KUANTAN: The state government has approved 220ha in Sungai Wang, Hulu Jelai, to be developed into the pioneer Non-Radioactive Rare Earth Element (NR-REE) mining project.
Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said the proposal was approved at the state government meeting on April 3 and was currently undergoing finalising of the standard operating procedure for NR-REE mining.
He said the process was led by the Pahang Land and Mines Office and Pahang Mining Corporation and the proposal will be submitted to the state authorities.
“A state government delegation conducted a site visit to the NR-REE pioneer mining project site in Mukim Kenering, Hulu Perak, on Sept 25 last year, aimed at learning about this greener mining technique.
“Following this, we identified Sungai Wang in Lipis as the potential pioneer NR-REE mining project,” he said during the state assembly sitting yesterday, Bernama reported.
He was addressing a question from Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PN-Cheka) who wanted to know the government’s preparedness to tap into REE mining as a state revenue source.
Wan Rosdy also said the state government was committed to ensuring that the extraction of these natural resources was conducted using the most optimal and safest methods.
