Mothballs or more likely storage in expectation of a return to...

Mothballs or more likely storage in expectation of a return to 2011 prices once the EV production takes off ? I'm glad you mentioned 2009 collapsing prices but why stop there and only bring out part of the story ? Care to work out the average DyO price spread following collapse , say over 2009-2012 and use that as the base price ? LOL

Here is another question you could help Anndy answer, if Lynas has so much DyO why not sell some of it to pay back the massive debts it has ? I mean even at the ridiculous $90 you mentioned its still 50% more then it gets for the NdPr . However at current prices its more like 3x or even using 2020s forecasts from either Hallgarten or Edisons forecasts, whichever you prefer. Or is the large amount of La and Ce in Mt Weld RE concentrate the barrier that stops Lynas from competing with NTU's Browns Range ore on DyO market ?

The fact that DyO prices are currently so low is to NTUs advantage as it discourages new entrants to the market and puts NTU in the front seat when DyO prices do recover. IMO looking at the chart below and considering the take up rate of EV and hybrids over the next couple of years I would expect that by 2020 DyO prices to be around $500/kg with peaks twice as high possible if the Chinese once again tighten the RE export quotas or if overnight their electric motor producers decided to acquire the entire stock held in "mothballs" and there was nothing WTO could do about it. Of course in the shorter term prices could reach and go past the 2011 highs and NTU will be there ready to take advantage of that if it happens.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rare_Earths_Trade_Dispute

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."