Sunday, December 4, 2011

Forum on Environment: Lynas Advanced Material Plant: Is Radioactive (Waste-Dumping) the Big Questions? - 2 December 2011 at Malaysia Bar Council


Forum on Environment: Lynas Advanced Material Plant: Is Radioactive (Waste-Dumping) the Big Questions? - 2 December 2011 at Malaysia Bar Council.

Date: 2 Dec 2011
Time: 7.30pm - 10.00pm
Venue: Malaysia Bar Council.

Official Invitation -  (click here).
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Part 1


  1. http://yfrog.com/nyrvwqrj Malaysian Bar President Lim Chee Wee started the forum w intro address. Is the Lynas plant harmful to us?


    Adrian Yeo

    2 days ago

  2. #stopLynas Lim Chee Wee, Presiden, Majlis Peguam memulakan Forum : Adakah Pencemaran Radioaktif Satu Soalan? http://lockerz.com/s/161334456


    Pahang Assn Consumer

    2 days ago
  3. “
    Lim Chee Wee: our constitution protects the quality of life and right to live in a conducive environment.

    Adrian Yeo

    2 days ago



Part 2


Part 3




  1. #stopLynas #ForumLAMP Prof Dr Gurdial Singh Nijar, Peguam Utama Kes Bakum & A.R.E http://lockerz.com/s/161335318


    Pahang Assn Consumer

    2 days ago
  2. “
    Prof Gurdial Sinful Nijar, lead counsel in baking dam save & ARE case in Bukit Merah, is the first speaker @stoplynascoaltn

    Adrian Yeo

    2 days ago
  3. “
    #stopLynas #ForumLAMP Gurdial: 1. wonders after A.R.E. the govt justified then and now, incredible fallacies; 2. Dealing with large corpn.

    Pahang Assn Consumer

    3 days ago
  4. “
    #stopLynas #ForumLAMP Gurdial: 3. No public consultation even those are going to be the recipient of the pollution.

    Pahang Assn Consumer

    2 days ago
  5. “
    #stopLynas #ForumLAMP Gurdial: 4. Has reformulate to assert beyond protest. Taking inspiration of A.R.E. of multi-pronged, big movement.

    Pahang Assn Consumer

    2 days ago
  6. “
    Prof Gurdial congratulates @stoplynascoaltn movement on their efforts to bring forth the news to the public

    Adrian Yeo

    2 days ago
  7. “
    #stopLynas #ForumLAMP Gurdial: Also need to initiate public interest litigation.

    Pahang Assn Consumer

    2 days ago
  8. “
    #stopLynas #ForumLAMP Gurdial: Should hinge on international law of precautionary principles ie in (cont) tl.gd/egddo2

    Pahang Assn Consumer

    2 days ago
  9. “
    Prof Gurdial, Precautionary Principle simply says if there's scientific uncertainty, govt must protect the people 1st @stoplynascoaltn

    Adrian Yeo

    2 days ago
Part 3 By Hon Kai Ping (Pahang Bar)







  • “
    Kai Ping, Lynas LAMP is the biggest rare earth processing plant in the world, 10x of bukit merah, imagine the waste @stoplynascoaltn

    Adrian Yeo

    2 days ago
  • “
    #stopLynas #ForumLAMP Hon Kai Ping: 2. Thorium half-life is 14 Billion yrs ie older than the Universe.

    Pahang Assn Consumer

    2 days ago
  • “
    #stopLynas #ForumLAMP Hon Kai Ping: 1. We have the biggest rare earth processing plant in the world 22K MT P/A.

    Pahang Assn Consumer

    2 days ago
  • “
    #stopLynas #ForumLAMP Hon Kai Ping: as Tun M said, we seems to forget abt A.R.E Bkt Merah.

    Pahang Assn Consumer

    2 days ago
  • “
    #stopLynas #ForumLAMP Hon Kai Ping: 2. The is no such thing as safe level of radioation.

    Pahang Assn Consumer

    2 days ago
  • “
    Kai Ping, Lynas mount weld, australia, waste retention pond already reported leaking n authorities ordered a new one @stoplynascoaltn

    Adrian Yeo

    2 days ago
  • Finding:
              
              
    1. Lynas - ONLY 6 of 22 of storage facility semi-permanent facility (internal source) have impermeable lining.

        Effect:
        Processing tank leaking at LAMP as NOW.


    • How does it effect me as citizen?


    But the construction and design may have serious flaws, according to the engineers, who also provided memos, e-mail messages and photos from Lynas and its contractors. The engineers said they felt a professional duty to voice their safety concerns, but insisted on anonymity to avoid the risk of becoming industry outcasts.
    The problems they detail include structural cracks, air pockets and leaks in many of the concrete shells for 70 containment tanks, some of which are larger than double-decker buses. Ore mined deep in the Australian desert and shipped to Malaysia would be mixed with powerful acids to make a slightly radioactive slurry that would be pumped through the tanks, with operating temperatures of about 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
    The engineers also say that almost all of the steel piping ordered for the plant is made from standard steel, which they describe as not suited for the corrosive, abrasive slurry. Rare earth refineries in other countries make heavy use of costlier stainless steel or steel piping with ceramic or rubber liners.
    The engineers also say that the concrete tanks were built using conventional concrete, not the much costlier polymer concrete mixed with plastic that is widely used in refineries in the West to reduce the chance of cracks.




    Part 4 by Professor Tan Kak Heng, Specialist in Chemical and Environmental Engineering



    Part 5.1 by Dr T. Jayabalan, Occupational Health & Safety Specialist



    Part 5.2


    Part 5.3




    2. http://yfrog.com/nttobxkj Dr Jayabalan is next explaining rare earths are ok, the danger is the radioactive thoriums that comes with it


      Adrian Yeo

      2 days ago
    3. “
      Dr Jaya, the script of bukit merah ARE is now repeating itself, like an old horror movie @stoplynascoaltn

      Adrian Yeo

      2 days ago
    4. “
      #stopLynas #ForumLAMP Porf Prof Jayabalan: In Japan, rare-earth processing is banned since 1984.

      Pahang Assn Consumer

      2 days ago
    5. “
      Dr Jaya, radons from the radioactive materials will managed to escaped, as proven in court during the ARE case @stoplynascoaltn

      Adrian Yeo

      2 days ago
    6. “
      #stopLynas #ForumLAMP Porf Prof Jayabalan: Rare earth is not radioaiactive but the waste from the extraction of rare-earth.

      Pahang Assn Consumer

      2 days ago
    7. “
      #stopLynas #ForumLAMP Dr Jayabalan : ARE clean-up only in the factory site and the temperary storage site.

      Pahang Assn Consumer

      2 days ago
    8. “
      #stopLynas #ForumLAMP Porf Prof Jayabalan: Processing is very ancient chemical extraction process.

      Pahang Assn Consumer

      2 days ago
    9. “
      Dr Jaya concluded w that we shld Eliminate the threat tat harms the people, eliminate the current federal govt @stoplynascoaltn

      Adrian Yeo

      2 days ago

    Part 6 by Mr. Andanrabu Sura, Badan Bertindak Anti Rare Earth Refinery (BADAR)


    1. “
      #stopLynas #ForumLAMP Tuan Andansura Rabu (BADAR) on his experience fighting this issue, who stays 2.5 km from the plant.

      Pahang Assn Consumer

      2 days ago
    2. “
      #stopLynas #ForumLAMP Tuan Andansura Rabu (BADAR): Main steam media blacked-out though all my interviews covered by Mandarin media.

      Pahang Assn Consumer

      2 days ago
    3. “
      #stopLynas #ForumLAMP Tuan Andansura Rabu (BADAR): Though objections started earlier but after early 2011 Fukushima interest gained.

      Pahang Assn Consumer

      2 days ago
    4. “
      En Andansura, local resident movement walked to parliament & aus embassy, memo to Pahang MB, thnks to fukushima, it became national issue

      Adrian Yeo

      2 days ago
    5. “
      En Andansur,Lynas giving out scholarships to local youths, send groups into kampung telling Lynas is good, intimidation to those who opposes

      Adrian Yeo

      2 days ago
    6. “
      En Andansura is now spied & followed 24/7 by the thugs from Lynas, very SB like, he stressed the fight must continue with court action

      Adrian Yeo

      2 days ago
    7. “
      @StopLynasCoaltn Andansara :"if Lynas rare earth refinery can be allowed to operate in Kuantan, rare earth plant can be built in Seremban."

      Save Malaysia


    Part 7 by Jade Lee, Environmental activist.


      

    Now what do you think about LAMP now? Watch for the full length.

    If you interested to join the cause on why should we stop lynas - go to stoplynas.org 


    Credit:
    1. Adrian Yeo, http://twitter.com/ninoamigo.
    2. Pahang Consumer Assosiation, https://twitter.com/PACphg
    3. Stop Lynas Coalition (SLC) , https://twitter.com/StopLynasCoaltn
    4. Green Party of Malaysia, http://www.youtube.com/user/GreenPartyofMalaysia
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    Thursday, October 6, 2011

    Good bye Steve Jobs' - RIP.




    credit: Apple via Apple.com/stevejobs




    "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma--which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." - Steve Jobs
    Posted by at No comments:
    Labels:

    Monday, August 29, 2011

    Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2011




    I would like to wish to Muslim all over the world - Eid Mubarak.
    Posted by at No comments:

    Monday, June 6, 2011

    "Yang Lynas tak pernah bagi tahu" [part 1], 05 June2011


    He received his Doctor of Philosophy (PHD) degree in engineering and science of corrosion (corrosion science and engineering) from University of Manchester, UK and qualified as an engineering consultant and is involved in this field for 7 years. He also was born and grew up in Kuantan. (https: / / www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150212310009850).


    Dr. Lee indicated that the rare earth raw materials will be processed soil and packing the powder before being exported to Malaysia to take a 4,000 km journey from Australia.
    

    Audience of more than 100 people.
    Dr. Lee said, according to a report prepared by Lynas, Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) will produce 11.000 tons of pure rare earth in the first year and 22,000 tons next year. Follow the market today, the sales price a kilogram (KG) of pure rare earth is USD $ 180. Indeed, LAMP will produce waste water of 500ton per hour, the waste gas of 100,000 cubic meters per hour, and the rest of the cement has beradiasi elements (Iron-phosphogypsum) of 64.000 tons of Thorium which content is 1655ppm (or 106ton) and Uranium is 87ppm (or 5.6ton).

    In addition, the export revenue is expected to be achieved Lynas RM8 Billion per year but the tax exempt for 12 years in conjunction with tax incentives granted by the Government of Malaysia
    Dr. Lee said, according to a report prepared by Lynas, Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) will produce 11.000 tons of pure rare earth in the first year and 22,000 tons next year. Follow the market today, the sales price a kilogram (kg) of pure rare earth is USD $ 180. Indeed, LAMP will produce waste water of 500ton per hour, the waste gas of 100,000 cubic meters per hour, and the rest of the cement has beradiasi elements (Iron-phosphogypsum) of 64.000 tons of Thorium which content is 1655ppm (or 106ton) and Uranium is 87ppm (or 5.6ton).
    In addition, the export revenue is expected to be achieved Lynas RM8 Billion per year but the tax exempt for 12 years in conjunction with tax incentives granted by the Government of Malaysia.

    Map of Lynas Advance Material Plant (LAMP)

    Step processes LAMP
    Note: The translation is added to the mandarin word for Malaysians can understand

    "And it only happens when efficiency is 100%,"he said. Lee. "Everyone understands, is the efficiency of 100% can occur? In the chemical process, process efficiency is just as high as 70%," said the expert in chemical engineering.

    Referring to the picture which shows that LAMP-step process, if efficiency is not 100% efficient or not, it is very likely, pollution, radiation will occur through the waste gas, waste water and waste, which initially claimed it did not beradiasi. Total waste per annum will be achieved 231800ton (Gypsum 55.800 ton / year + Magnesium-rich gypsum 176.000 tons / year).

    1. Rare earth elements (RRE) or Rare Earth Oxides (REO) occur as Monazite in nature, monazite is phosphate mineral comprising mainly of the light REE especially Ce, La, Nd and Pr. The mineral also contains considerable amount of heavy REE such as Y and the radioactive element Thorium. These rare earth metals bind with PO4 to form Monazite (ref: Wikipedia). At once, the Monazite mineral and the soils, sand, rocks etc will be mined from Mt. Weld. The Mt. Weld mine deposits contains 8% - 12% of (REO) with approx.. 400 ppm Thorium.

    2. The Mt. Weld mine one will be then transported to the Concentration Plant, where the mineral is separated from the unwanted soils, sand and rocks. The products from the concentration plant, also known as concentrates, is primarily the monazite mineral, contains approx. 40% REO with REO with 1600 ppm Thorium. This product will be shipped from Australia to Gebeng, some 4000 km away for further processing.

    3. At LAMP, the aim of the process is to extract 40% REO from the concentrate to produce the high purity REO. Other chemicals such as sulphuric acid, ammonia and magnesium hydroxide will be added to the process for extraction and purification of the rare earth metals.

    4. What is the waste sludge are mostly phosphates, gypsum, magnesium and Thorium compounds. Note 40% of the concentrates has been extracted as REO product, hence the Thorium concentration left in the waste is significantly higher than that of the concentrates. Lynas failed to clarify the exact Thorium concentration in waste. In term of quantity however, approx.. 120 tonnes of Thorium will be produced from LAMP every year (ref: Malaysia Insider, 12th Apr 2011: Interview with N.Curtis).

    5. The final valuable REO products will be then be exported to US, Europe and Japan, what left in Malaysia is abundance of waste, including the radioactive Thorium-bound wastes, of which Lynas has no detailed for treatment, disposal and storage. (ref: Malaysia Insider, 12th Apr 2011).

    We urge to stop all LAMP operation now. We reject shipment of radioactive materials* onto our shore. We prohibit dumping of radioactive wastes* in our beloved country.
    *Regardless how safe and no matter how low radioactive Lynas/ Authorities claim the materials would be.

    Prepared by Dr.L, Save Malaysia.

     
    What they claimed?
    What does it really mean to us?
    “Vast job opportunity will be generated”

    LAMP is not labour intensive and its processor primarily automated. Only total of 450 employees (including expatriate , skilled, unskilled) needed full operation (ref: Malaysia Chronicle, 31th March 2011)

    “skilled workers who will be given the best knowledge on the processing of the rare earth …* (refer: Malaysia Insider, 12th Apr 2011). “Technology/ knowledge transfer” (ref: Preliminary EIA, Environ)

    Total rare earth reserves in Malaysia is merely 35,000 tonnes or 0.023% of world’s rare earth deposits (ref: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2008); Malaysia is not a conventional major rare earth producing country; we produced only 380 tonnes of REO in 2008 and 2009 (ref: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2010), thus transferring knowledge in rare earth does benefit the country considerably.

    “LAMP to generate USD 1.7 billion, almost 1% of Malaysia annual GDP (2010)” (ref: NYTimes, 8th Mar 2011)

    Malaysia offered 12 year tax free holiday to Lynas. The revenue generated from LAMP will be channeled to Australia and Lynas’ shareholders.

    “the ration of thorium to rare earth metals found in its concentrated raw was 55 to 10,000 while the Bukit Merah operation had 12,000 parts thorium to every parts of rare earth,” Lynas (ref: Malaysia Insider, 12th Apr 2011)
    ржд
    his comparison does show Thorium content was higher in Bukit Merah than in the Lynas FEED. However, this also suggest in order to produce 22,000 tonnes/yr of REO, the LAMP will generate a massive 120 tonnes of radioactive Thorium every year. (22,000/ 10,000 tonnes x 55 = 120 tonnes)

    AELB demonstrated at Kuantan hall, that Geiger counter low radioactivity at 0.2 mSv/hr from the rare earth process waste sample (ref: Malaysia Insider, 6th Apr 2011).

    LAMP has not begun production; source and authenticity of waste sample remain questionable. Further, radioactivity was measured based on minute amount of sample (emitted by Thorium) can be filtered away (ref: IAEA). This result does not signify the real circumstance of copious of copious tonnage of Thorium compounds stored in Gebeng.

    “the levels are absolutely different with japan, no comparison. Even after 70 hours (of exposure to our waste), all you get is an x-ray …” Lynas. (ref Malaysia Insider, 12th Apr 2011, interview with N.Curtis).

    This claim based upon the radioactivity level of 0.2 mSv/hr. An X-ray scan incur 1.4 mSv/hr x 70 hr (ref: Wikipedia).
    However, production of 120 tonnes Thorium compounds every year can release exceptionally higher than just 0.2mSv/hr.

    “at 1600 ppm, concentrates shipped to Malaysia was not considered radioactive materials.” Lynas and AELB.

    Note the 1600 ppm refers to the Thorium content in the FEED Minerals to LAMP (ref: Lynas; see page 1), not in the wastes.

    “The radioactive level of Lynas residue is only is 1/300th of the Asian Rare Earth residue (6.7 Bq/g vs 1900 Bq/g).” (ref: M, James Lynas Corporate communications, Writestreet, 31th July 2009).

    Our calculation shown 6.7 Bq/gram corresponds to 1600 ppm Thorium again, referred to the Thorium content in the FEED Minerals to LAMP. It is incorrect Lynas to focus on radioactivity level of FEED but failed to clarify the radioactive Thorium-containing wastes, which will be stayed in Gebeng, potentially for years.

    AELB DG, Raja Aziz pointed out tighter controls the 1600 ppm of thorium that Lynas had promised. Raja Aziz said “Lynas was confident of keeping thorium levels in its waste to 1600 ppm compared to the amang tin tailings used in Bukit Merah which produced 80,000 ppm of thorium in its waste.” “You can just tabur (scatter) everywhere” – AELB DG.

    As above, the 1600 ppm Thorium in FEED Mineral is being emphasized again. It unwise AELB to give such remarks to create a false perception. Radioactive level may be low in the FEED Minerals, however after the REO is extracted, Thorium will be concentrated and subsequently disposed as waste. No comment being made on radiation risk due to higher Thorium concentration in the wastes.

    Lynas PLANS to mixed the iron-bound thorium with Lime to dilute it to thorium concentration of less than 500 parts per million (ppm) – the maximum permitted under international standards to allow the material to be disposed with few restrictions. However, Lynas admitted to not having a commercial application yet. (ref: Malaysia Insider, 12th Apr 2011, Interview with N.Curtis). Raja Aziz also said that Lynas must stay under 500 ppm of thorium in its waste or to be told to cease operations.

    How is this (Diluting and storing such vast amount of waste) commercially and technically feasible remain in great doubt. LAMP will produce 120 tonnes of Thorium every year, if such quantity of Thorium has to be diluted to 500 ppm, an additional of 220,000 tonnes of waste to be generated every year!
    It is extremely concerned if Lynas would practice this (Thorium dilution); and how 220,000 tonnes/yr of radioactive waste can be stored safely.

    “It’s not that Lynas does not have the solution. The solution (storage dams) has been agreed. Now Lynas is going beyond the standards,” (ref: Malaysia Insider, 12th Apr 2011).

    Lynas has not disclosed the technical details of the Thorium treatment, nor its storage system. All we know it is a “temporary” Tailing Storage Facilities on site that made of clay and HDPE, long term storage remained unresolved (ref: The Star Online, 11th Mar 2011). Without these details, the repeated reassurance of safe storage by Lynas remain dubious.

    “We will not let them accumulate that much. We will stop them. They cannot be accumulating that much. There must be a parallel process” Raja Aziz, AELB (ref: Harakahdaily, 19th Apr 2011)

    Lynas has no detailed plan of disposal nor of Thorium-compund wastes (ref: The Star Online, 12th Mar 2011). There is only way to accumulating this waste, that is to stop the entire process.

    Dr. Ahmad Tarmizi, a UTM says that thorium exist in the environment naturally. Lynas and AELB have also given a similar remark. (ref: The Star, 10th Apr 2011).
    “Iron phosphor gypsum” has a very low level of naturally occurring thorium which is the source of very low level radioactivity.” Lynas (ref: NST 14th Apr 2011)

    It is irrelevant to quote the Thorium content in natural environment. For comparison, the average amounts between 8 to 12 ppm (ref: Wikipedia); Thorium in Mt. Weld mine is reportedly 400 ppm; Thorium in the Concentrates or FEED Minerals to LAMP is 1600 ppm (ref: Lynas). After REO is extracted from the FEED minerals, the Thorium concentration and its radioactivity is unquestionably greater than that occurred naturally in the soil, sand, earth crust etc.

     
    Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) is a rare earth processing plant is likely very large to destroy the environment and affect the health of the population living within 30km of it a metropolis of about 700 thousand people, including the Balok, Kemaman and Kuantan. However, the Lynas is a 12-year tax holiday and the people of Malaysia will be forced to assume responsibilities that are not reasonable, caring place to store dangerous radioactive waste forever.

    Original source via Stv ZongLiang. from Kuantan, 5 June 2011. 
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