The RM700 million Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (Lamp) in Gebeng, Pahang, can start operations as soon as Lynas pays its fees and US$10 million, which is the first instalment of a security payment to the government, the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) said today.

AELB must have its regulators in place at the plant before it begins operations, its director-general Raja Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan said.

NONE “Issuance of the (temporary) licence does not mean temporary operations can begin... It all depends on how soon those regulators can be put in place and Lynas meets some of its conditions,” Raja Abdul Aziz told a press conference at the AELB headquarters in Dengkil, Selangor.

Once the conditions are met, he said, Lynas would be granted the permit to import concentrated rare earth minerals to begin processing.

He explained that the financial security payment totalling US$50 million, to be paid by Lynas in five instalments, would be used for any “unwarranted situation”.

“For example, if Lynas stops operations within two years, the money will be used to deal with the residues left behind.”

‘Comments were not ignored’

Asked why AELB had approved the temporary operating licence (TOL) for Lamp despite fierce opposition to the project during the public viewing period of Lynas documents, Raja Abdul Aziz said his agency was bound by technical and legal constraints.

“If we look from the legal and technical points of view - this is the work of the board - whether or not it is the majority or non-majority, the public review or display of the documents cannot be seen as a survey.

“It is actually an invitation for the public to view and to submit their feedback,” he said.

A total of 1,123 items of feedback and suggestions had been made to the AELB when the public viewing period concluded on Jan 26.

Raja Abdul Aziz also denied that his agency had ignored public feedback, pointing out that it had studied the feedback as they came and not within three days when the board decided to approve the TOL on Jan 30.

“The AELB has no provisions for public review, but certainly things have been taken into account,” he said, adding that the move was unprecedented.

However, he added, technical and legal comments were given more weight compared with unsubstantiated ones.