Editing Rare-earth element (section)

===Remediation after pollution===
{{Update section|date=May 2019}}
After the [[1982 Bukit Merah radioactive pollution]], the mine in [[Malaysia]] has been the focus of a US$100 million cleanup that is proceeding in 2011. After having accomplished the hilltop entombment of 11,000 truckloads of radioactively contaminated material, the project is expected to entail in summer, 2011, the removal of "more than 80,000 steel barrels of radioactive waste to the hilltop repository."<ref name=NYT01/>

In May 2011, after the [[Fukushima nuclear disaster]], widespread protests took place in Kuantan over the [[#Production|Lynas refinery]] and radioactive waste from it. The ore to be processed has very low levels of thorium, and Lynas founder and chief executive Nicholas Curtis said "There is absolutely no risk to public health." T. Jayabalan, a doctor who says he has been monitoring and treating patients affected by the Mitsubishi plant, "is wary of Lynas's assurances. The argument that low levels of thorium in the ore make it safer doesn't make sense, he says, because radiation exposure is cumulative."<ref name=Bl01>Lee, Yoolim, [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-31/malaysia-rare-earths-in-largest-would-be-refinery-incite-protest.html "Malaysia Rare Earths in Largest Would-Be Refinery Incite Protest"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911001724/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-31/malaysia-rare-earths-in-largest-would-be-refinery-incite-protest.html |date=September 11, 2014}}, ''[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg Markets Magazine]]'', May 31, 2011 5:00 PM ET.</ref> Construction of the facility has been halted until an independent [[United Nations]] [[IAEA]] panel investigation is completed, which is expected by the end of June 2011.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13593213 "UN investigation into Malaysia rare-earth plant safety"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220622010100/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13593213 |date=June 22, 2022}}, [[BBC]], 30 May 2011 05:52 ET.</ref> [[#Production|New restrictions]] were announced by the Malaysian government in late June.<ref name=B01/>

An [[IAEA]] panel investigation was completed and no construction has been halted. Lynas is on budget and on schedule to start producing in 2011. The IAEA concluded in a report issued in June 2011 that it did not find any instance of "any non-compliance with international radiation safety standards" in the project.<ref>[http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/2011/malaysiamissionreport.html IAEA Submits Lynas Report to Malaysian Government] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007140824/http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/2011/malaysiamissionreport.html |date=October 7, 2012}}. Iaea.org (2011-06-29). Retrieved on 2011-09-27.</ref>

If the proper safety standards are followed, REE mining is relatively low impact. Molycorp (before going bankrupt) often exceeded environmental regulations to improve its public image.<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=High Country News |title=Why rare-earth mining in the West is a bust |url=http://www.hcn.org/issues/47.11/why-rare-earth-mining-in-the-west-is-a-bust |author=Tim Heffernan |date=June 16, 2015 |access-date=September 26, 2017 |archive-date=November 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211103103815/https://www.hcn.org/issues/47.11/why-rare-earth-mining-in-the-west-is-a-bust |url-status=live}}</ref>

In Greenland, there is a significant dispute on whether to start a new rare-earth mine in [[Kvanefjeld]] due to environmental concerns.<ref>{{cite news |title=Greenland votes, split on rare earth metals mining |newspaper=Deutsche Welle |date=2021-06-04 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/greenland-votes-split-on-rare-earth-metals-mining/a-57113587 |access-date=2021-04-07 |language=en-GB |archive-date=June 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220621090757/https://www.dw.com/en/greenland-votes-split-on-rare-earth-metals-mining/a-57113587 |url-status=live}}</ref>