Malaysians lose bid to halt rare earths plant

KUALA LUMPUR (AP) - Malaysian activists have lost a court battle to halt Australian miner Lynas from firing up a controversial rare earths plant amid safety concerns.

After months of delay, Lynas in September obtained the Malaysian government's approval to start processing rare earths crucial for manufacturing high-tech products.

But villagers took the case to court, calling for Lynas' operating license to be suspended until the court rules on the case.

Coalition leader Tan Bun Tet says the court ruled on Thursday in the company's favor, paving the way for the miner to start operations immediately.