by Romy Klupsch

Malaysia's Rare Earth Metals Plant of Lynas Corporation in Malaysia has significant shortcomings in terms of environmentally sound operation. For example, in the vicinity of the plant, which processes ore concentrates from Australia, the emissions of acidic compounds and dusts into the ambient air are significantly higher than permitted by European standards. The storage of the partly radioactive and toxic waste is insufficiently secured against seepage into soil and groundwater. There is currently no viable concept for long-term waste disposal under acceptable radiation protection conditions. These are the findings of an Oeko-Institut study commissioned by the Malaysian citizens' initiative SMSL.Lynas prepares ore concentrates from a deposit in Australia in the factory in Kuantan, Malaysia, which contain valuable rare earths. These strategically important metals are used, for example, for the production of catalysts, nickel metal hydride batteries, permanent magnets. A number of key and future technologies are therefore dependent on the supply of rare earths. The ore concentrate to be processed in Malaysia also contains toxic and radioactive components such as thorium. The Citizens' Initiative commissioned the Oeko-Institut to check whether environmentally harmful or health-hazardous emissions from the plant are left over during processing of the raw materials or processing residues with potential hazards remain in Malaysia. Storage of radioactive waste is unsatisfactory Storage of waste arising in the reprocessing process should, after three years separate types of waste, on the premises. There are, according to the scientists, on the one hand problems in the predrying of radioactive thorium contaminated waste. "Especially in the wet and long monsoon season, which lasts from September to January in Malaysia, this does not work," says Gerhard Schmidt, a chemist and expert in the management of radioactive waste at the Öko-Institut. "The operator has not explained how he wants to solve this problem, without causing additional radiation exposure to the staff."

In addition, the bearings are only provided with a one millimeter thick plastic film and a 30 centimeter thick clay layer. These are not enough to safely trap the meter-high pile of wet waste in the long run. "For the long-term whereabouts of the waste Lynas must urgently find a solution," demands Gerhard Schmidt, "in no case may the waste be marketed or used as building material. However, this is currently the subject of consideration by the operator and the supervisory authority. According to our investigations, this would lead to very high radiation exposure to direct radiation. "

Pollutant balance insufficient

"One of the major conspicuous features of the plant is that the documentation lacks important information in order to create a complete pollutant balance," explains Project Manager Gerhard Schmidt. "For example, it is not listed which toxic secondary constituents the ore next to the radioactive thorium still contains. Also, the emissions into the wastewater are only listed as substances that are listed in the Malaysian water legislation, but not the actually emitted substances. "So alone the salinity of the waste water of the plant is so high that it is comparable to that of seawater. This is disposed of unfiltered in a river.

Scientists question fundamentals of operating license

In the study published today, the scientists state that the deficiencies identified are serious and should have attracted attention on a careful technical examination of the application documents. Despite these unexplained shortcomings, the plant has been granted a construction permit by the local authorities in 2008 and a preliminary operating license in 2012.

Especially for the long-term safe landfilling of radioactive waste, a suitable location must be selected as soon as possible according to internationally accepted protection requirements. For this, a consensus must be reached with the stakeholders concerned, including the residents and their representatives. "If it remains unclear how long-term safe waste disposal is organized, contaminated sites with serious environmental and health risks are already being created", Schmidt points out. "The responsibility for their removal will be imposed on future generations."

Strategic significance of rare earths

Rare earths are important metals that are used in future technologies such as efficient electric motors, light sources and catalytic converters. In his study "Study on Rare Earths and Their Recycling" http://www.oeko.de/oekodoc/1112/2011-003-en.pdf the ÖNO-Institute 2011 has shown that so far no sufficient recycling takes place. Notwithstanding recent recent successes in this direction, an expansion of global primary production from ore is needed to meet the projected global demand, even with improved recycling.

For several years, rare earths have been mined and processed almost exclusively in the People's Republic of China. However, China points to a policy of export restriction, pointing to its own needs. In addition, the promotion and processing of rare earths has also been associated there with high levels of environmental pollution. The primary production of rare earths outside of China therefore makes sense from an industrial policy perspective. Of course, high environmental standards must be adhered to here. This is not the case for one of the first new plants outside China, as shown by the study by the Öko-Institut on the installation of Lynas in Malaysia.

Study "Description and critical environmental evaluation of REE refining plans LAMP near Kuantan / Malaysia" of the Öko-Institut (in English:
http://www.oeko.de/oekodoc/1628/2013-001-en.pdf

Abstract of the study "Description and critical environmental evaluation of the REE refining plans LAMP near Kuantan / Malaysia" (in English:
http://www.oeko.de/oekodoc/1629/2013-002-en.pdf

Presentation "Description and critical environmental evaluation of the REE refining plans LAMP near Kuantan / Malaysia" (in English:
http://www.oeko.de/oekodoc/1630/2013-003-en.pdf

Contact at the Öko-Institut:

Gerhard Schmidt
Scientific employee in the institute's Nuclear Technology & Plant Safety department
Öko-Institut eV, Darmstadt office
Phone: +49 6151 8191-107
E-Mail: g.schmidt (at) oeko.de

Source: http://idw-online.de/pages/de/news516726