KALGOORLIE (miningweekly.com) – Rare earths miner Lynas is hoping to start operation at a Western Australian cracking and leaching (C&L) facility by the end of 2022.
Speaking on the sidelines of Diggers & Dealers, Lynas MD and CEO Amanda Lacaze said that all of the company’s C&L work would eventually transition to the Western Australian site, regardless of the regulatory system in Malaysia, where its current C&L facilities are located.
Lynas in June this year announced a $500-million growth plan out to 2025, which would include the new C&L facility in Western Australia, near the Mt Weld rare earths operation, as well as additional downstream processing in Malaysia, and a rare earths separation facility in the US through a proposed joint venture with Blue Line Corporation.
Lacaze on Wednesday said that while a significant amount of engineering work would need to be done before firm numbers could be placed on the Western Australian C&L facility, she expected the “lion’s share” of the $500-million spend to take place in Western Australia.
“Strategicially, having cracking close to the source is a sensible idea, but we already have an asset [in Malaysia]. But as we look at growth, would it make sense for us to put more capital on the ground for us to crack in Malaysia, regardless of the regulatory system? No.”
Lynas is in the midst of renewing its operating licence in Malaysia, with Lacaze saying a final decision from the Malaysian government is expected by mid-August.
“We are productively engaged with the Malaysian government,” Lacaze said, adding that the company was confident of securing the licence, given that it has been through the process on three previous occasions, and have been operating successfully within the boundaries of both the licence and the law.