RE: To Theo12 Apr 2023 23:19
Reserve,resource, implied, inferred its a trivial aspect compared to processing costs. There are no end of locations offering RE in minable concentrations. Open cast Mining costs are about $2k per ton of NdPr, processing costs in PRE's case are another $42k per ton. That cost is determined by the ratio of NdPr to the rest of the 15 REE's present in the basket.
So for example there was 10% TREO and 2% of NdPr (20% NdPr and 80% othe REE, a minimum viable ratio) it would cost $84k to process the 10 tons of REE to obtain the 2 tons of NdPr at $42k per ton.
If the ratio was 10% TREO and 3% NdPr , the $84k processing would yield 3 tons of NdPr at $28k per ton
Mining cost slightly reduced but trivial in comparison.