KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia’s government renewed Australian miner Lynas Rare Earths’ operating license for 10 years but will require it to stop producing radioactive waste by 2031.
The Lynas refinery in Malaysia, its first outside China producing minerals that are crucial for high-tech manufacturing, has been operating in central Pahang state since 2012. The company has been e mbroiled in a dispute over radiation from waste that has accumulated at the plant.
Science Minister Chang Lih Kang said Monday that any radioactive waste generated within the next five years must be treated and neutralized by extracting thorium or other methods. No new permanent disposal facility will be allowed, he said.
The license runs until March 3, 2036, and will be reviewed after five years. It can be revoked if Lynas violates its conditions, Chang said.
Environmental groups have long campaigned against the Lynas refinery, demanding that the company export its radioactive waste. They contend that the radioactive elements, which include thorium and uranium among others, were more hazardous after going through mechanical and chemical processes.
Lynas was allowed five years to retrofit its facilities and ramp up operations under Chang described as a firm but accelerated timeline. He said lab tests have shown promising results in neutralizing radiation in waste through thorium extraction but scaling the technology to industrial levels typically takes seven to 10 years.
“We have not gone against our promise to prevent the accumulation of radioactive waste in Malaysia. We remain committed to that position, and through this license renewal, we aim to fully achieve this goal by 2031,” Chang said in a statement.
Chang said the license was granted after a thorough technical evaluation, taking into consideration Malaysia’s strategic interests and commitments from Lynas. Existing radioactive waste will be stored in a permanent disposal facility still under construction. It is due to be ready by the year’s end.
Rare earths are 17 minerals used to make products such as electric or hybrid vehicles, weapons, flat-screen TVs, mobile phones, mercury-vapor lights and camera lenses. China has about a third of the world’s rare earth reserves but a near monopoly on supplies. Lynas has said its refinery could meet nearly a third of world demand for rare earths, excluding China.
The only other rare earths refinery in Malaysia — operated by Japan’s Mitsubishi Group in northern Perak state — closed in 1992 following protests and claims that it contributed to birth defects and leukemia among residents. It is one of Asia’s largest radioactive waste cleanup sites.
By Eileen Ng, Associated Press
Banner image: Construction vehicles are parked at the site of Lynas’ rare earths plant in Gebeng, eastern Malaysia, on April 19, 2012. Photo courtesy of Lai Seng Sin, Associated Press.
This story first appeared on Mongabay
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