January-February , 2021 | @ Forest
cover story
27
Neodymium is a rare earth element . The crystals are precipitated from a solution on a microscope slide and photographed in polarised light .
country ’ s mineral resources were estimated to be worth RM4.11 trillion , which includes metals , non-metals and energy minerals .
From the estimate , Shamsul said nr-REE resources in Malaysia amounted to 15.188 million metric tons with a value of around RM741 billion , and most are found in Kedah , Perak , Terengganu , Kelantan , Pahang , Johor .
protection and conservation of the natural environment .
“ Protection and preservation of forest is PEKA ’ s primary focus as we believe that without forest , there will be no other life whether directly or indirectly in the scope of tropical countries such as Malaysia ,” Shariffa shared with @ Forest .
With regards to the Malaysian public ’ s level of awareness when it comes to environmental issues and conservation efforts , she said : “ It is increasing as the public in Malaysia is experiencing long-term man-caused disasters directly from logging , mining and other activities .”
However , she noted the process of
The 1982 Bukit Merah radioactive pollution incident in Bukit Merah of Kinta District in Central Perak is one of Malaysia ’ s most controversial environmental issues , involving Asia Rare Earth Sdn Bhd ( ARE ), a rareearth extracting company .”
Past REE related incidents in Malaysia fuels environmental concerns
While the minerals themselves are generally harmless and not radioactive , the actual processing of the elements can be rather dangerous .
Given the ecological destructions and radiation pollution the mining activity poses , along with Malaysia ’ s experience with REE mining incidents , there are growing environmental and health concerns about the REE venture in Kedah .
The 1982 Bukit Merah radioactive pollution incident in Bukit Merah of Kinta District in Central Perak is one of Malaysia ’ s most controversial environmental issues , involving Asia Rare Earth Sdn Bhd ( ARE ), a rareearth extracting company . are failed to safely dispose the industrial waste containing radioactive thorium hydroxide , exposing workers and the neighbouring community to ionising radiation . It resulted in several birth defects and leukaemia cases among the 11,000 people living in Bukit Merah and Papan , Perak .
Bukit Merah also stands as the site of the largest radiation cleanup yet in the rare earth industry , and it is still ongoing .
Fast forward to 2010s , and another ree incident surfaced involving an Australian rare earth mining company , Lynas Corporation Ltd . ( Lynas ).
The development of rare-earth processing plant in Gebeng , Kuantan , called the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant ( LAMP ), which became one of the largest rare earth processing plants in the world , led to international activism and claims of environmental and social injustice .
A 2014 study by UKM found the thorium radioactivity concentration in Lynas ’ water-leached purification ( WLP ) stream of wastes to be close to eight times higher than the regulatory exemption limit . — @ Forest
awareness to eco-activism is slow and the public is also of the opinion that NGOs will be able to solve the problems by protesting .
“ Public must realise that without their support or if they remain indifferent , NGOs will fail .”
According to PEKA , apart from logging , other environmental issues in Malaysia include uncontrolled reclamation , coal-fired power plants , micro dams , fresh / saltwater sand mining , imports of toxic plastic , slow change from unrecyclable plastic to eco-friendly materials , renewable energy transformation , sea and freshwater pollution as well as over-fishing by local and foreign vessels .
Datuk Ir Jaseni Maidinsa .
REE mining will endanger water supply
The Kedah Menteri Besar ’ s approval of largescale mining permits in Ulu Muda will jeopardise water supply in three northern Malaysian States and endanger water supply for a combined population of 4.2 million people .
According to a recent Astro Awani report , Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md . Nor said his State administration had approved a permit for a company to explore large-scale mining of minerals referred to as “ rare earth elements ” ( REE ) in Ulu Muda , Sik and Baling .
The Ministry of Environment and Water ( KASA ), the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy ( NRE ) and the National Security Council ( MKN ) must work together to stop this dangerous venture immediately .
Sanusi has conveniently forgotten that Ulu Muda is the largest and most important water catchment area in the Northern Corridor Economic Region ( NCer ).
In a statement , Datuk Ir Jaseni Maidinsa , CEO of PbaPP and Pba Holdings Bhd , said large-scale mining operations in the 163,000-hectare Greater Ulu Muda Forest Complex would involve large-scale land clearing wherever the minerals are found .
“ The fallout from cutting down trees , flattening hills , establishing huge quarries and digging into the earth will be monumental destruction in the rainforest environment . Mining will also adversely affect Sungai Muda , a strategic raw water resource ,” said Jaseni .
Permanent damage and high-risk
There is no way to conduct large-scale mining enterprises in Ulu Muda without decimating rainforests that catch the rainwater which flows into Sungai Muda as raw water . In this sense , Ulu Muda is the first link in the NCer water supply value-chain that meets the water needs of the people and businesses in Perlis , Kedah and Penang .
About 70 per cent of Perlis ’ raw water and 96 per cent of Kedah ’ s raw water originate from Ulu Muda . More than 80 per cent of the raw water that PbaPP abstracts from Sungai Muda , at the Lahar Tiang Intake in Penang , daily originates from Ulu Muda .
Ulu Muda cannot continue to function as a primary natural water catchment area for 3 NCer States if its rainforests are cut down , its hills are flattened and its landscape is scarred by mining operations . The potential damage is likely to be permanent .
As such , mining REE in Ulu Muda will inevitably put water supply services for three States in peril . It will endanger water supply , an essential public service for 4.2 million people . Thousands of businesses seeking to survive and revive their operations during this Covid-19 global pandemic will be burdened with unnecessary risks .
In the case of large-scale mining , the threat is not limited to a shortage of raw water from Ulu Muda . The quality of the raw water from this river will also be compromised . Large-scale mining operations will generate large amounts of toxic waste , debris and polluted earth , leading to the following :
• Disastrous environmental and health impact
• Difficult to dispose by-products
• Pollute and contaminate surface water systems in the Muda River Basin Jaseni stressed KASA , NRE and MKN must ensure that
Kedah does not jeopardise the water supply security of the NCer States of Perlis , Kedah and Penang , which contribute about RM147.8 billion in 2019 and the livelihood of 4.2 million people .