Antinuclear

New temporary license for Lynas does not end the Malaysian rare eaths debate

Australia’s Lyn as rare-earths operations approved in Malaysia, despite anger, Bikyamasr Alisha Hassan | 6 September 2012 |  “…..It came after months of delays after protests erupted demanding that the company be barred from operating in the country, with demonstrators citing radiation fears.

The new temporary license means the company will be able to transport rare-earths minerals as it prepares for the first production in Pahang in October. The company completed building the first phase of the plant in three months to June 30 and is continuing work on the expansion of the project, which is scheduled for completion early next year..

… Ongoing protests and attacks against the establishing of the rare earths facility have seen the Australian company go to court to force critics and villagers to be silenced, but the court in late July ruled that it would not end the debate over the safety of the plant.

The High Court rejected Lynas’ push to block a coalition of villagers from publishing statements about the project that Lynas insists are defamatory…… Coalition representative Tan Bun Teet said July’s verdict was a “small victory” for activists to maintain their opposition……

Lynas’s plans to process ore from its West Australian mine at the $200 million advanced materials plant in Malaysia are strongly opposed by community groups over fears of a repeat of the health problems associated with a Mitsubishi refinery at Bukit Merah that was closed in 1992.

On June 24, over 1,000 demonstrators took to the streets with funeral banners and signs demanding the government revoke a decision earlier in July to allow Australia’s Lynas’ rare-earths mine to go forward.

The Occupy Balok-Gebeng event started with the group’s chairman Wong Tack delivering a fiery speech before a crowd of hundreds.

“Today is the beginning. Today, we galvanize our forces from all across the nation. We occupy Balok and then the whole nation,” he said at the launch of the protest in late July in Kuantan.

Activists from the Ban Cyanide-Gold Mining in Bukit Koman movement and the Perak Anti-Radioactive Action Committee had joined the 24-hour rally.

The crowd placed hundreds of wreaths, funeral banners and dozens of mock coffins in front of a giant banner depicting the Lynas rare earth refinery.

Wong challenged the authorities to issue the full operating license immediately if it was so sure the project was safe.

This was the fourth anti-Lynas rally organized by Himpunan Hijau in less than a year. The rally will culminate with the group gathering in front of the Lynas plant in Gebeng Sunday……

In June, International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed issued a statement that effectively shuts out further dissent from the miner’s detractors, who have continued to highlight fears of radioactive pollution from the RM2.5 billion plant…..

The facility was awarded a license in February but the government froze that following protests by thousands of people, saying the panel would review the decision.

“The committee found that up to now all the safety, health and environmental aspects in connection with the project … have been met,” the panel said in a 74-page report. The panel was widely expected to rule in favor of the plant.

The opposition has largely condemned the ruling and refused to join the panel, which they say will be detrimental to the country as a whole….. Lynas has insisted the facility is safe and any waste will be stored and disposed of securely.

September 7, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized