GOPENG: The establishment of the country's first mineral analysis laboratory, Terra Mineral Lab (TML), and the Centre of Excellence for Mineral Research (CoE) here demonstrates Perak's commitment to becoming a leader in the mineral industry.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said the RM12 million research facility is equipped with high-tech, world-class scientific equipment.
He said the equipment includes Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), Wavelength Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (WDXRF), and Micro X-Ray Fluorescence (Micro-XRF).
"This scientific equipment is capable of analysing, identifying and verifying the content of minerals, particularly non-radioactive rare earth elements (NR-REEs), with high accuracy.
"The success of the NR-REE pilot mining project in the Kenering subdistrict, which generated RM29.73 million in royalties for the state government, proves the vast potential of this industry.
"However, the true potential of these lanthanides has not yet been fully explored.
"With the establishment of TML and CoE, we can expedite the process of exploration, analysis, and eventually move towards more comprehensive mineral processing," he told reporters after opening TML and the CoE here.
He added that TML is currently in the process of obtaining MS ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation from the Department of Standards Malaysia, as a first step that will recognise it as the nation's primary commercial laboratory for mineral analysis.
Saarani said the laboratory is operated by 15 local employees, including senior chemists, chemists, and assistant chemists who are experienced in mineral analysis, as well as trained local university graduates.
Commenting on CoE, Saarani said the initiative has already begun research projects related to the upstream NR-REE industry with three main objectives: monitoring radioactivity levels, monitoring groundwater sources, and monitoring soil stability.
He added that the operation of TML and CoE is a strategic step by the state government to realise the Responsible Mining agenda outlined in the Perak Sejahtera 2030 Plan.
"This initiative is expected to drive sustainable economic growth, create high-quality job opportunities, and strengthen Perak's position as the leading NR-REE industry player in Malaysia," he said.