Malaysiakini last night: Minister: Lynas may lose licence if...

Malaysiakini last night:
Minister: Lynas may lose licence if conditions not met by July
Lynas may have its licence revoked if it fails to relocate its cracking and leaching facility, which produces radioactive water leach purification (WLP) residue, out of Malaysia before July.
Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister (Mosti) Chang Lih Kang confirmed this when asked about the matter today.
“Yes, definitely, because if Lynas fails to comply with the conditions imposed on them, their licence could be revoked,” Chang said in a press conference in Parliament today.
It was reported yesterday that the government has renewedthe operating licence for Lynas’ processing plant in Gebeng, Kuantan for three years, effective from March 3.
However, the licence was renewed with the same conditions imposed by the Pakatan Harapan administration in 2020.
The key conditions include relocating the cracking and leaching facility out of Malaysia before this July, after which it will no longer be allowed to import lanthanide concentrate into the country.
Another key condition would be to construct a permanent disposal facility (PDF) to store the existing waste from when it began operating in 2012.
Chang also said there would be no incentive for Lynas to import lanthanide concentrate from Australia or anywhere else into Malaysia, or source local supply, as the aim of the conditions was to stop all cracking and leaching in Malaysia.
“The gist of the conditions is to stop all processes that might produce any radioactive waste in Malaysia,” he said.
He also acknowledged that while some job loss could occur from this, the country cannot afford to allow Lynas to continue its cracking and leaching activities “until and unless we can settle this waste management issue”.
PDF in progress
Chang, who is also PKR vice-president, said the PDF construction located near the Gebeng plant is still in progress, at about 32 percent completion.
“There was a delay because the first location was not approved and then Covid-19 happened… so I think 32 percent (completion) is reasonable.
“We can’t tell when the actual completion will be but it is on track,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lynas is also in the process of building a cracking and leaching plant in Kalgoorlie, Australia.
That facility is at about 80 percent complete and Chang said he is confident it can be finished by July 2023.