![Ranau-Sabah-MamutCopperMine-02](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Ranau-Sabah-MamutCopperMine-02.jpg)
Mining is one of the main industries in
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
. Malaysia produces
aggregate,
bauxite
Bauxite is a sedimentary rock with a relatively high aluminium content. It is the world's main source of aluminium and gallium. Bauxite consists mostly of the aluminium minerals gibbsite (Al(OH)3), boehmite (γ-AlO(OH)) and diaspore (α-AlO(O ...
,
clay
Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4).
Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay par ...
,
coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen.
Coal is formed when dea ...
,
copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkis ...
,
feldspar
Feldspars are a group of rock-forming aluminium tectosilicate minerals, also containing other cations such as sodium, calcium, potassium, or barium. The most common members of the feldspar group are the ''plagioclase'' (sodium-calcium) feldsp ...
,
gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
,
gravel
Gravel is a loose aggregation of rock fragments. Gravel occurs naturally throughout the world as a result of sedimentary and erosive geologic processes; it is also produced in large quantities commercially as crushed stone.
Gravel is classifi ...
,
ilmenite
Ilmenite is a titanium-iron oxide mineral with the idealized formula . It is a weakly magnetic black or steel-gray solid. Ilmenite is the most important ore of titanium and the main source of titanium dioxide, which is used in paints, printing ...
,
iron ore
Iron ores are rocks and minerals from which metallic iron can be economically extracted. The ores are usually rich in iron oxides and vary in color from dark grey, bright yellow, or deep purple to rusty red. The iron is usually found in the fo ...
,
kaolin
Kaolinite ( ) is a clay mineral, with the chemical composition Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4. It is an important industrial mineral. It is a layered silicate mineral, with one tetrahedral sheet of silica () linked through oxygen atoms to one octahedral ...
,
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
,
mica
Micas ( ) are a group of silicate minerals whose outstanding physical characteristic is that individual mica crystals can easily be split into extremely thin elastic plates. This characteristic is described as perfect basal cleavage. Mica is ...
,
monazite
Monazite is a primarily reddish-brown phosphate mineral that contains rare-earth elements. Due to variability in composition, monazite is considered a group of minerals. The most common species of the group is monazite-(Ce), that is, the cerium- ...
,
sand
Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural class of s ...
,
silica sand
Sand casting, also known as sand molded casting, is a metal casting process characterized by using sand as the mold material. The term "sand casting" can also refer to an object produced via the sand casting process. Sand castings are produced i ...
, struverite and
tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn (from la, stannum) and atomic number 50. Tin is a silvery-coloured metal.
Tin is soft enough to be cut with little force and a bar of tin can be bent by hand with little effort. When bent, t ...
.
History
Tin mining is one of the earliest type of mining operated in Malaysia, starting in the 1820s in
Perak
Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand's ...
and in 1824 in
Selangor
Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east ...
.
The development of mining industries in Malaysia attracted many
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
immigrants who came to the state in 18th and 19th centuries to work and develop the mine fields. The majority of Malayan tin mined prior to the Second World War was being extracted by European companies (58.6%), mostly British, but also Australian, French, and American-owned; the balance (41.4%) was being mined by Chinese companies. During this time, the British administration was attempting to organise Malaya's economy, especially as revenue from Malaya's tin and rubber industries was important to Britain's own post-war recovery. This massive rehabilitation programme was economically successful, with tin production rising to 55,000 tons in 1949, a ten-fold increase in value over four years.
Government
![Putrajaya Malaysia Ministry-of-Natural-Resources-and-Environment-01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Putrajaya_Malaysia_Ministry-of-Natural-Resources-and-Environment-01.jpg)
Mining-related activities in Malaysia is regulated by the
Ministry of Water, Land and Natural Resources.
Types of mining
Aggregate
Aggregate is produced in Malaysia from
quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine in which dimension stone, rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, gravel, or slate is excavated from the ground. The operation of quarries is regulated in some jurisdictions to reduce their envi ...
and
river bed
A stream bed or streambed is the bottom of a stream or river (bathymetry) or the physical confine of the normal water flow (channel). The lateral confines or channel margins are known as the stream banks or river banks, during all but flood st ...
which are mostly found in
Johor
Johor (; ), also spelled as Johore, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia in the south of the Malay Peninsula. Johor has land borders with the Malaysian states of Pahang to the north and Malacca and Negeri Sembilan ...
,
Perak
Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand's ...
,
Sabah
Sabah () is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indone ...
,
Sarawak
Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the M ...
and
Selangor
Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east ...
. In 2012, the annual production of aggregate was 122,000,000 tons.
Bauxite
Bauxite
Bauxite is a sedimentary rock with a relatively high aluminium content. It is the world's main source of aluminium and gallium. Bauxite consists mostly of the aluminium minerals gibbsite (Al(OH)3), boehmite (γ-AlO(OH)) and diaspore (α-AlO(O ...
is produced in Johor and
Pahang
Pahang (;Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a ...
. In 2012, the annual production of bauxite was 117,232 tons.
In 2016, the Malaysian government bans bauxite mining activities until end of the year due to
environmental damage
Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as quality of air, water and soil; the destruction of ecosystems; habitat destruction; the extinction of wildlife; and pollution. It is defin ...
and
water contamination
Water pollution (or aquatic pollution) is the contamination of water bodies, usually as a result of human activities, so that it negatively affects its uses. Water bodies include lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, reservoirs and groundwater. Water ...
in
Kuantan
Kuantan ( Jawi: ) is a city and the state capital of Pahang, Malaysia. It is located near the mouth of the Kuantan River. Kuantan is the 18th largest city in Malaysia based on 2010 population, and the largest city in the East Coast of Penin ...
.
Clay
Clay deposits in Malaysia are mostly found in Johor,
Kedah
Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area ...
,
Kelantan
Kelantan (; Jawi: ; Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate'') is a state in Malaysia. The capital is Kota Bharu and royal seat is Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' (Jawi: ; "The Blissful Abode").
Kelantan is located in the ...
,
Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan (, Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Nogoghi Sombilan'', ''Nismilan'') is a state in Malaysia which lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the s ...
, Pahang,
Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
, Perak, Sarawak, Selangor and
Terengganu
Terengganu (; Terengganu Malay: ''Tranung'', Jawi: ), formerly spelled Trengganu or Tringganu, is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, ''Dāru l- Īmān'' ("Abode of Faith"). ...
. In 2012, the annual production of clay was 29,000,000 tons.
Coal
Major
coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen.
Coal is formed when dea ...
reserves in Malaysia are mostly located in Sabah and Sarawak with smaller reserves in Perak,
Perlis
Perlis, ( Northern Malay: ''Peghelih''), also known by its honorific title Perlis Indera Kayangan, is the smallest state in Malaysia by area and population. Located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, it borders the Thai provinces o ...
and Selangor. The
Labuan
Labuan (), officially the Federal Territory of Labuan ( ms, Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan), is a Federal Territory of Malaysia. Its territory includes and six smaller islands, off the coast of the state of Sabah in East Malaysia. Labuan's capit ...
coal field produced coal starting 1848 until 1912. As of 1986, coal reserve in Malaysia was 965 million tons in which mostly are
bituminous coal
Bituminous coal, or black coal, is a type of coal containing a tar-like substance called bitumen or asphalt. Its coloration can be black or sometimes dark brown; often there are well-defined bands of bright and dull material within the seams. It ...
. The total known coal area is 5,823 km
2. In 2012, the annual production of coal was 2.9 million tons.
Feldspar
Feldspar
Feldspars are a group of rock-forming aluminium tectosilicate minerals, also containing other cations such as sodium, calcium, potassium, or barium. The most common members of the feldspar group are the ''plagioclase'' (sodium-calcium) feldsp ...
deposits in Malaysia are limited, but can be found in Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and Perak. In 2012, the annual production of feldspar was 350,000 tons.
Gold
Major
gold mines
Gold mining is the extraction of gold resources by mining. Historically, mining gold from alluvial deposits used manual separation processes, such as gold panning. However, with the expansion of gold mining to ores that are not on the surface, ...
in Malaysia are in Pahang, namely Penjom,
Raub and Selinsing, as well as some minor areas in Kelantan and Terengganu. In 2011, the annual production of gold was 4,219 kg. As of 2012, there are active 15 gold mines.
There are no gold mines in Sabah and Sarawak
Iron ore
Currently there are 98
iron ore
Iron ores are rocks and minerals from which metallic iron can be economically extracted. The ores are usually rich in iron oxides and vary in color from dark grey, bright yellow, or deep purple to rusty red. The iron is usually found in the fo ...
mines in operation in Malaysia. Most of them are small mines operating in Johor, Kedah, Kelantan,
Malacca
Malacca ( ms, Melaka) is a state in Malaysia located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Strait of Malacca. Its capital is Malacca City, dubbed the Historic City, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site si ...
, Pahang, Perak and Terengganu. In 2012, the annual production of iron ore was 10,077,136 tons.
Kaolin
Kaolin
Kaolinite ( ) is a clay mineral, with the chemical composition Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4. It is an important industrial mineral. It is a layered silicate mineral, with one tetrahedral sheet of silica () linked through oxygen atoms to one octahedral ...
reserves in Malaysia is estimated to be around 112 million tons which are spread in Johor, Kelantan, Pahang, Perak, Sarawak and Selangor. In 2012, the annual production of kaolin was 390,000 tons.
Limestone
Limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
deposit in Malaysia is abundant, with reserve estimated to be 12 billion tons located throughout Kedah, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Sabah Sarawak and Selangor. In 2012, the annual production of limestone was 36 million tons.
Mica
There are two
mica
Micas ( ) are a group of silicate minerals whose outstanding physical characteristic is that individual mica crystals can easily be split into extremely thin elastic plates. This characteristic is described as perfect basal cleavage. Mica is ...
mines in Malaysia, which are located in
Bidor
Bidor (Chinese: 美羅) is a town and mukim in Batang Padang District, southern Perak, Malaysia.
Geography
Bidor is located 59 km southeast from state capital Ipoh and 116 km northwest of Kuala Lumpur.
It is south of Tapah, north of ...
, Perak. In 2012, the annual production of mica was 4,000 tons.
Sand and gravel
Sand
Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural class of s ...
and
gravel
Gravel is a loose aggregation of rock fragments. Gravel occurs naturally throughout the world as a result of sedimentary and erosive geologic processes; it is also produced in large quantities commercially as crushed stone.
Gravel is classifi ...
are found in Johor, Kedah, Perak, Sarawak and Selangor. In 2012, the annual production of sand and gravel was 40 million tons.
Tin
In 1979, Malaysia produced almost 63,000 tons of
tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn (from la, stannum) and atomic number 50. Tin is a silvery-coloured metal.
Tin is soft enough to be cut with little force and a bar of tin can be bent by hand with little effort. When bent, t ...
, accounting for 31% of world's output. Tin deposit spreads across western
Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia ( ms, Semenanjung Malaysia; Jawi: سمننجڠ مليسيا), or the States of Malaya ( ms, Negeri-negeri Tanah Melayu; Jawi: نڬري-نڬري تانه ملايو), also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, ...
, particularly the
Kinta Valley
The Kinta Valley is a conurbation in central Perak, Malaysia, surrounding and including the state capital Ipoh. Historically the Kinta Valley was very rich in tin, and their mines have been among the most productive in the world.
The valley is ...
in Perak. In 1883, Malaysia was the largest tin producer in the world. In 1885, 12.8 km of railway was constructed connecting
Taiping
__NOTOC__
Taiping, Tai-p’ing, or Tai Ping most often refers to:
Chinese history
* Princess Taiping (died 713), Tang dynasty princess
* Taiping Rebellion (1850–1864), civil war in southern China
** Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1851–1864), the re ...
to
Port Weld
Kuala Sepetang ( Jawi: كوالا سيڤيتڠ; ) is a coastal town located in Larut, Matang and Selama District in northwestern Perak, Malaysia. It is also popularly known by English-speaking locals as Port Weld (Chinese: ) after a former Govern ...
in Perak. The first
trunk road in Peninsular Malaysia was constructed passing through major mining towns in Perak, Selangor and
Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan (, Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Nogoghi Sombilan'', ''Nismilan'') is a state in Malaysia which lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the s ...
in which it was mostly used to transport tin from mines to ports. In the 1920s,
dredging machines were introduced to boost the production of tin. Starting from the 1980s, tin mining in Malaysia experienced sharp decline due to competition from
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
and the falling of tin price. In 1989, the Malaysian Tin Products Manufacturers' Association was established to promote and protect the downstream business of tin industry in the country.
Environmental restoration
![Wohin auswandern malaysia Taiping Lake Gardens 4](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/Wohin_auswandern_malaysia_Taiping_Lake_Gardens_4.jpg)
The
Government of Malaysia
The Government of Malaysia, officially the Federal Government of Malaysia ( ms, Kerajaan Persekutuan Malaysia), is based in the Federal Territory (Malaysia), Federal Territory of Putrajaya with the exception of the legislative branch, which is l ...
had initiated research for the development of agriculture and aquaculture in former mining lands.
Some of the
restored
''Restored'' is the fourth
studio album by American contemporary Christian music musician Jeremy Camp. It was released on November 16, 2004 by BEC Recordings.
Track listing
Standard release
Enhanced edition
Deluxe gold edition
Standard ...
areas from mining activities have also been converted into
public houses
A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
or tourist attractions, such as:
*
Mines Wellness City
Mines Wellness City, formerly known as Mines Resort City, is an integrated Health and Wellness resort township in Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia.
Background
The land was formerly the world's largest open cast tin mine. Currently the develo ...
*
Sunway Lagoon
Sunway Lagoon is an amusement park located in Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia owned by Sunway Group.
History
The park began operations in 1992 and was officiated by the then Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Mahathir bin Mohamad ...
*
Taiping Lake Gardens
The Taiping Lake Gardens ( ms, Taman Tasik Taiping) is the first public garden established during the British rule in Malaysia. The garden is located near Bukit Larut, and is equidistant to the town centre and the Taiping Zoo.
History
The Tai ...
*
Titiwangsa Lake Gardens
Titiwangsa Lake Park ( ms, Taman Tasik Titiwangsa) is an urban park in Titiwangsa, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
History
The gardens feature a large central lake that was a byproduct of tin mining activities under British Rule. Later on, the area wa ...
*
Bukit Merah Laketown Resort Bukit, the Indonesian or Malay word for hill, may refer to:
* Bukit Peninsula
The Bukit Peninsula (Indonesian: ''Semenanjung Bukit'') is at the southern end of the island of Bali, Indonesia. It is traditionally considered to be the entire area so ...
Tourism
![Grand Old Lady Miri Malaysia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Grand_Old_Lady_Miri_Malaysia.jpg)
Mining-related tourism in Malaysia are:
*
Chimney Museum
The Chimney Museum ( ms, Muzium Chimney) is a museum in Kubong, Labuan, Malaysia. The museum details the history of Kubong when coal mining was at its peak under the administration of the British North Borneo Chartered Company.
History
The a ...
*
Geological Museum
The Geological Museum (originally the Museum of Economic Geology then the Museum of Practical Geology), started in 1835 as one of the oldest single science museums in the world and now part of the Natural History Museum in London. It transfe ...
*
Palong Tin Museum
*
Petroleum Museum
*
Tanjung Tualang Tin Dredge No. 5
See also
*
Economy of Malaysia
The economy of Malaysia is the third largest in Southeast Asia and the List of countries by GDP (nominal), 34th largest in the world in terms of GDP. The 2018 labour productivity of Malaysia was measured at Int$55,360 per worker, the third high ...
References
{{Asia topic, Mining in