Rare earths are among the most critical raw materials on the planet, deeply embedded in the technologies that underpin modern life. (Bernama pic)KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has given the go-ahead for a batch of unprocessed rare earths to be exported, the first approval under a new framework designed to permit testing and potentially encourage investments in local capacity.

A single export application for research and development purposes has been permitted by the mineral and geoscience department, the natural resources ministry said in response to a Bloomberg query. It did not identify the applicant or provide details.

Rare earths are among the most critical raw materials on the planet, deeply embedded in the technologies that underpin modern life, including an array of key defence applications. While China has long dominated their mining and processing, other nations including Malaysia are now stepping up efforts to develop their own capacity in a push to reduce reliance on Beijing.