Lynas will be allowed to operate its refinery in Malaysia for another ten years, the Australian rare earths company announced on Sunday (PDF). This provides the company with planning certainty, as the site is set to expand its capacity—particularly in the processing of heavy rare earth elements.
However, the decision comes with a significant twist: by 2031, no radioactive residues may be generated in the element separation processes, according to a Malaysian minister cited by the news agency Reuters. Rare earth deposits are typically associated with elements such as uranium or thorium, which become concentrated during processing. These residues must subsequently be stored safely.
As early as 2023, the government of the Southeast Asian country had sought to introduce such a regulation banning these stages of refining, but ultimately granted approval until March 2026.
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