendment as soon as reasonably practicable after the time of such notice), or until it is advised in writing by the Company that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed.

3.4.2        Subject to Section 3.4.4, if the filing, initial effectiveness or continued use of a Registration Statement in respect of any Registration at any time would (a) require the Company to make an Adverse Disclosure, (b) require the inclusion in such Registration Statement of financial statements that are unavailable to the Company for reasons beyond the Company’s control, or (c) in the good faith judgment of the majority of the Board such Registration, be detrimental to the Company and the majority of the Board concludes as a result that it is essential to defer such filing, initial effectiveness or continued use at such time, the Company may, upon giving prompt written notice of such action to the Holders (which notice shall not specify the nature of the event giving rise to such delay or suspension), delay the filing or initial effectiveness of, or suspend use of, such Registration Statement for the shortest period of time determined in good faith by the Company to be necessary for such purpose. In the event the Company exercises its rights under this Section 3.4.2, the Holders agree to suspend, immediately upon their receipt of the notice referred to above, their use of the Prospectus relating to any Registration in connection with any sale or offer to sell Registrable Securities until such Holder receives written notice from the Company that such sales or offers of Registrable Securities may be resumed, and in each case maintain the confidentiality of such notice and its contents.

3.4.3        Subject to Section 3.4.4, (a) during the period starting with the date sixty (60) days prior to the Company’s good faith estimate of the date of the filing of, and ending on a date one hundred and twenty (120) days after the effective date of, a Company-initiated

Registration and provided that the Company continues to actively employ, in good faith, all reasonable best efforts to maintain the effectiveness of the applicable Shelf Registration Statement, or (b) if, pursuant to Section 2.1.4, Holders have requested an Underwritten Shelf Takedown and the Company and Holders are unable to obtain the commitment of underwriters to firmly underwrite such offering, the Company may, upon giving prompt written notice of such action to the Holders, delay any other registered offering pursuant to Section 2.1.4 or Section 2.4.

3.4.4        The right to delay or suspend any filing, initial effectiveness or continued use of a Registration Statement pursuant to Section 3.4.2 or a registered offering pursuant to Section 3.4.3 shall be exercised by the Company, in the aggregate, for not more than ninety (90) consecutive calendar days or more than one hundred and twenty (120) total calendar days in each case, during any twelve (12)-month period.

3.5              Reporting Obligations. As long as any Holder shall own Registrable Securities, the Company, at all times while it shall be a reporting company under the Exchange Act, covenants to file timely (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and to promptly furnish the Holders with true and complete copies of all such filings; provided that any documents publicly filed or furnished with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR shall be deemed to have been furnished or delivered to the Holders pursuant to this Section 3.5. The Company further covenants that it shall take such further action as any Holder may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell Common Shares held by such Holder without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act (or any successor rule then in effect). Upon the request of any Holder, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written certification of a duly authorized officer as to whether it has complied with such requirements.

ARTICLE IV

INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION

4.1              Indemnification.

4.1.1        The Company agrees to indemnify, to the extent permitted by law, each Holder of Registrable Securities, its officers, directors and agents and each person or entity who controls such Holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act), against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and out-of-pocket expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable and documented outside attorneys’ fees) resulting from any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained in or incorporated by reference in any Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as the same are (i) caused by or contained in any information or affidavit so furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein or (ii) due to the failure of any Holder to furnish Holder Information (as defined below). The Company shall indemnify the Underwriters, their officers and directors and each person or entity to controls such

Underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act) to the same extent as provided in the foregoing with respect to the indemnification of the Holder.

4.1.2        In connection with any Registration Statement in which a Holder of Registrable Securities is participating, such Holder shall furnish (or cause to be furnished) to the Company in writing such information and affidavits as the Company reasonably requests for use in connection with any such Registration Statement or Prospectus (the “Holder Information”) and, to the extent permitted by law, shall indemnify the Company, its directors, officers and agents and each person or entity who controls the Company (within the meaning of the Securities Act) against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and out-of-pocket expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable and documented outside attorneys’ fees) resulting from any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained or incorporated by reference in any Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only to the extent that such untrue statement is contained in (or not contained in, in the case of an omission) any information or affidavit so furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Holder expressly for use therein; provided, however, that the obligation to indemnify shall be several, not joint and several, among such Holders of Registrable Securities, and the liability of each such Holder of Registrable Securities shall be in proportion to and limited to the net proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement. The Holders of Registrable Securities shall indemnify the Underwriters, their officers, directors and each person or entity who controls such Underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act) to the same extent as provided in the foregoing with respect to indemnification of the Company.

4.1.3        Any person or entity entitled to indemnification herein shall (i) give prompt written notice to the indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification (provided that the failure to give prompt notice shall not impair any person’s or entity’s right to indemnification hereunder to the extent such failure has not materially prejudiced the indemnifying party) and (ii) unless in such indemnified party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties may exist with respect to such claim, permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. If such defense is assumed, the indemnifying party shall not be subject to any liability for any settlement made by the indemnified party without its consent (but such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld). An indemnifying party who is not entitled to, or elects not to, assume the defense of a claim shall not be obligated to pay the fees and expenses of more than one counsel for all parties indemnified by such indemnifying party with respect to such claim, unless in the reasonable judgment of any indemnified party a conflict of interest may exist between such indemnified party and any other of such indemnified parties with respect to such claim. No indemnifying party shall, without the consent of the indemnified party, consent to the entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which cannot be settled in all respects by the payment of money (and such money is so paid by the indemnifying party pursuant to the terms of such settlement) or which settlement includes a statement or admission of fault and culpability on the part of such indemnified party or which settlement does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation.

4.1.4        The indemnification provided for under this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the indemnified party or any officer, director or controlling person or entity of such indemnified party and shall survive the transfer of securities. The Company and each Holder of Registrable Securities participating in an offering also agrees to make such provisions as are reasonably requested by any indemnified party for contribution to such party in the event the Company’s or such Holder’s indemnification is unavailable for any reason.

4.1.5        If the indemnification provided under Section 4.1 from the indemnifying party is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and out-of-pocket expenses referred to herein, then the indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying the indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and out-of-pocket expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the indemnifying party and indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, was made by (or not made by, in the case of an omission), or relates to information supplied by (or not supplied by in the case of an omission), such indemnifying party or indemnified party, and the indemnifying party’s and indemnified party’s relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action; provided, however, that the liability of any Holder under this Section 4.1.5 shall be limited to the amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder in such offering giving rise to such liability. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses or other liabilities referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Sections 4.1.1, 4.1.2 and 4.1.3 above, any legal or other fees, charges or out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with any investigation or proceeding. The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 4.1.5 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation, which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 4.1.5. No person or entity guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution pursuant to this Section 4.1.5 from any person or entity who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

ARTICLE V

LOCK-UP

5.1              Lock-Up. Subject to Section 5.2, each Lock-up Party agrees that it shall not Transfer any Lock-up Shares prior to the end of the Lock-up Period (the “Lock-up”).

5.2              Permitted Transferees and Other Exceptions.

5.2.1        Notwithstanding the provisions set forth in Section 5.1, each Lock-up Party may Transfer the Lock-up Shares during the Lock-up Period (a) to (i) the Company’s officers or directors, (ii) any affiliates or family members of the Company’s officers or directors, (iii) any direct or indirect partners, members or equity holders of such Lock-up Party, or any related

investment funds or vehicles controlled or managed by such persons or entities or their respective affiliates, or (iv) any other Lock-up Party or any direct or indirect partners, members or equity holders of such other Lock-up Party, any affiliates of such other Lock-up Party or any related investment funds or vehicles controlled or managed by such persons or entities or their respective affiliates; (b) in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of the individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of the individual’s immediate family or an affiliate of such person or entity, or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) to the partners, members or equity holders of such Lock-up Party by virtue of the Lock-up Party’s organizational documents, as amended, upon dissolution of the Lock-up Party; (f) in connection with any bona fide mortgage, encumbrance or pledge to a financial institution in connection with any bona fide loan or debt transaction or enforcement thereunder; (g) to the Company; or (h) in connection with a liquidation, merger, arrangement, amalgamation, stock exchange, reorganization, tender offer approved by the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof or other similar transaction which results in all of the Company’s shareholders having the right to exchange their Common Shares for cash, securities or other property subsequent to the Closing Date. The parties acknowledge and agree that any Permitted Transferee of a Lock-up Party shall be subject to the transfer restrictions set forth in this ARTICLE V with respect to the Lock-Up Shares upon and after acquiring such Lock-Up Shares.

5.2.2        Notwithstanding the provisions set forth in Section 5.1, each Lock-up Party may Transfer the Lock-up Shares during the Lock-up Period in connection with (a) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act (provided, however, that such plan does not provide for the transfer of the Lock-up Shares during the Lock-up Period) or (b) transfers to satisfy tax withholding obligations in connection with the exercise of rights to purchase Common Shares or the vesting of stock-based awards, including without limitation, sell-to-cover transactions.

5.3              Termination of Existing Lock-Up. The lock-up provisions in this ARTICLE V shall supersede the lock-up provisions contained in Section 7 of the Insider Letter, which provisions in Section 7 of the Insider Letter shall be of no further force or effect as of the date of this Agreement.

ARTICLE VI

MISCELLANEOUS

6.1              Notices. Any notice or communication under this Agreement must be in writing and given by (i) deposit in the United States mail, addressed to the party to be notified, postage prepaid and registered or certified with return receipt requested, (ii) delivery in person or by courier service providing evidence of delivery, or (iii) transmission by hand delivery, electronic mail or facsimile. Each notice or communication that is mailed, delivered, or transmitted in the manner described above shall be deemed sufficiently given, served, sent, and received, in the case of mailed notices, on the third business day following the date on which it is mailed and, in the case of notices delivered by courier service, hand delivery, electronic mail or facsimile, at such time as it is delivered to the addressee (with the delivery receipt or the affidavit of messenger) or at such time as delivery is refused by the addressee upon presentation. Any notice or communication under

this Agreement must be addressed, if to the Company, to: NioCorp Developments Ltd., 7000 South Yosemite Street, Suite 115, Centennial, Colorado 80112, Attention: Mark Smith, and, if to any Holder, at such Holder’s address, electronic mail address or facsimile number as set forth in the Company’s books and records. Any party may change its address for notice at any time and from time to time by written notice to the other parties hereto, and such change of address shall become effective five (5) business days after delivery of such notice as provided in this Section 6.1.

6.2              Assignment; No Third Party Beneficiaries.

6.2.1        This Agreement and the rights, duties and obligations of the Company hereunder may not be assigned or delegated by the Company in whole or in part.

6.2.2        Subject to Section 6.2.4 and Section 6.2.5, this Agreement and the rights, duties and obligations of a Holder hereunder may be assigned in whole or in part to such Holder’s Permitted Transferees to which it transfers Registrable Securities; provided that with respect to the NioCorp Holders, the Investor Holders and the Sponsor, the rights hereunder that are personal to such Holders may not be assigned or delegated in whole or in part, except that (i) each of the NioCorp Holders shall be permitted to transfer its rights hereunder as the NioCorp Holders to one or more affiliates or any direct or indirect partners, members or equity holders of such NioCorp Holder (it being understood that no such transfer shall reduce or multiply any rights of such NioCorp Holder or such transferees), (ii) each of the Investor Holders shall be permitted to transfer its rights hereunder as the Investor Holders to one or more affiliates or any direct or indirect partners, members or equity holders of such Investor Holder (it being understood that no such transfer shall reduce or multiply any rights of such Investor Holder or such transferees) and (iii) the Sponsor shall be permitted to transfer its rights hereunder as the Sponsor to one or more affiliates or any direct or indirect partners, members or equity holders of the Sponsor (including the Sponsor Members), which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall include a transfer of its rights in connection with a distribution of any Registrable Securities held by Sponsor to its members (it being understood that no such transfer shall reduce or multiply any rights of the Sponsor or such transferees). Upon a transfer by the Sponsor pursuant to subsection (iii) to the Sponsor Members, the rights that are personal to the Sponsor shall be exercised by the Sponsor Members only with the consent of the Sponsor Manager.

6.2.3        This Agreement and the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of each of the parties and its successors and the permitted assigns of the Holders, which shall include Permitted Transferees.

6.2.4        This Agreement shall not confer any rights or benefits on any persons or entities that are not parties hereto, other than as expressly set forth in this Agreement.

6.2.5        No assignment by any party hereto of such party’s rights, duties and obligations hereunder shall be binding upon or obligate the Company unless and until the Company shall have received (i) written notice of such assignment as provided in Section 6.1 hereof and (ii) the written agreement of the assignee, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to be bound by the terms and provisions of this Agreement (which may be accomplished by an addendum or certificate of joinder to this Agreement, including the joinder in the form of

Exhibit A attached hereto). Any transfer or assignment made other than as provided in this Section 6.2 shall be null and void.

6.3              Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts (including facsimile or PDF counterparts), each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which together shall constitute the same instrument, but only one of which need be produced.

6.4              Governing Law; Venue. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PLACE WHERE THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE EXECUTED BY ANY OF THE PARTIES HERETO, THE PARTIES EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT (1) THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND (2) THE VENUE FOR ANY ACTION TAKEN WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE ANY STATE OR FEDERAL COURT IN NEW YORK COUNTY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK

6.5              TRIAL BY JURY. EACH PARTY HERETO ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY WHICH MAY ARISE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND, THEREFORE, EACH SUCH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT SUCH PARTY MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT TO ANY ACTION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT.

6.6              Amendments and Modifications. This Agreement may be amended or modified, and compliance with any of the provisions, covenants and conditions set forth herein may be waived, upon the written consent of (a) the Company and (b) the Holders of a majority of the total Registrable Securities then outstanding; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, any amendment hereto or waiver hereof shall also require the written consent of the Sponsor Manager so long as the Sponsor or its Permitted Transferees hold any Registrable Securities; provided, further, that any amendment hereto or waiver hereof that adversely affects any Holder, solely in its capacity as a holder of the shares of capital stock of the Company, in a manner that is materially different from the other Holders (in such capacity) shall require the consent of the Holder so affected. No course of dealing between any Holder or the Company and any other party hereto or any failure or delay on the part of a Holder or the Company in exercising any rights or remedies under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver of any rights or remedies of any Holder or the Company. No single or partial exercise of any rights or remedies under this Agreement by a party shall operate as a waiver or preclude the exercise of any other rights or remedies hereunder or thereunder by such party.

6.7              Other Registration Rights. Other than (i) the Third-Party Investor Registration Rights Agreement; (ii) the NioCorp Warrants Registration Obligations; (iii) any registration rights obligations contemplated by the GX Fee Arrangements; and (iv) the Lind Agreement, the Company represents and warrants that no person or entity, other than a Holder of Registrable Securities, has any right to require the Company to register any securities of the Company for sale or to include such securities of the Company in any Registration Statement filed by the Company for the sale of securities for its own account or for the account of any other person or entity. The

Company hereby agrees and covenants that it will not grant rights to register any Common Shares (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares) pursuant to the Securities Act that are more favorable or senior to those granted to the Holders hereunder without (a) the prior written consent of the Sponsor Manager, for so long as the Sponsor or its Permitted Transferees hold any Registrable Securities or (b) granting economically and legally equivalent rights to the Holders hereunder such that the Holders shall receive the benefit of such more favorable or senior terms and/or conditions. Further, the Company and each Holder represents and warrants that this Agreement supersedes any other registration rights agreement or other agreement with any Holders having similar terms and conditions, and in the event of a conflict between any such agreement and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall prevail.

6.8              Term. This Agreement shall terminate on the earlier of (a) the tenth (10^th) anniversary of the date of this Agreement and (b) with respect to any Holder, on the date that such Holder no longer holds any Registrable Securities. The provisions of Section 3.5 and Article IV shall survive any termination.

6.9              Holder Information. Each Holder agrees, if requested in writing, to represent to the Company the total number of Registrable Securities held by such Holder in order for the Company to make determinations hereunder.

6.10          Severability. It is the desire and intent of the parties that the provisions of this Agreement be enforced to the fullest extent permissible under the laws and public policies applied in each jurisdiction in which enforcement is sought. Accordingly, if any particular provision of this Agreement shall be adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, prohibited or unenforceable for any reason, such provision, as to such jurisdiction, shall be ineffective, without invalidating the remaining provisions of this Agreement or affecting the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or affecting the validity or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if such provision could be more narrowly drawn so as not to be invalid, prohibited or unenforceable in such jurisdiction, it shall, as to such jurisdiction, be so narrowly drawn, without invalidating the remaining provisions of this Agreement or affecting the validity or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction.

6.11          Entire Agreement; Restatement. This Agreement constitutes the full and entire agreement and understanding between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to such subject matter. Upon the Closing, the Original RRA shall no longer be of any force or effect.

[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above.

	COMPANY:
	NioCorp Developments Ltd.
	a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Province of British Columbia
	By:	/s/ Neal Shah
		Name: Neal Shah
		Title: Chief Financial Officer
	GX Acquisition Corp. II
	a Delaware corporation
	By:	/s/ Jay R. Bloom
		Name: Jay R. Bloom
		Title: Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

	HOLDERS:
	GX Sponsor II LLC
	a Delaware limited liability company
	By: Cooper Road, LLC, as Managing Member
	By:	/s/  Jay R. Bloom
		Name: Jay R. Bloom
		Title: Managing Member

 

	By:	/s/  Dean C. Kehler
		Name: Dean C. Kehler
		Title: Managing Member

 

 

 

	BTIG, LLC
	By:	/s/  Brian K. Endres
		Name: Brian K. Endres
		Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

	/s/ Mark A. Smith
	Mark A. Smith

 

 

 

	/s/ Neal Shah
	Neal Shah

 

 

 

	/s/ Scott Honan
	Scott Honan

 

 

 

	/s/ Jim Sims
	Jim Sims

 

 

 

	/s/ Michael J. Morris
	Michael J. Morris

 

 

 

	/s/ David C. Beling
	David C. Beling

 

 

 

	/s/ Anna Castner Wightman
	Anna Castner Wightman

 

 

 

	/s/ Fernanda Fenga
	Fernanda Fenga

 

 

 

	/s/ Nilsa Guerrero-Mahon
	Nilsa Guerrero-Mahon

 

 

 

	/s/ Peter Oliver
	Peter Oliver

 

Schedule 1

NioCorp Holders

Mark A. Smith

Neal Shah

Scott Honan

Jim Sims

Michael J. Morris

David C. Beling

Anna Castner Wightman

Fernanda Fenga

Nilsa Guerrero-Mahon

Peter Oliver

 

Schedule 2

Investor Holders

GX Sponsor II LLC

BTIG, LLC

Exhibit A

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT JOINDER

The undersigned is executing and delivering this joinder (this “Joinder”) pursuant to the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of March 17, 2023 (as the same may hereafter be amended, the “Registration Rights Agreement”), among NioCorp Developments Ltd., a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Province of British Columbia (the “Company”), and the other persons or entities named as parties therein. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings provided in the Registration Rights Agreement.

By executing and delivering this Joinder to the Company, and upon acceptance hereof by the Company upon the execution of a counterpart hereof, the undersigned hereby agrees to become a party to, to be bound by, and to comply with the Registration Rights Agreement as a Holder of Registrable Securities in the same manner as if the undersigned were an original signatory to the Registration Rights Agreement, and the undersigned’s Common Shares and other equity securities of the Company shall be included as Registrable Securities under the Registration Rights Agreement to the extent provided therein.

 

Accordingly, the undersigned has executed and delivered this Joinder as of the __________ day of __________, 20__.

	Signature of Stockholder
	Print Name of Stockholder
	Its:
	Address:

Agreed and Accepted as of
____________, 20__

NioCorp Developments Ltd.

By: __________________________

Name:

Its: