Bauxite mining activities in Pahang to be on hold for environmental impact assessments, says Ministry

According to a recent report, the Malaysian government announced that bauxite mining activities in Pahang should be on hold unless the miners conduct a study on the environmental impact of their sites.

However, the date for when the environmental impact assessments (EIAs) will begin is not yet set. The resources ministry said that each mine would need at least six months to complete the assessment of the environmental impact.

Thus, there will be a slower-than-expected restart in bauxite exports from Malaysia, resulting in disrupted global supply and price hike for a few more months.

The Resources Minister Xavier Jayakumar said,” Mine operators will need to fulfil strict requirements, some of which will be based on the findings of the EIAs before they are granted licences to operate.”

He further said, “Even if the moratorium on bauxite mining and exports expires at the end of this month, it does not mean mining activities can immediately begin on April 1.”

“I wish to stress that the stop-work order on mining activities will be withdrawn after all relevant parties are ready to implement and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) for mining and exporting of bauxite in Pahang, which will be carried out in a sustainable manner,” he told a press conference at the Parliament lobby today, on March 13.

The Southeast Asian nation was once the biggest bauxite supplier to top-buyer China, with shipments peaking at nearly 3.5 million tonnes a month around the end of 2015.

But in early 2016, all bauxite mining was banned after unregulated mining and run-offs from unsecured stockpiles in the eastern state Pahang contaminated water sources, turning roads, rivers, and coastal waters red.

In February this year, the ministry announced that the government would no further extend the moratorium keeping in mind the increased demand for bauxite. But it at the same time said that the resumption of mining would be subject to tighter regulations including the use of specific types of lorries to transport the mineral.