This document discusses rare earth elements, their usage, and the Lynas rare earth refinery project in Malaysia. It notes that rare earths are a group of 15 metallic elements critical for green technologies like wind turbines and electric vehicles. It also discusses concerns about radioactive waste from rare earth mining harming the environment and people's health, as seen at a prior rare earth mine in Malaysia. The document outlines Lynas' plans to import rare earth ore from Australia to be processed in Malaysia, and conditions placed on the project to ensure safety.

1. Mohamad firdaus bin zulkifli
2010646392
Wan mohamed danial naili
2010486038

2. What are RaRe Earth
• Rare Earths are a moderately abundant group of 15 metallic elements
known as the Lanthanide series (atomic numbers 57 through to 71) plus
Yttrium (39).

4. China restrict their Been use for
export industrial,defense
Rare
(high to find enough To protect the
concentration environment (for
together in one green technology)
place)
Why they
are so
precious

5. The usage of rare earth

6. The usage of rare earth in green technology
Rare Earths are playing a pivotal role in
greenhouse gas reduction through their
unique application in hybrid vehicles, and
energy efficient compact fluorescent light
bulbs.
Rare earth magnets are used in wind
turbines. Some large turbines require two
TONS of rare earth magnets. These magnets
are very strong and make the turbines
highly efficient. Rare earth magnets are
used in turbines and generators in many
alternative energy applications

7. Price of rare earth worldwide

8. Rare earth & Radioactivity
• The mining of the rare earths and the processing of the various elements produces
large amounts of thorium as a by-product. This material is radioactive and
dangerous to human health
• in Chine, lax environmental laws have allowed the country to build a monopoly in
the market. However, now the country is looking to mitigate environmental
damage from the production of rare earths, shutting down small mining
operations, and raising environmental standards.

9. The Mitsubishi insident
Lai Kwan prepares to bathe her son, Cheah Kok Leong, who was born
with severe mental disabilities. She believes that his condition is related
to the radioactive exposure she received while working at the
Mitsubishi Chemical’s refinery in Bukit Merah.
By KEITH BRADSHER
Published: March 8, 2011 (sources new york times)
Rahman Roslan for The New York Times
There are already a rare earth mining opened in malaysia before which
located at Bukit Merah by Asian Rare Earth owned by Mitsubishi
company.
Below are the effects that the resident there suffers :
Residents blamed a rare earth refinery for birth defect and eight
leukemia cases within five years in a community of 11,000 — after
many years with no leukemia cases. Seven of the leukemia victims
have since died.
Osamu Shimizu, the director of Asian Rare Earth, the Mitsubishi
Chemical subsidiary that owns the mine, declined to discuss details of
the factory’s operation before it closed in 1992.

10. • Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Lynas) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lynas Corporation
Ltd of Australia. Its business is the production and sale of rare earth ores and
related by-products.
• In Malaysia, Lynas plans to import rare earth ore from its Mount Weld mine in
Western Australia, truck it to the port of Fremantle, send it by container ship to
Kuantan, and process it at the Gebeng Industrial Estate in Pahang.
• At Gebeng, the Lynas plant will extract rare earth minerals from the ore. Most of
this will be for export. Lynas says waste (residue) from the refinery will be used to
make products which will be made safe and can be sold commercially, or stored in
safe and secure containers in specially prepared sites.
• Lynas says it chose to locate its plant at the Gebeng site because of:
1 > It is close to Kuantan port
2 > Gas, water and chemical supplies are readily available
3 > Skilled workers are also available

11. Manufacturing License
 On 22 January 2008, Lynas was given a manufacturing licence to produce
“rare earth oxides and carbonates” at Gebeng Industrial Estate, Kuantan.
 The approval was given subject to a number of conditions, in particular, the
need to comply with the safety provisions of the:
– i. Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984
– ii. Environmental Quality Act 1974.

12. Compliance status
 Lynas began planning and construction of its plant at Gebeng Industrial Estate, Pahang soon after
obtaining its manufacturing licence.
The overall site construction progress at the end of Q3 2011 was 78%
complete.

13. • However, many members of the public – including residents, non-
governmental committees and professional bodies – expressed concern that
the Lynas project was not safe, and was a threat to public health and safety.

14.  On 22 April, 2011, the Government responded to these concerns by
announcing the appointment of an independent panel of international experts
to review the health and safety aspects of the project and to make
recommendations to the Government.
However after the review by IAEA (international Atomic Energy Agency) the
government has approved the Lynas-Gebeng project.
According to (IAEA), Lynas have met all radiation safety standard imposed
by them at the plant.
- the disposal of the material also will be carried out and be disposed in
Australia
The plant will refine slightly radioactive ore from the Mount Weld mine deep
in the Australian desert, 2,500 miles away. The ore will be trucked to the
Australian port of Fremantle and transported by container ship from there.

15.  Within two years, the refinery will be able to meet nearly a third of the world’s
demand for rare earth materials — not counting China
• What Malaysia Gain from this project???
Despite the potential hazards, the Malaysian government was eager for
investment by Lynas, even offering a 12-year tax holiday. If rare earth prices
stay at current lofty levels, the refinery will generate $1.7 billion a year in
exports starting late next year, equal to nearly 1 percent of the entire
Malaysian economy.