MIGHT, Universities Collaborate To Advance REE As Malaysia's Next Flagship Industry

KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 (Bernama) -- The collaboration between the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) and two Public Higher Education Institutions in research and development (R&D), innovation, and commercialisation of Rare Earth Element (REE) marks a major step towards leading REE as Malaysia’s flagship industry.

MIGHT President and Chief Executive Officer Rushdi Abdul Rahim said the collaboration with Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) and Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) was also a major step for Malaysia to establish technology sovereignty in the area with an interconnected ecosystem.

“The initiative also aims to shape national priorities on REE, including talent development and capability building, knowledge exchange, research expertise and technical resources to support mutual research, innovation, and capacity-building initiatives,” he was quoted as saying in a statement issued by MIGHT.

The tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for strategic cooperation was signed today by Rushdi on behalf of MIGHT, while vice-chancellors Prof Dr Arham Abdullah and Prof Dr Yatimah Alias represented UMK and UMPSA, respectively.

The three-year collaboration aims to boost national-level research initiatives and enhance academic curricula and training programmes in REE and advanced materials. These will focus on innovations with strong potential for intellectual property generation and future commercialisation.

According to the statement, Malaysia possesses significant REE resources, estimated at 16.1 million metric tonnes of non-radioactive REEs (NR-REEs), valued at RM1 trillion, positioning the country among the leaders in the Southeast Asian region alongside Vietnam and Myanmar.

It said by the year 2030, the expected downstream production of Malaysia’s non-radioactive REEs is projected to generate RM13.59 billion in revenue, primarily from the manufacturing of super magnets and electric motors.

In the same statement, Prof Yatimah noted that such projections raise concerns regarding sustainability, supply chain resilience, and environmental impact, thus calling for a more responsible path for REE industry development.

“Since 2013, UMPSA’s Centre for Sustainability of Mineral and Resource Recovery Technology (SMAaRRT) has been developing capabilities across the full REE value chain, ranging from soil leaching, solvent extraction, impurity removal to pilot-scale technology validation.

“SMaRRT is also actively involved in post-mining activities and human capital development related to REE,” she said.

Meanwhile, Prof Arham said that Malaysia, in particular Kelantan, is endowed with abundant ion-adsorption clay deposits rich in REE but added that the challenge lies in extracting and utilising these resources in a manner that is sustainable, ethical, and innovation-driven.  

“UMK’s Centre of Excellence, the Gold, Rare Earth & Material Technopreneurship Centre (GREAT), was created to spearhead research, innovation, capability building, and industry collaboration efforts in strategic mineral resources, particularly REE and gold, along the entire value chain,” he said.

According to MIGHT, the global REEs market size is projected to reach USD 8.14 billion by 2032, exhibiting a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 10.2 per cent between 2024 and 2032.

“This has spurred intensified R&D activities, especially among nations with substantial REE resources or industrial capacity, a strong technological base, and strategic interest in vital minerals,” said MIGHT.

-- BERNAMA