| Summary: | PEKAN, 18 August 2025 – The extraction of rare earth elements (REEs) from lanthanide concentrates in Malaysia generates radioactive waste known as Water Leach Purification (WLP). This waste contains thorium at levels of about 6.7 Bq/g—far exceeding the safe limit of 1 Bq/g.
Addressing this challenge, a team of researchers from the Faculty of Chemical Engineering Technology and Processes (FTKKP), Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA), led by Ts. Dr. Noorlisa Harun, has developed a specific purification model using a low-temperature decomposition process (below 240°C).
This innovative approach is designed to prevent the formation of insoluble thorium phosphate (ThPO) in WLP solid waste, offering a safer and more efficient solution.
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