Ministry to ensure Kedah rare earth elements will be sustainably mined
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said his ministry would ensure that the proposed mining of non-radioactive rare earth elements (NR-REE) in Kedah will adhere to sustainable mining practices.
Shamsul (above) said his ministry is preparing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for sustainable mining in the NR-REE sector in consultation with state governments, federal agencies, and industry representatives...
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said his ministry would ensure that the proposed mining of non-radioactive rare earth elements (NR-REE) in Kedah will adhere to sustainable mining practices.
Shamsul (above) said his ministry is preparing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for sustainable mining in the NR-REE sector in consultation with state governments, federal agencies, and industry representatives.
“The SOPs will cover the entire mineral value chain from mining to waste disposal and the progressive closing of the mine, and needs to be supported by other related legislation, namely the Mineral Development Act 1994, Geological Survey Act 1974, Environmental Quality Act 1974, and state mineral enactments […]
“This would ensure environmental sustainability, the health and safety of workers, and the wellbeing of the community surrounding the mining area.
“Full compliance with the SOP is the main condition before commencing any mining under the Mineral and Geoscience Department’s (MGD) operational mining scheme.
“Apart from enforcement by the state MGD, state forestry departments also have a role to ensure no NR-REE mining takes place without technical approval, and no mining of any kind takes place in permanent forest reserves,” he said in a statement today.
Shamsul said while state governments have the power the issue mineral prospecting permits, screening needs to be done to ensure all conditions are adhered to before approval is given.
This would avoid the pollution incident that could affect the environment and the community.
The minister was responding to Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor’s announcement yesterday that the state government had granted a permit for a Kuala Lumpur-based joint venture to prospect and extract rare earth deposits in the district of Sik.
Meanwhile, Shamsul clarified that MGD’s studies conducted under the 11th Malaysia Plan have estimated that Malaysian’s mineral resources amounted to RM4.11 trillion, which include metal, non-metal, and energy minerals.
Of these, NR-REE makes up 15.188 million metric tonnes valued at RM741 billion.
“Most of these resources are found in Kedah, Perak, Terengganu, Kelantan, Pahang, Johor, and several other states.
“Detailed studies will continue under the 12th Malaysia Plan for more precise mapping of the amount of NR-REE reserves,” he said.
He added that several state governments have shown interest in exploring NR-REE development in their state.
In a separate statement, the Atomic Energy Licencing Board said minerals in the ground naturally contain radioactive minerals.
“As such, any economic activity that involving rare earth elements that contain naturally occurring radioactive materials is subject to legislative control under the Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984 if its radioactivity (uranium and thorium) exceeds stipulated limits.
“The AELB will ensure all related legal requirements will be fully enforced to protect the safety of workers and members of the public, in addition to protecting the environment from any potential danger of ionising radiation,” it said.
