Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin has delayed a visit to Australia to discuss rare earth miner Lynas Corporation's storage of radioactive waste in Malaysia, according to a ministry spokesperson.

The trip, initially scheduled for this week, has been postponed "pending further developments", the spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Yeo was due to meet Bill Johnston, Western Australia state's minister for mines, on Thursday to discuss the removal of the radioactive waste.

Johnston said Western Australia will not accept the waste, Australian media reported earlier this month.

Australia-listed Lynas, the only significant producer of rare earths outside of China, is waiting on renewal of the operating licence for its US$800 million (RM3.3 billion) processing plant in Gebeng. The licence expires in September.

The Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry had set conditions in December for Lynas to remove its waste stockpiles before it would renew its operating licence.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said last month that Lynas will be allowed to keep operating in the country.

The ministry has said it wants to discuss ways to manage the low-level radioactive residue produced by Lynas at its rare earth processing plant.

- Reuters