nuclear-news

Yes, rare earths processing does cause environmental damage

Lynas says US-led offensive against China unlikely to succeed, BY: BARRY FITZGERALD,  The Australian March 15, 2012 “…….The executive chairman of Sydney-based Lynas, Nick Curtis, said yesterday China had “some complex and possibly legitimate argument about the environmental damage that rare earths was doing in China, and the consequent right it had to limit production through export quotas as a consequence of that”…. The key issue remained that the supply of rare earths was in structural deficit, as China was shrinking supply for environmental reasons, which were real, Mr Curtis said….
Lynas is part of the Western world’s plan to increase non-Chinese supplies of rare earths, a group of 17 elements increasingly used in magnets in hybrid car motors, compact fluorescent light bulbs, flatpanel displays, iPads and automotive catalytic converters. The $2 billion company, with the help of funding from Japan, has developed the Mt Weld rare earths mine in Western Australia and is close to completing a controversial finishing plant in Malaysia.

The Malaysian plant is dogged by local opposition because of radiation
fears….  http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/lynas-says-us-led-offensive-against-china-unlikely-to-succeed/story-e6frg9df-1226299786618

March 15, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, Uranium