Save Malaysia, Stop Lynas!

Continuation

20. Now that the Condisoil (2) formula has been approved by SIRIM, it will go under the supervision and departmental control of DOE.

Let's take a closer look at what challenges that will be encountered by Lynas in putting into practice the utilization of all three categories of residues as Condisoil.

20.1 : Natural state of residues.

i) All the three categories of solid residues, WLP; FGD and NUF are produced in moist cake forms, each consisting of 55% (FGD & NUF) and 60% (WLP) of solids respectively. They have a moisture content of 40-45%.

ii) They are stored in separate cells in the RSFs.
20.2 Volume of each category of solid residues according to designs :
22.2.1 based on the initial design case (IDC) of the plant with a processing capacity of 11,000 tonnes, the residues produced will be as follows:

Tailings IDC (Wet t/a) % Solids IDC (Dry t/a)
FGD 53,560 55 29,500
NUF 161,820 55 89,000
WLP 53,333 60 32,000

20.2.2 With Phase 1 and 2 in full operations, the residues produced will be doubled:
Tailings FOS (wet t/a) % Solids FDC (Dry t/a)

FGD 109,554 55 58,920
NUF 330,995 55 177,800
WLP 109,090 60 64,000

(Note : FOS- Full Operating Stage ; FDC -Future Design Case)

20.2.3 How much of these residues are already been produced?

According to published production figures of REO separated at LAMP since June 2013 * (Note 1)
Ending September 2017 :

Tailings Total tonnage (wet) Total tonnage (Dry) Dry

FGD 232,327 127,780.
NUF 701,086 385,597.
WLP 231,366 138,819.

(Note 1: LAMP obtained the TOL in September 2012. It took 9 months (Sept 2012-June 2013) to commission and began with small amounts of production)

20.4 How much of these residues were used in the research program?

20.4.1 : In the attempt to extract Thorium from the WLP residues conducted by UKM , only a small sample was collected from LAMP.

20.4.2 ; In the experiments conducted with the use of FGD and NUF as soil conditioner ( Condisoil 1) a total of 1 ton was utilized. This was revealed by the DOE. This included the field trials with several crops over a certain period of time.

20.4.3 :Experiments conducted before the TOL was issued as described in my earlier posts did not come from residues generated since 2013.

20.5 : Main issues regarding the implementation of the 'Condisoil (2)' project :

20.5.1 :With such high moisture content in each category of residues, how can accurate measurement of proportions be observed without first drying them?

20.5.2 : If the residues need to be prepared in a reasonable state of dryness, with such large volumes how much fuel costs will be incurred and would this negate its viability financially?

20.5.3 :It is useful to keep in mind that the approved Condisoil (2)) formula is a combination of WLP, NUF and : FGD in the ratio of 1 : 2 : 7,. With the relatively differing volumes of each of these residues produced at LAMP , the combination of the mixture will bring about a large a shortfall of supply for FGD while leaving a large balance of WLP.

20.5.4 : Under this scenario Lynas would still need a PDF to ensure the balance radioactive WLP residues are stored in specially designed dedicated storage cells!Thus a PDF is still needed!

20.6 : Who will be the buyers or clients of this 'Condisoil (2)" as it contained radioactive WLP? Or would the approved 'Condisoil'(2) be a pretext for Lynas to evade the issue of locating a site and the construction of the PDF?

These are issues that Lynas' web site did not answer. Neither is the management willing to meet the stakeholders on these issues of concern !

If this Condisoil issue is not supervised and regulated closely, Malaysian soils and waterways will be the final bearer of this diluted radioactive toxicity!