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By Marlynda Meraw KUCHING, Oct 29: Sarawak will not be exporting rare earth elements (REEs) says Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg during the National Environment Day 2025 (Sarawak-level) celebration at a resort in Sematan today. According to Abang Johari, REEs are crucial for advanced technologies and increasingly sought after by renewable energy industries and should be used locally. “That’s why China doesn’t export (their) rare earth (elements). It’s very significant,” he said. “That’s why I asked for us to do a research centre and ask our new generation to learn material science,” he added. REEs are a group of 17 metallic elements that include the 15 lanthanides on the periodic table, along with scandium and yttrium. They are important as they are used in many high-tech applications, such as smartphones, electric vehicles, wind turbines, and other advanced electronics. —DayakDaily