The Anti-Nuclear Alliance of Western Australia (ANAWA), a nongovernment orgnaization, has alleged Australian rare earths miner Lynas Corp. will not stop to pause and follow the suspension order imposed by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) from importing its rare earth concentrate into Malaysia.

Marcus Atkinson, ANAWA spokesperson, based in a media statement, said Lynas Corp. has told the EPA it will push through with its rare earths importation plan despite the directive it issued last week.

"Lynas has responded to the EPA's letter through their lawyers stating they believe they have all the relevant approvals and expressed their unwillingness to halt any exports at this stage," Atkinson said.

EPA's order called for the import suspension until a decision is reached on Lynas Corp.'s approval permits by April 3, the Free Malaysia Today reported.

Atkinson said he believed Lynas Corp.'s indignation stemmed from the recommendations it had received from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA had earlier said the levels of radioactivity of Lynas Corp. fell below the agency's requirements for it to be classified and listed under the regulations for safe transportation of radioactive material.

"This meant the concentrate meant for transportation did not reach the IAEA's limits," Atkinson said. "But we cannot ignore the fact that there are low levels of radioactivity in the products shipped from Mount Weld to Fremantle for export to Malaysia."

"Workers needed to be aware of what they are handling and the community needs to be aware that Lynas Corp. is planning up to 40 road trains per week over 15 years," he stressed.

Once the $200 million Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) goes online in June, it is expected to produce 22,000 tonnes of rare earth oxide at full capacity, along with 64,000 tonnes of waste containing 106 tonnes of radioactive thorium and 5.6 tonnes of radioactive uranium annually, Atkinson noted.

ANAWA had filed a referral with the EPA earlier seeking for a review of Lynas Corp.'s 14-year-old approvals. ANAWA claimed the original safety approval had been tampered and changed. Among other things, the group questioned the presence of the LAMP in Malaysia when it fact according to the original blueprint, the rare earths processing facility should have been constructed in Meenar, Western Australia.

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