there is a small window for production increase without affecting Opex and plant design based on a higher grade which at 13,074 MTPA rather than the designed 10,000 Mtpa it has probably already taken advantage of - A further grade increase I suspect could take it all out side the design tolerances and as such I suspect at a minimum an increase in extraction column size for the plant but I think this will in turn require an increase in capacity in all the other flow sheet components including boron removal and others as well as larger or more crystallisers to cope with the expanded through put and PPM .
Ultimately as @strazza and others have stated higher PPM lithium sounds good in theory but if it impacts the Opex severely with the wrong outcome then where's the benefit ??
The biggest news to market IMHO was the huge increase in target aquifer depth and width this "I think went over the markets head" and is probably the best news ASN could have delivered that and there was actual brine as forecasted that did produce LCE .
The market didn't understand the significance IMHO this has just meant that the ones that do have been buying more 100% . There are plenty that do though BLM DOE Wayne County Water just to mention a few ........... Warmest Regards TT
ASN Price at posting:
10.5¢ Sentiment: None Disclosure: Held
