Malaysia has suspended operations astatine a uncommon world tract and 2 tin mines successful occidental Perak authorities pursuing an probe into complaints.
Saeed Khan | Afp | Getty Images
Malaysia has suspended operations at a rare earth tract and two tin mines successful occidental Perak state following an probe into complaints that a agelong of a major river had turned bright blue, the earthy resources and situation ministry said.
Minister Johari Abdul Ghani told parliament Wednesday that authorities had launched a probe after public reports about discolored water in a portion of the Perak River, the second-longest connected the Malaysian peninsula.
Initial investigations recovered discharges astatine the rare earths mining site, operated by MCRE Resources Sdn Bhd, which matched the colour of the water in the river, Johari said.
Radiation readings astatine the tract were besides recovered to beryllium arsenic precocious arsenic 13 becquerels, acold supra the 1 becquerel limit permitted under the project's archetypal biology interaction appraisal report, helium added.
"The probe is present focusing connected the benignant of chemicals utilized successful the mining process and whether it is accordant with the accusation that has been reported to the authorities," Johari said.
MCRE did not instantly respond to a petition for remark astir Johari's remarks.
According to its website, MCRE operates Malaysia's pioneer rare earths mining project, utilizing a method known arsenic in-situ leaching, with exertion shared by Chinese rare earth firms.
Malaysia, which has an estimated 16 cardinal tons of rare earths deposits, has been seeking to capitalize connected increasing planetary request for the minerals, but lacks the technological know-how to excavation and process them.
It has been in talks with China, the world's person in rare earths mining and processing, connected a imaginable refinery, and past month signed a woody with the United States on rare earths development.
In a abstracted connection connected Wednesday, the ministry said it had issued suspension orders to MCRE arsenic good arsenic two tin mining companies after inspections recovered they were not complying with regulations related to effluent discharge, erosion and sediment control, and chemic management.
The suspensions were made pursuing complaints of contamination astatine several rivers successful Perak, the ministry said.
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