A worker rides his bicycle inside the Lynas factory in Gebeng, 270 km (168 miles) east of Kuala Lumpur April 19, 2012. REUTERS/Samsul Said/File Photo GLOBAL BUSINESS WEEK AHEAD PACKAGE SEARCH BUSINESS WEEK AHEAD 10 OCT FOR ALL IMAGES
KUALA LUMPUR: Lynas Corp Ltd, which has so far invested over RM2.7bil in Malaysia, will continue to spend over RM300mil annually in the country, chief executive officer Amanda Lacaze said.
The capital expenditure commitment will be utilised to purchase chemicals, mechanical equipment, property plant and equipment, as well as pay outsourcing contracts.
“We will also continue to invest in research and development activities,” she said at the company’s media roundtable discussion in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
Lacaze said its controversial rare-earths processing plant, Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (Lamp) near Kuantan, Pahang has operated safely and positively for four years, initially under a temporary operating licence.
The Australian mining company also pledged to be a valuable contributor to the local community for many years to come.
“There is no increase in background radiation levels at the plant or in the surrounding areas. In fact, all emissions are below allowable safe limits,” she said.
Lacaze asserted that the company fostered openness and transparency relating to information on its operations.
“We have complied with all requirements of our licence and regulatory standards.
“Information about our mining (operations) and concentration plant at Mount Weld, Western Australia and a refining facility in Kuantan is available to the public and to the relevant authorities,” she said.
In the meantime, Lacaze said, all legal challenges to Lynas operations had been dismissed, both upon application and appeal.
In September 2016, the Malaysia Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) has renewed the Full Operating Stage Licence for Lynas’ Lamp for three years until September 2019.
The renewal followed a rigorous review undertaken by the AELB and other independent regulatory bodies in Malaysia.
The rare-earth plant in Kuantan had come under heavy criticism from both non-governmental organisations and the public over environmental concern during its initial setup.
On its corporate social responsibility initiatives, Lacaze said the company was an active member of the local community, employing over 600 local employees.
The CSR initiatives include academic, environmental and sport programmes.
“All our executives live in Kuantan and we engage actively in community support programmes,” she said. - Bernama
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