I never posted something at HC, but there´s for everything a...

I never posted something at HC, but there´s for everything a first time...

May i introduce myself first - I´m FXNCLN aka FaxenClown (from the german wallstreet-online forum). I´m chemical engineer and one of my favourite hobbies between 2009 and 2012 was analysis of RE-companies. In 2017 my interests in the sector and especially Lynas grew again due to the return of profitable RE-prices and boundary conditions.

But back on topic: It´s just "more than needed for 600tpm (per month)", if you assume to produce ore with approximately 9% TREO or more.
Making a short reverse calculation:

450t*12 = 5400t/a NdPr (per year)
5400t/a NdPr = (roughly) 21.600t TREO/a (100%)
21.600t TREO @36% TREO content (shipping quality) = 60.000t/a concentrate
60.000t/a @ 9% REO-grade ore (CLD quality) is 240.000 tpa total ore to be milled

Scaling up to 600t/a NdPr is simply multiplying everything by 1,33 ... ending at 320.000 tpa necessary milling capacity (if shipment concentrate remains at 36% TREO and average input grade remains at 9%)

... and with 443ktpa milling capacity, you can even mill 6,5% TREO ore instead of the 9% TREO ore

Summing up (my perspective):
The upgrade to 443kpta milling capacity opens lynas´s capability to process lower graded ores. Otherwise, they will end up in a milling bottleneck, when high grade areas are harvested and lower grades remain.