The government is willing to release documents and engage the public regarding Lynas Malaysia’s plans to extract thorium from the waste material that the company generates.
Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang said this in response to calls by environmental groups for more transparency behind the development.
Speaking to reporters, he said the thorium extraction technology is proven, and not just experimental.
“It has reached a conclusive conclusion. Some people may not understand and think it’s just an experiment. Actually, it is not. It’s a proof of concept and scientifically proven to be feasible.
“If everyone is willing to explore the feasibility and reliability of this technology, we can invite our experts to explain it to everyone. We can even make their study (public); proof of concept has been conclusive. We can also release these documents,” he said.
Chang added that the technology is safe, well-researched, and innovative.
He said this when met on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Symposium Malaysia event in Kuala Lumpur today.
Yesterday, Chang announced that the government had lifted restrictions on Lynas from importing lanthanide, and also operating its cracking and leaching facility in Gebeng, Kuantan - which produces radioactive Water Leach Purification (WLP) residue.
This was after Lynas approached the government with a proposal to extract thorium from the WLP and lanthanide.
This would effectively remove all radioactive material from waste generated by Lynas.
The government greenlit the proposal after consulting local experts on the viability of the proposal.
The news did not sit well with environmental groups, who demanded more clarity and transparency on the matter.
Continual rule compliance
Chang subsequently explained that a research team for the thorium extraction technology confirmed its feasibility and that Lynas needs to plan how to extend the technology, from the lab, to be used in the industry.
He said the plan should include the extraction and treatment of thorium and that it should be submitted to the authorities for review.
When asked about the disposal of thorium that has been extracted, he said that is to be Lynas’ decision.
However, Chang clarified that even if Lynas plans to sell thorium, prior storage must comply with the rules of the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB), which means storage tanks must be built with the approval of the authorities.
“If Lynas wants to establish a storage facility, they still need our approval and must comply with international standards.”
He said for the next two years, the government will allow Lynas to continue the cracking and leaching process and added that this is the best option considering the current situation.
Elaborating, he said if the government disallows Lynas from its cracking and leaching activities, the company may decide to leave the country and the government would have to spend additional tens of millions of ringgit to deal with over 100 tons of waste.
He also said the government is not relaxing conditions for Lynas, but rather increasing the conditions for using thorium extraction technology. - Mkini
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