Lightroom for iPad | working from 'FILES' storage concerns

[Julian5CB9]

If I am not planning to use the cloud as a back-up and am only using to edit photos on the go via my SD card reader.

If I am importing photos from a 'FILES' folder on the iPad,

Is Lightoom for iPad making new copies of my raw images, locally within the app?

Or is it simply making cache of the editting I am doing and working off my raw images by 'leaving the files in place' ?

Would love to the flexibilty to work out of 'FILES' so I can drag onto an SSD and not have to compromise more space within lightroom.

Thanks!

Hoping this question makes sense!

[selondon]

Lightroom Mobile imports the photos into the app, plus if you have cloud storage, it automatically uploads these to the cloud.

It doesn't work with the files externally, like Lightroom Classic.