DOE urged to explain why ‘linonite’ mining in Perak approved

The Department of Environment was urged to explain why a “lintonite mining project” in Hulu Perak has been approved.

Perak Menteri Besar Saarani Mohamad yesterday said the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the pilot project for mining “lintonite”, which he said is a rare earth mineral, was greenlit last week.

The Association for Community and Dialogue (Acid) said Perak residents deserve to know what risks they may face, as mining can cause severe environmental degradation.

“Acid urges the Department of Environment to make public the rationale for approving the environmental impact assessment (EIA) on the mining of lintonite.

“The critical nature of environmental issues in this country requires the Perak government to be more transparent on the nature of this mining activity even though it is in a pilot form,” Acid secretary Ronald Benjamin said.

Saarani yesterday said the mineral could be another source of revenue for the state and the pilot project will determine if there will be harmful radioactivity from the mining.

He said “lintonite” could be used in products such as phones, watches, and electrical goods, Bernama reported yesterday.

Lintonite or lanthanide?

However, checks on the DOE’s EIA portal found no such EIA submitted for “lintonite mining” in Hulu Perak or elsewhere in the country.

The only EIA submitted for proposed mining in the Hulu Perak area was for lanthanide, but that proposal last year was rejected by the DOE.

Lanthanide refers to 15 elements in the periodic table which are referred to as rare earth metals.

Rare earth is used to build components in various electronic products including mobile phones.

Perak Menteri Besar Saarani Mohamad

None of the 15 elements which are referred to as rare earth is named “lintonite”, the so-called rare earth mineral mentioned by Saarani.

Lintonite is a type of gemstone found around Minnesota in the United States.

Malaysiakini is contacting the DOE and the menteri besar’s office for clarification.

EIA reports must be published with stakeholders given the opportunity to provide feedback within a stipulated period.

Threatened species

The proposed lanthanide mining was to take place in the Kenderong Forest Reserve, part of the Central Forest Spine - a network of key forests which act as corridors for protected species of flora and fauna.

It was proposed to be on 11 land parcels of 5,339 acres (2,161 ha) owned by MB Inc Perak, Majlis Daerah Gerik, Felcra Bhd, and Perak’s State Agriculture Development Corporation.

The area is home to 11 threatened wildlife species including the endangered Malayan tiger, of which there are only 150 left in the wild.

It is also close to river tributaries and Orang Asli settlements.

Besides the rejected lanthanide mining proposal, there is also a proposal for tin mining in the same area.

The EIA for the tin mining project is still under review.

The project covers 245 hectares (605 acres) of forested land degazetted from the Kenderong Forest Reserve, while the mining lease is owned by MB Inc Perak.

It is opposed by environmental group Sahabat Alam Malaysia, who said it endangers nearly extinct wildlife and is close to tributaries which flow into Sungai Perak, a source of 45 percent of the state's potable water. - Mkini