Lynas responds to radioactive leakage claims

Lynas Corporation Ltd, Sydney

Lynas Corporation would like to clarify that the report released by the National Toxics Network on 28 November 2011 relating to the operations of Lynas is both inaccurate and misleading (see Harakahdaily's story on Nov 30: Lynas guarantee slammed following revelation) The report contains fundamental factual errors which render the conclusions drawn in the report as invalid and without foundation. Contrary to the report’s claims, Lynas rare earths concentrate is safe. Modelling contained within the Lynas Radiation Management Plan, which has been ignored by the National Toxic Network in its report, shows public exposure will be fifty times less than the allowable limit of 1 milisevert / year. In addition, the lining on Lynas’ tailings ponds at the mine site will prevent any radioactive elements from leaching into the surrounding environment. It is important to note that the highest radiation exposure recorded at the Lynas’ Mt Weld mine site was by a surveyor who spends his day working on top of the rare earths stockpiles. He recorded an exposure of 0.47 milliseverts / year – less than half the public exposure limit and one tenth of the limit for occupational exposure. The mining and transport of Lynas rare earths have been reviewed and approved by the Western Australian Departments of Health, Environment & Conservation, Transport and Mines & Petroleum. The Mount Weld Rare Earths concentrate is not classified as Dangerous Goods by the criteria of the Australian Dangerous Goods Code (ADG Code) for transport by road or rail, and it is not classified as a radioactive material due to its extremely low levels. Attempts to portray the material as radioactive are alarmist in nature and reflect either mischievous intent or ill-informed content. Lynas’ Radiation Management Plan was both prepared and assessed by international experts in radiation safety with significant, relevant tertiary education and years of practical experience. The National Toxic Network report appears to have been authored by parties that have neither the necessary educational background nor the required understanding of the subject matter. * The above statement is signed by Liz Whiteway (Lynas Corporation, Sydney) and Li-Hsian Choo (Ogilvy PR Worldwide, Kuala Lumpur)