Malaysia will decide within five days whether to allow rare earth miner Lynas to operate its processing plant during the country's partial lockdown that runs until April 28, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) told Reuters on Wednesday.

Australian company Lynas, the world's largest rare earth producer outside China, said earlier it had applied to the Malaysian government for "critical industry" status as its products are essential to the supply chains of key industries in the country, including medical devices. Its shares rose on news of the request.

Miti has not classified rare earth among essential businesses allowed to operate with certain conditions during the restrictions imposed to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.