LENGGONG: The Perak government has assured that all mining activities involving non-radioactive rare earth elements (NR-REE) in the state will not harm the environment.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said although rare earth mining presents a new opportunity for generating state revenue, the government would not compromise on protecting the people’s interests.

He said the state government guarantees that NR-REE activities will utilise modern mining technologies to improve efficiency and safety while safeguarding the environment.

“When we initiated the NR-REE mining pilot project in Mukim Kenering, Hulu Perak, one of the key requirements was strict compliance with environmental impact assessment procedures, particularly those concerning environmental protection.

“The latest extraction method for this mineral no longer involves digging but instead uses the in-situ leaching method, which involves injecting ammonium sulphate solution into the ground to dissolve rare earth elements, which are then pumped back to the surface for processing,” he said at a press conference after presenting the third-year progress report of the Perak Sejahtera 2030 plan, here on Monday (June 30).

Saarani said the state government would not allow NR-REE mining activities if it does not comply with standard operating procedures and the requirements set by the relevant technical agencies.

“NR-REE mining using the ISL method is the latest sustainable approach with controlled environmental impact, low operational costs and good worker safety standards.

“Therefore, we do not have to worry about landslides, there will be no clearing of trees, and the forest reserve itself will be protected. If it causes environmental damage, we will not allow it,” he said.

Previously, media reports stated that the state government had identified new potential NR-REE mineral sites in three additional districts apart from Hulu Perak, with estimated reserves of approximately 1.7 million tonnes.

Saarani said based on preliminary studies by the Perak Minerals and Geoscience Department, the districts include Kuala Kangsar, Kinta, Larut Matang, and Selama, with 70 to 80% of the potential NR-REE reserves located within forest reserve areas. – Bernama