According to a Singapore newspaper today, Putrajaya has rejected a proposal by the Australian business Lynas to remove the restrictions on the renewal of its rare earths refinery in Malaysia.
The Straits Times stated that as part of the three-year licence renewal requirements that take into effect in July, Lynas will no longer be permitted to keep its radioactive waste from the refinery in Gebeng, Pahang.
As a result, the Australian company, which is now one of the major producers of rare earths outside of China, will no longer be able to refine the minerals on-site but instead would need to export the “cracking and leaching” of the lanthanide concentrate it produces.
It further stated that Lynas had already received an informal notice of this subject from Malaysia’s Atomic Energy Licensing Board, which oversees the manufacturing of radioactive materials in the nation.
According to the report on New Straits Time, the Australian corporation will have 30 days to appeal to Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation Chang Lih Kang. Additionally, it has been stated that Gebeng’s permanent disposal facility for the radioactive waste from Lynas, which was also a requirement, is 30% complete.
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