KL hosts first International

Symposium on Rare Earths

KUALA LUMPUR (May 3, 2012): Malaysia will be hosting the first International Symposium on Rare Earth here in Kuala Lumpur on May 7, attracting four international experts.

Themed ‘Rare Earth Industries: Moving Malaysia’s Green Economy Forward’, the symposium will be followed by a panel discussion on the topic ‘Should Malaysia Invest in Rare Earths?”

The symposium is being organised by the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) and National Professors’ Council (NPC) Working Group on Rare Earths aimed at disseminating factual information on rare earths processing and refining as well as exposing potential down-stream business opportunities.

In a statement released here today, the Academy of Sciences Malaysia named the leader of the working group on rare earths and its chief spokesman Datuk Lee Yee Cheong as the symposium chairman.

Datuk Lee said the participants would be exposed in face-to-face engagement with international rare earths’ experts where they could gain valuable information on safety, health and environmental impact of rare earth industry.

The symposium, he said was also designed to act as a platform for rare earth experts to give a global supply and demand perspective and their many applications.

At present, the global demand for rare earth is expected to provide wide business opportunities for Malaysia especially in green technology industries.

“This is designed to be a scientific discussion and our primary concern is more about safety with a focus on upstream activities.”

The day-long programme will be held at Renaissance Kuala Lumpur and the keynote address is expected to be delivered by the founding principal of Technology Metals Research Jack Lifton who shall also present a paper entitled ‘The Supply and Demand for Rare Earths Now and in the Next 30 Years.’

The other papers to be presented include those by the executive vice president of Dacha Strategic Metals Alastair S Neill entitled ‘Supply and Demand of Rare Earth and Human Resources Need’, Professor Yan Chun-Hua of Peking University on ‘The Processing and Refining Rare Earth in China’ and the head of analytical laboratories - safety management department of Karlsruhr Institute of Technology Christoph Wilhelm on ‘Thorium and Uranium Radiation Safety Measures and Regulations’.

The sole speaker from Malaysian is the senior research officer with the Malaysian Nuclear Agency Dr Meor Yusoff bin Meor Sulaiman, who will be presenting a paper entitled Experiences Learnt From The Asian Rare Earth Industries.

A panel discussion which will also be moderated by Lee will also be held in the afternoon between the speakers and Malaysian Members of Parliament, a senior editor of a mainstream newspaper and a NGO representative.

The chairman of the paper presentations will be ASM fellow Datuk Hong Lee Pee  while Lee will be the moderator for the panel discussion.

On Tuesday, the international experts are also expected to visit the Lynas facilitiy in Gebeng  near Kuantan, Pahang.

On May 9, the speakers will be joining an intellectual discourse on rare earths hosted by the Academy of Sciences. It scheduled to take place at the Institute for Foreign Diplomatic Relations (IFDR) where they will be engaging with ASM fellows, NPC members, local scientists and academics.

The seminar acts as a platform for rare earth experts to give a global supply and demand perspective and their many applications.

At present, the global demand for rare earth is expected to provide a wide business opportunity in Malaysia for green technology industries.