IPOH, Sept 13 — Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad today said that the state had received all the approvals to proceed with the lanthanide rare earth element (REE) mining project in Mukim Kenering, Gerik.
Saarani said the pilot project will kick start this month as per scheduled.
“We have obtained the last two approvals namely the environmental management plan (EMP) and erosion sediment control plan (ESCP).
“The next course of action is to bring this matter to the state executive councillors (exco) meeting to decide the royalty rates,” he said during a press conference at the Stadium Indera Mulia here.
Saarani said that the matter will be approved in the exco meeting as soon as possible in order for the company to start with the mining work.
Previously, environmentalist groups raised concern to the use of crucial forest reserve land for Perak’s lanthanide mining and not to the project itself.
However, Saarani clarified that the lanthanides are not a radioactive material and have been confirmed safe by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources.
“Furthermore, the project is located inside the land owned by State Agriculture Department Corporation and not within the permanent forest reserve are.
“The project is also not located in the Central Forest Spine and anywhere near rank 1 environmentally sensitive area. This has been confirmed by Perak Land and Mines Department,” he said.
