IPOH, May 24 — Perak received RM1.66 million in royalty payment over the production of Rare Earth Carbonate (REC) from the Non-Radioactive Rare Earth Element (NR-REE) pilot project, which has been exported to China, the Perak State Legislative Assembly was told today.

Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said that a total of 4,477.039 metric tonnes of REC was exported to China through four shipments in February, March and April 2023 to date.

"The remaining REC on site is approximately 1,000 metric tonnes. The project promoter has also cleared a royalty payment of RM1,658,425.51 for the first export of REC of 296.1945 metric tonnes in February 2023,” he said.

Saarani was responding to the oral questions raised by Pasir Pinji assemblyman Goh See Hua on the latest developments of the lanthanide mining project in Mukim Kenering, Gerik.

Saarani said, the mining project which started in October last year and is being carried out at an area of ​​87.4 hectares, involves the extraction of NR-REE minerals using the in-situ leaching (ISL) method and processing to produce the end product, which is the REC.

He also said that the state government is committed in establishing an NR-REE processing centre in Perak as a downstream industry activity to produce semi-products and final products that are more valuable when compared to raw NR-REE products.

"The development of the NR-REE processing center should be implemented in this state first since Perak is the main driver of the identification of this mineral resource and is also the first state to carry out a pilot project of its kind,” he said.

On the claims of possible release of radioactive elements in the mining project, Saarani clarified that the NR-REE mining will not produce radioactive materials.

"This is because the natural radioactivity concentration level does not exceed 1.0 Bq/g or 246.5 ppm thorium or 80.9 ppm uranium or 10 Bq/g potassium respectively, as stipulated under the Second Schedule of Atomic Energy Licensing (Radioactive Waste Management) Regulations 2011,” he explained.

He also reiterated that the mining works will not affect the environment or have a negative impact on the people as they have complied with the standard operating procedures (SOP).

"I can assure that when we did the pilot project at the site, we followed the SOP set by the ministry. There was also an audit performed during the extraction process to check whether the activities at the site complied with the SOP and the audit has confirmed that all of the activities complied with the SOP.

"We guarantee that if the process of extracting NR-REE or the process of producing new materials from the extraction brings harm, then the state government will not hesitate to stop the project as we prioritise the health and lives of the people of Perak over the profit,” he said.