Rare Earth Experts Impressed With Lynas Facility

By Siti Hawa Othman KUANTAN (Pahang, Malaysia), May 10 (Bernama) -- Foreign rare earth experts have described the Lynas Advanced Material Plant in Gebeng, Kuantan, as one of the top state-of-the-art rare earth plants in the world. Alastair S Neill, a leading rare earth expert from Canada, who is also Executive Vice-President of Dacha Strategic Metals, said he was impressed with Lynas Corporation's production facility which was of world class standard. "I've seen a lot of rare earth separation plants and I would put this at the top of the list comparable with one state-of-the-art plant that I have seen in France," he told Bernama during a visit to the plant in Gebeng, Kuantan, on Tuesday. The visit was in conjunction with the recent International Rare Earth Symposium, organised by the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM), where Neill was a guest speaker Other experts in the team included Professor Chun-Hua Yan from Peking University, Christoph Wilhelm from the Karlsruhr Institute of Technology in Germany and Jack Lifton, co-founder of Technology Metals Research LLC from the United States. Lifton said Malaysia would be the second largest producer of rare earth in the world after China, once the plant was in operation. "This is a perfect example of the state-of-the-art, probably more smarter plant of its type in the world. I do not believe there is a radiation problem, not at all. What I was looking for was safety in handling large volumes of liquids," he added. Lifton, a consultant and lecturer on market fundamentals of technology metals, said the plant could draw more business, with companies locating here to use its products and in turn multiplying the impact on the local economy. Meanwhile, Chun said the facility and layout of the plant was well constructed due to good investment. He said while China could have the best rare earth technology in the world, the industry, technology and sciences should be developed by all. Wilhelm, on the other hand, said the plant looked safe as everything had been taken into account including its waste residual management. ASM Vice-President Ahmad Zaidee Laidin said it was clear from the foreign experts viewpoint that the plant was almost of the latest technology available in rare earth extraction. The team earlier had an open discussion with the management of Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd on the challenges, thus far. -- BERNAMA