[ad_1]
PETALING JAYA: Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said today that Putrajaya will not allow any rare earth mining without technical approvals and in forest reserves.
Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said yesterday that rare earth elements worth up to RM62 billion were found in Sik, Ulu Muda and Baling, adding that the state had reached a mining agreement with a Kuala-based joint venture. Lumpur.
Around 4.2 million people in Perlis, Kedah and Penang depend on the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve as a water catchment area, and the area is also under threat of logging.
In a statement today, Shamsul emphasized that while state governments have the authority to issue mineral exploration permits, proper selection processes must be carried out to ensure that all relevant conditions are met before granting mining approvals.
Shamsul added that the ministry is in the midst of producing a standard operating procedure (SOP) for mining rare earth elements in the country and will hold consultation sessions with state governments, federal agencies, NGOs, industry representatives and others. stakeholders before finalizing the guidelines.
“Compliance with these SOPs is a key condition before starting any mining activity under the Operational Mining Scheme of the Department of Minerals and Geosciences.
“Aside from law enforcement to be carried out by the state department of minerals and geosciences, the state forestry department also plays a role in ensuring that no extraction of rare earth elements takes place without technical approval and that no mining activities take place in forests. Bookings.
“This can also prevent pollution incidents that can affect the environment and public health,” he said.
Shamsul added that the consultations will also help address issues of environmental sustainability, occupational health and safety, as well as concerns of the communities around the mining area.
According to the minister, the country is worth an estimated 4.11 trillion ringgit in mineral resources, with rare earth elements accounting for around RM741 billion of the amount.
Shamsul said that these resources are mainly located in Kedah, Perak, Terengganu, Kelantan, Pahang, Johor and several other states, adding that detailed studies will be conducted in the 12th Malaysia Plan for a more accurate mapping of the quantities of elements of rare earths.
