KUALA LUMPUR – Lynas’ rare earths processing plant in Pahang has been granted an extension until January 2024 to fulfil Malaysia’s conditions to stop producing radioactive waste in the country.
The Straits Times, which reported this, said the extension was granted after the Australian rare earth mining firm’s appeal hearing late last month against the condition which was part of its operating licence renewal for three years until 2026.
The Singaporean media outlet said the decision was at the discretion of Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang.
Earlier this year, the ministry, when issuing the three-year licence renewal to Lynas, also imposed as one of the conditions, the removal of the plant’s “cracking and leaching” family to outside of Malaysia, effective July 1.
This would effectively bar the plant in Gebeng, near Kuantan, from producing radioactive waste in Malaysia after July.
Lynas, which has been operating in Malaysia for a decade, had requested to drop four conditions related to “cracking and leaching” activity, waste generation of Water Leach Purification, and the import of lantanide concentrates from Australia, none of which were considered. – The Vibes, May 7, 2023
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