Himpunan Hijau has passed the 800,000 mark in its quest to collect 1 million signatures from those who want the Lynas' rare earths refinery to be closed down.

Chairperson Wong Tack said in a statement that the movement expects to reach its target "any day now".

NONE "We are already so close ... If 2,000 citizens step forward and collect 100 signatures each, we will achieve out goal," he said.

"Let's complete this mission in the highest spirit so that we can move on to the second (mission), that is to work with international NGOs to close down Lynas."

Himpunan Hijau will submit the signatures in a petition to the Agong to seek his intervention against Putrajaya's approval for the plant to operate in Gebeng, Kuantan.

The plant is refining ore mined in Australia, where the company is based, into valuable rare earth elements which are crucial for modern electronic equipment.

Opponents claim that the plant will also produce vast quantities of hazardous waste and the company has yet to make public its plans for a permanent waste disposal facility .

Putrajaya granted Lynas a temporary operating licence (TOL) a year ago but there is confusion as to whether the company has to export its waste products.

Although Putrajaya has maintained that exporting the waste is stipulated in the TOL, Lynas has countered this, telling the Australian press that the Malaysian government had said this based on political considerations.