KUALA LUMPUR – Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah cautioned the Perak government to be careful when handing out non-radioactive rare earth element (NR-REE) mining licences, as they could lead to adverse environmental and health impacts.
In his royal address at the opening of the Perak assembly today, the ruler said that the administration must not ignore lessons from history where unmonitored tin mining activities had left harmful scars on the land and its people.
“Our government has started a pioneer project in mining NR-REE on 213.8ha of land. At the same time, our government has been cautious to not be too hasty in granting licences for large-scale mining of NR-REE.
“We must heed the lessons of the past, shown by the lingering decimation of Perak’s landscapes wrought by tin mining, rendering grievous harm to the state and people of Perak.
“The health, safety, and environmental factors, and the long-term benefit of the state and its citizens should be prioritised and cannot be compromised,” said Sultan Nazrin in his speech.
It is estimated that 1,687,500 tonnes of the valuable element can be found in Perak. The mineral is used extensively in many high-tech, healthcare, and defence industries, and is considered critical in present and future markets.
Sultan Nazrin acknowledged the need for NR-REE mining to generate wealth for the state, but said that it must regardless be done sustainably.
His Royal Highness also said that Perak should not be content with merely producing the valuable raw material.
“Raw materials should be complemented with downstream activities so that the returns have added value and will prompt creation of high-level job opportunities for locals.
“Menteri Besar Incorporated has taken steps to explore all avenues in establishing collaborations between scientists and experts to undertake research on NR-REE, while Perak State Development Corporation has pioneered efforts to develop midstream and downstream industries,” said Sultan Nazrin. – The Vibes, August 25, 2021
