No more C&L by Lynas after Dec 31

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is not shutting down Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd’s operations.

Rather, the company will not be allowed to carry out cracking and leaching (C&L) activities in the country after Dec 31, said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang.

He said the decision to extend the period of the factory to carry out C&L activities for another six months is to avoid affecting the supply chain of rare earth at the global level.

Besides, the extension is also to give Lynas time to complete the company’s C&L plant in Australia, which is still under construction.

“Their plant in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, is almost ready, and the extension of this period takes into account if they cannot complete (the plant) before July,” he told Bernama after the closing ceremony of the NGO@Makerthon Programme at the Muhibbah Community Complex here yesterday.