IPOH: The state government will adopt in situ leach method to unearth non-radioactive rare earth elements (NR-REE) in the Hulu Perak district.
Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Saarani Mohamad said in situ method would be implemented for the final product of the mining, as NR-REE carbonate.
"The state government has approved the owner's mining license to the Perak Agricultural Department Corporation for the purpose, on the land area of 213.76 hectare in Hulu Perak district," he said.
The BN-Kota Tampan assemblyman was replying to a supplementary question from BN-Pengkalan Hulu assemblyman Datuk Aznel Ibrahim, on the status of the project at the state assembly sitting here, today.
In situ leach is a mineral extraction approach which combines drilling, rock fracturing and chemical leaching directly at the drill site, creating minimal surface disturbance of the landscape.
Saarani said that the state government and the federal government would conduct a pilot project on NR-REE in order to review the new method of mining which is in situ leach method.
"The method, theoretically, is sustainable mining and environmentally friendly unlike any other mining method which uses open cast mining," he added.
On Wednesday, Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah in his speech at the state assembly sitting said that NR-REE extraction is among the additional revenue sources the Perak state government is focusing on increasing its revenues.
Sultan Nazrin, however, cautioned that the health, safety and environmental factors, including the long-term benefit for the state and its people, must be prioritised and cannot be compromised.
"It is one of the more important minerals of the present and the future due to its extensive use in many high-tech industries such as healthcare and defence. The government has been cautious not to be too hasty in granting licences for large-scale mining of the NR-REE." the ruler said.
