@Stockguru: You should probably have done some research first...

@Stockguru: You should probably have done some research first before posting questions like yours here.

But to sum it up, in addition to Moorookamick's post, there are several reasons why the LAMP was built in Malaysia. First, there are the financial incentives of the cheaper labour costs, the tax break, etc, but also the fact that the site at Gebeng has copious water supply (not much in the desert in WA where the mine actually is), plus the other plants in the same industrial park can supply the various chemicals and reagents, including the sulphuric acid needed. They are all, literally, around the corner.

Then there's the fact that some of Lynas's biggest offtake customers are right there, too, including BASF, and if the JV goes ahead, Siemens. Big reason right there for building in Malaysia and more specifically at Gebeng.

Also, just to nitpick - FGE didn't build the mine - they were involved in building the LAMP which is the processing plant. The mine is in WA as also is the concentrating plant. The concentrate is then shipped to Gebeng for processing. The concentrate is so low in radioactivity that it isn't even considered to be radioactive by international standards, and is not classed as dangerous goods. Only in Malaysia is the very low level of radioactivity classed that way (which is even stricter than the international standards).

And when you claim that so many people are against the LAMP - what you're really seeing and hearing is a small number of die-hards who make a heck of a lot of noise and cannot accept facts and science. Their agenda is NOT any environmental concern, although many have been made to believe it is by Fuziah and co who have talked about the LAMP being a nuclear plant and other fearmongering. Their agenda is purely political, and their aim is to try to defeat the sitting government. Lynas has just become a pawn in their game, as have all the locals who fall for their spin, and the poor sods (including kids) who are now claiming they're on a "hunger strike". About 20 of them, mainly kids who have been brought along.

Meanwhile, the anti-Lynas brigade continue to push their wagon using the computers, phones, and other technology that uses the very rare earths they don't want to be part of. And they are planning a 1000 car "green drive" - sheesh, how is driving 1000 cars "green"?

The main concern is how the current government over there have been, and continue to be, so weak in the face of the noise, because they are also looking at the politics of it all. Once the election is over - and assuming that the government is returned - I suspect we'll see a much firmer approach to the protesters.

Does that answer your question?