- Title: Malaysia expects to make decision on license renewal for rare earths firm Lynas
- Date: 14th August 2019
- Summary: GEBENG, PAHANG STATE, MALAYSIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) PUDDLE OF WATER / LYNAS CORP'S LOGO EXTERIOR OF LYNAS ADVANCED MATERIAL PLANT CHIMNEY EMITTING SMOKE FROM PLANT PROCESSING LINE RARE EARTH MINERAL, PRND OXIDE, IN BOXES VARIOUS RARE EARTH MINERAL ON PROCESSING LINE WORKER WALKING PAST PROCESSING LINE VARIOUS RARE EARTH ON PROCESSING LINE LYNAS PLANT MANAGING DIRECTOR OF LYNAS MALAYSIA, MARSHAL AHMAD SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANAGING DIRECTOR OF LYNAS MALAYSIA, MARSHAL AHMAD SAYING: "Lynas comply in every aspect of the existing rules and standards which are enforced by various agencies. So we are very confident that the current government that which always governed by the rule… we have every confident that the government will renew our license." MARSHAL SEATED LYNAS LOGO ON MARSHAL'S JACKET (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANAGING DIRECTOR OF LYNAS MALAYSIA, MARSHAL AHMAD SAYING: "We need a decision because this decision not only impacted us but also impacted our suppliers, our customers, everybody is anxious to know the outcome." WORKER IN LAB VARIOUS PACKAGES OF PROCESSED RARE EARTH IN PACKAGES VARIOUS PLANT EXTERIOR ANTI-LYNAS ACTIVIST TAN BOON TEET TAKING PICTURES OF NEUTRALIZATION UNDERFLOW RESIDUE (NUF) WASTE SITE IN LYNAS PLANT WASTE SITE TAN SHOWING REPORTER LYNAS PLANT MAP MAP (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANTI-LYNAS ACTIVIST, TAN BOON TEET SAYING: "This waste are actually openly piled up in the open space, so when they are exposed to the heavy monsoon rain what do you think will happen, there will be some leaching going down into the underground water and contaminate the underground water, that's why in the executive review report there was one section on ground water contamination and the station of monitoring, the ground was actually located inside Lynas compound." VARIOUS WATER DISCHARGING FROM LYNAS PLANT RESIDUE THAT ACTIVIST CLAIMED TO BE DISCHARGED FROM LYNAS PLANT WATER (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANTI-LYNAS ACTIVIST, TAN BOON TEET SAYING: "Now that with all the ministers of the current government, PH (Pakatan Harapan coalition) government coming out obviously in defense of Lynas and proposing the government allowed Lynas to go on operating, so it becomes very obvious this is a 'betrayal' of people's wish." VARIOUS LYNAS PLANT
- Embargoed: 28th August 2019 12:12
- Keywords: Malaysia Australia Lynas rare earth plant license renewal
- Location: GEBENG, MALAYSIA
- City: GEBENG, MALAYSIA
- Country: Malaysia
- Topics: Company News Markets,Economic Events
- Reuters ID: LVA001AS6UREV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Malaysia is set to make an announcement on Lynas Corp's rare earths processing plant license renewal on August 15, according to local media on Wednesday (August 14).
Two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters last week that the government plans to extend Lynas license though it could be for a shorter duration than the usual three years.
A decision to renew the licence is important for the market for rare earths, as Lynas is the biggest producer outside China. Beijing has in the past tightened supply of the materials, used in everything from military equipment to high-tech consumer electronics.
In an exclusive interview with Reuters, Lynas Malaysia managing director Marshal Ahmad is confident the license will be renewed as the plant complied to the rules and standards issued by the authorities, despite opposition from some people who fear the risk of radioactivity from waste may have contaminated underground water.
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad previously said Malaysia 'cannot force' Lynas to leave and that the 600 Malaysian employees at the plant in the state of Pahang were not afraid to keep working there.
The Australian company has been running the plant in Malaysia since 2012 using rare earths mined from Mount Weld in Western Australia.
(Production: Ebrahim Harris, Angie Teo) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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