Feb 22 (Reuters) - Mp Materials:

* CEO JIM LITINSKY: RARE EARTHS PRICING ENVIRONMENT 'VERY FRUSTRATING'

* CEO: COMPANY 'RECENTLY BEGAN PRODUCING NDPR METAL' IN VIETNAM

* CEO: COMPANY HAS 'FIRM COMMITMENTS FOR A SIGNIFICANT PORTION' OF NDPR PRODUCTION FROM JAPANESE CUSTOMERS

* Q1 RARE EARTH CONCENTRATE PRICES EXPECTED TO DROP ROUGHLY 15% SEQUENTIALLY

* PLANS 2024 TOTAL CAPEX BUDGET OF $200 TO $250 MILLION

* INVESTED $10 MILLION IN Q4 IN VRX HOLDCO, THE COMPANY'S TOLL PROCESSING PARTNER IN VIETNAM

* EXPECTS TO SELL 'A LITTLE MORE' THAN 100 METRIC TONS OF NDPR IN Q1

* CEO SAYS WILL NOT DISCUSS RECENT M&A SPECULATION ABOUT COMPANY

* CEO: COMPANY'S LEADERS TAKE FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES SERIOUSLY AND MARKET CAN EXPECT THEM 'TO BE OPPORTUNISTIC AND THOUGHTFUL'

* CEO: MARKET PENDULUM ON RARE EARTHS PRICING SEEMS TO HAVE SWUNG 'TOO FAR' GIVEN STRATEGIC NATURE OF THE INDUSTRY

* CEO: COMPANY LOOKING AT POTENTIAL ACQUISITIONS, EXPECTS THERE WILL BE SOME M&A OPPORTUNITIES GIVEN CURRENT STATE OF RARE EARTHS MARKET Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: (Reporting By Ernest Scheyder)