Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) expressed concerns over the Kedah Menteri Besar's (MB's) announcement that his government has entered into an agreement with a company to prospect and extract rare earth elements (REE) in the state.
In making the announcement, Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said the Kuala Lumpur-based company is also cooperating with an international firm for the prospecting and that they will conduct the prospecting works in Sik.
He also assured that the minerals are not radioactive, while the prospecting and mineral extraction would not involve any mining activities.
"According to media reports, Sanusi has claimed that the REE was not radioactive and was found in Sik, Ulu Muda and in Baling in Kedah.
"Similar claims were made last year by the former minister of water, land and natural resources (Dr Xavier Jayakumar) over a deal between a China company and the Perak state government for the exploration of rare earth minerals.
"Our concerns are not allayed by the Kedah MB or the federal government (saying) that the venture does not involve radioactive elements," SAM president Meenakshi Raman (above) said in a statement today.
Sanusi said the minerals are in high demand for making components for smartphones and laptops, but did not name the type of rare earth elements involved.
Despite initially announcing in a press conference that the minerals were worth RM43 trillion, his office later said the correct figure for Kedah’s rare earth deposits is an estimated RM62 billion.
Meenakshi said that the 2019 Perak venture involved the state government and Chinese company Chinalco GXNF Rare Earth Development, which was to undertake the exploration of rare-earth minerals.
"The ministry, in response to SAM then, claimed that Chinese expertise in identifying (found) the potential of rare-earth sources in Perak, especially that in ion-adsorption clay, did not contain thorium or uranium as by-product wastes," she added.
She said SAM believes the Kedah venture could be similar to that being undertaken in Perak and she called on the MB to confirm this and whether the venture involves the same Chinese company.
SAM claims that its preliminary research on China’s experience shows that there are very serious environmental damage and human-health costs related to the mining and leaching of ion-adsorption rare-earth clay resources.
"Firstly, in the interest of transparency, we call on the Kedah state government to make public and disclose the deal and the company involved in the venture.
"The public has a right to know what the company is tasked to do and where the exploratory activities will take place and what environmental and social safeguards are in place.
"Secondly, we call on the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources to make public the government’s policy on the development of the rare-earths industry, and seek public consultations prior to allowing states to embark on such ventures, not only in Kedah and Perak but anywhere else in the country," Meenakshi said.
SAM warned that the federal and state governments should not be blinded by promises of billions and trillions of ringgit in relation to the rare-earths industry, which it views as a dirty and toxic industry, similar to what we now know of the plastic and tobacco industries.
"We have to find alternatives to rare-earths given their damaging nature.
"Malaysia must get its priorities right and put the environment at the centre, and not continue to plunder and damage our natural resources in the name of generating economic wealth.
"Clearly, we are not learning from lessons of the past on what it takes to be truly sustainable, but instead are leaving a toxic legacy for generations to come," SAM added. - Mkini
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