Lynas LAMP: Before & After

A picture speaks a thousand words! Look at these pics: we hired an independent lab to collect some samples of Lynas waste water at the discharge point when it was on slow trial run. We received a full analysis with all relevant data on the sample. When we approached the DOE Kuantan to ask for their sample analysis they turned down our request and said the people "upstairs" instructed them not to release d data they 'had'!

This is how Lynas is taking advantage if our 'god fatherly' protection from our regulatory agencies. It had priced beyond doubt that thru these overflowing discharge if the waste water in the video attached, our river system nearby has served as Lynas ' cheap method of liquid waste disposal system! The receiving point of this discharge is located in a collecting pool along the upstream if the Balok river which eventually empties itself into the South China Sea 5 km away! The environmental costs which the community living nearby had to pay has never been in the focus of Lynas attention.

May we ask where is Lynas' social responsibility as a responsible citizen? All RE operators practiced zero liquid discharge, even in China the random discharge if liquid waste has been reined in. When is the government going to take note of this violation and abuse of our environment?


These two pictures was taken before LAMP was operational:

This three pictures are taken after LAMP has operated for some time:

Before LAMP was operational, the water flowing out from the discharge point was small and slow into the receiving pond that was blue in colour. After LAMP was operational, the volume of water discharged into the pond has increased and even affects the colour of the water in the pond. The following video shows consistent large amount of waste water being discharged into the pond:

LET'S HONK LYNAS OUT OF MALAYSIA ON OCT 15 11PM!

A joint press conference was held last Saturday(12 Oct). Anti-Lynas groups are urging all concerned citizens to join the blockade at the Kuantan Port on 15/10(Tue) 11.00pm to protest against Lynas Corp's 2nd shipment of rare earth ore! SMSL, HIMPUNAN HIJAU, SLC, MPs, local assembleymen, various civil societies and all concerned residents are urging EVERYONE to DRIVE cars there and honk your HORN at midnight! Please watch this clip:


Press statement from SMSL on the 2nd shipment of Lynas of its REO

Lynas has shipped its 2^nd shipment of rare earth oxides (REO) from  Fremantle port and the ship is scheduled to arrived at the Kuantan port on the small hours of 16^th Oct.

While the submission by Lynas on the ‘conceptual’ PDF( Permanent Deposit Facility for the Water Leached waste  WLP) has yet to be ascertained to be in conformity with the requirement laid down in the terms and conditions of the TOL (Temporary Operating License) by the regulating Authority AELB ( Atomic Energy Licensing Board),an import license has obviously been issued to Lynas to enable it to bring in this  2^nd shipment!

AELB has again openly and defiantly acted in collusion with interested parties and failed in its role as the regulating authority on matters concerning Lynas’ activities. Lynas has on the other hand taken advantage of such ‘favoritism’ shown by AELB by quickly importing its second shipment of REO! It is not  observing the Corporate Social Responsibilities clause upheld by  all big corporations to ensure their operations will not put the communities in which they operate in any undue hazards or danger. Neither Lynas nor the AELB  has engaged the people effectively or kept them adequately informed on the PDF issue, the recycling proposal and the data which AELB has collected on Lynas’ trial run in the past 10 months during which it was in operation!

Such blatant disregards for effective policing by AELB and good corporate practice on the CSR front has put the community at greater risks of more severe  pollution and health hazards!

We call upon all Malaysians to be keenly aware of the total neglect and disregards by our own regulating government authorities on matters concerning Lynas to stand up and make their strong objections heard by honking their car horns at midnite on the 15^th of Oct!
the reverberating sounds of a nation’s cars wake up the government of the day who is deaf to all voices from the rakyat! This simple and easily practicable act by all citizens will signal the wake of people’s awakening call.
Let’s emulate the “Earth Hour”. 

Please sound your car horns for 10 sec at the stroke of midnite on the 15^th Oct 2013! Let us make it a historical moment for all Malaysians!

Also, we are calling all concern citizens to come to Kuantan Port in cars at 11pm on 15^th Oct 2013 and let’s HONK  LYNAS OUT OF MALAYSIA!

For more info please contact:
Tan Bun Teet
Chairperson of SMSL
+6 017-9730576

Joint Press Statement made by Kuantan MP Fuziah & IM MP Dato' Fauzi on 2nd shipment of Lynas REO.
Joint Press Statement by:  
Y.B Fuziah Salleh - Member of Parliament for Kuantan
Y.B Dato' Fauzi Abdul Rahman - Member of Parliament for Indera Mahkota
 
12th October 2013.
The citizens of Kuantan has been alerted that Lynas is importing it's second shipment of Rare Earth Oxide. The consignment of REO which left Freemantle Port in Australia  on 4th October is expected to reach Kuantan port in the early hours of wednesday 16th Oct.

It is well understood that in order for this second shipment of REO to be imported to Malaysia, an import license issued by AELB -Atomic Enegy Licensing Board is mandatory. 
Since the operations of LAMP- Lynas Advanced Material Plant. commenced from  the date of the issuance of the TOL- Temporary Operating License on 3rd September 2012, LAMP has breached multiple conditions of the TOL but yet AELB seems helpless and powerless in monitoring as well as enforcing it's 'own set of regulations.  On the contrary AELB seems to be bending over backwards to defend Lynas instead of the rakyat. 

Amongst the conditions of the TOL was the identification of the PDF- Permanent Disposal Facility to be identified within a period of 10 months from the date of the issuance of the TOL. The 10 months dateline falls on 3rd July 2013. However up till now AELB has not been transparent with the Kuantan public with regards to the location of the PDF.  Instead the public has been baffled by statement saying that the PDF may not be necessary since the waste may be recycled and commercialised. And that only the concept of PDF is needed. 

Upon the issuance of the TOL, 4 Ministers did a Joint Ministerial Statement. The contents of the statement states that during the TOL stage, Lynas will be responsible for removing their radioactive waste out of the country and that there is no compromise regarding the waste. However up till now, Lynas has not announced the shipment of the toxic radioactive waste out of Gebeng and out of Malaysia.

Despite breaching the conditions set by the government, Lynas is rewarded by being given a free hand by the government to do what Lynas pleases even to the extent of  endorsing Lynas to go round in schools giving their version of the safety issues of Lynas from the Lynas's perspective. Last week, Lynas was reported giving career talks in SMK Teluk Chempedak. This is ethically questioanable. The Department of Education and the Ministry Of Education must answer to the rakyat why this outrageous activity is happening. 

Today, a few days before the arrival of the REO in Kuantan port, we urge the Kuantan public to stand up for their rights. AELB must be accountable for regulating their own set of regulations.
 
The government too must put the interest and  the safety of the public above the interest of foreign corporations. 

Let us stand united to hold AELB and the government accountable.

STOP LYNAS


For more info, please contact the MPs
Y.B Fuziah Salleh (hp no: +6 019-2702838) - Member of Parliament for Kuantan
Y.B Dato' Fauzi Abdul Rahman (hp no: +6 019-9887675) -Member of Parliament for Indera Mahkota

Joint Press Statement made by Kuantan & Balok mothers on 2nd shipment of Lynas REO.
PRESS STATEMENT BY THE MOTHERS OF KUANTAN & BALOK

We, mothers from Kuantan and Balok are sad and angry at the Malaysian government’s failure to close the Lynas plant in Gebeng by them issuing a Temporary Operating Licence    ( TOL ) to Lynas in January 2012 and recently by issuing an import licence for Lynas to bring in the ore from Western Australia which shipment is expected to arrive at Kuantan Port in the early hours of 16^th October 2013. 

The risks and dangers from the rare earth processing are serious especially to our health, our environment, our well being and our local fishing and tourism industries.

We take seriously Lynas’ failure to identify their Permanent Disposal Facility ( PDF ) and also our government’s silence with regards to the same. Where is Lynas’ corporate social responsibility ? Why have they refused to listen to us ? 

As mothers we are concerned about the impacts Lynas’ refinery will have on our children and our future generations. As mothers we too want the best for our families. Of course we want development and economic growth but let it be one that is safe for our children and our environment.

Why is Lynas allowed to pollute our environment and our children’s future ? Why isn’t there a public consultation with the local population ? Why does our government allow Lynas to kill our children’s future ? 

We mothers demand Lynas to fulfill their corporate responsibility and we also demand answers from our government. Our government should be protecting us instead of working hand in hand with a foreign company to endanger its own citizens. We, together with our Members of Parliament, our local assemblymen, the various civil societies and all the Kuantan and Balok residents will protest in the early hours of 16^th October 2013 and we will continue our fight for a better and safer Malaysia.

For more info, pls contact the representatives of Balok & Kuantan mothers against Lynas:

Hajah Rahimah Hj Abdul Majid +6 017-9007813
Nurhaniza Ali +6 014-5402098

Deputy Minister in trouble after saying Lynas plant “as safe as a kicap factory”

Deputy Minister in trouble after saying Lynas plant “as safe as a kicap factory”

BY YISWAREE PALANSAMYSEPTEMBER 26, 2013

Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Abu Bakar Mohamad Diah found himself in hot water after declaring the Lynas rare earth plant in Gebeng, Kuantan, to be "as safe as a kicap factory".

Abu Bakar's reply, which was viewed as a mockery by representatives of the anti-Lynas group and several opposition lawmakers, sparked off a heated argument between them and Abu Bakar, who was fumbling through his notes as he looked for answers.

[Click here to view the full story by The Malaysian Insider ]

Australian rare earths miner Lynas Corporation sparks fresh anger in Malaysia

Kate Arnott for Newsline

Updated Wed 9 Oct 2013, 3:42pm AEDT

VIDEO: Lynas Corporation sparks fresh anger in Malaysia (Newsline)

Australian rare earths miner Lynas Corporation is refusing to publicly disclose the location of a permanent waste storage facility for its processing plant in Malaysia.

Earlier this year, Lynas started commercial production of rare earths, which are used in a wide range of high tech equipment, but the plant on the east coast of peninsular Malaysia has been plagued by operational problems.

For three years, environmentalists and residents have kept up the heat on the plant, and in the latest move, a delegation of residents and environmentalists travelled to the national Parliament in Kuala Lumpur.

Tan Bun Teet from the group, Save Malaysia Stop Lynas wanted to deliver a note to the Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, demanding the company's temporary operating licence be revoked and the plant shut down.

"He is supposed to represent the interests of the people and not Lynas," he said.

It's similar to a soy sauce factory - I give my word that the factory is very, very safe.

Abu Bakar Mohamad Diah, Deputy Science Technology and Innovation Minister

When the delegation got inside Parliament, it was the deputy minister who emerged to receive the document - and it wasn't long before smiles and handshakes, degenerated into anger.

Before things got out of control, the deputy minister, Abu Bakar Mohamad Diah attempted to assure the delegation that the rare earths plant was safe.

"I visited it three weeks ago - it's similar to a soy sauce factory," he said.

"I give my word that the factory is very, very safe [and] I would like to invite every one of you to come to Lynas anytime you like.

"I can provide you with buses, I can provide you with lunch.

That invitation took Lynas Corporation by surprise.

A company spokesman said a tour of the plant wouldn't be possible for some time, because "teething problems" needed to be ironed out first.

'Bumpy ride'

Deutsche Bank resources analyst, Chris Terry says it's been a bumpy ride for Lynas to date.

"At the moment, the company has got some fair head winds in front of it," he said.

"It's come from a series of problems that have occurred in the past and I guess the perfect storm if you like over the last 18 months or so."

Lynas ships rare earths concentrate from its mine in Western Australia and processes the material at its plant in the Gebeng industrial estate near the port city of Kuantan, where the company says refining is more cost effective.

Rare earths are used in a wide range of high tech equipment, including smart phones, TVs, wind turbines and cars.

Commerical production started in the June quarter - but Lynas sold just 117 tonnes of processed rare earths, against its target of 11,000 tonnes for the year.

Analysts though, including Deutsche Bank's Chris Terry, say a successful Lynas could be a game changer for the industry.

"Longer term, the company does have a strategic asset, where the world's supply is currently dominated by China," he said.

"But in the short term the company does need to get through several issues before they get to the light at the end of the tunnel."

Those issues include a drop in the price of rare earths, delays and operational problems at the plant, as well as legal battles with environmentalists and residents, who say their meeting with the deputy minister didn't adequately address their concerns.

Resident fears

What are rare earths?

• Set of 17 chemical elements. They are all grouped together and mined as one product but are then separated into individual components.
• Despite their name, most rare earth elements are relatively plentiful in the Earth's crust.
• The name comes from the fact that they are not often found in concentrations large enough to mine.
• Vital for the production of technology such as hybrid car batteries, computers, smart phones, wind turbines and weapons.
• China produces over 95 per cent of global supplies.
• Demand for the rare earths used in car battery manufacturing - dysprosium, neodymium and praseodymium - to grow 790 per cent by 2015.

The protesters are especially concerned about Lynas Corporation's plans for the storage of waste from the plant.

The company maintains the plant poses no health risks and says naturally occurring radiation in the waste will be reduced to almost zero.

That hasn't allayed residents and environmentalists fears about radioactive pollution.

The Opposition member for Kuantan, Fuziah Salleh says her constituents have a right to be concerned.

"They are actually exasperated to the point of despair, because the government is totally deaf to the voices of the people of Kuantan," she said.

"Totally deaf to the concerns and they are continuing to parrot that the plant is safe."

As part of its operating licence conditions, Lynas was required to submit plans to Malaysia's Atomic Energy Licensing Board for a permanent waste disposal facility or PDF, but neither the Board nor the company will disclose its location.

Lawyers for Kuantan residents wrote to the Board in July asking for detailed plans of the PDF, but say they haven't received a response.

In any case, Lynas says it's unlikely the plant will ever need a permanent waste disposal facility because it's recycling the residue into industrial products, like road base.

Residents though remain highly sceptical and opposition candidates running on an anti-Lynas platform won a raft of seats around the plant, in the May general election.

Lynas lost more than $107 million last financial year, and has informed the market that it's set to report another quarter of reduced output, as it continues to work on the plant's operational issues.

Deutsche Bank's Chris Terry says the company's share price is now around 40 cents, compared with its peak value of $2.30 in early 2011.

"The shorter term, into the medium term even, are still quite challenging for the company," he said.

"We would like to see a series of de-risking steps occur before we'd be more positive on Lynas as an investment."

The ABC's request to speak to a Lynas representative was declined.

A spokesman for the company says there'll be no interview opportunities until the next quarterly report is released at the end of October.