Revival in Perak mining possible

Lombong Tembak

In a recent online discussion, local Reuters reporters described hopes of a revival in tin mining in Malaysia's Perak state, which until the 1980s was the world's most important centre of tin production.

The discussion was based on an interview with Perak Chief Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir, who was cautiously optimistic that the recent granting of mining licences would result in increased income and employment in the state.

Some 10 licences have been issued - most of them are new but at the same time, some old licences have been re-issued to companies that stopped mining operations in the 1990s when tin prices were low. The tin resource in the state is estimated at some 89,000 tonnes which could be mined over 30 years.

The main immediate prospect for a new operation is owned by wire and cable manufacturer Ho Wah Genting, which has plans to produce up to 2,000 tpy.

The company is reported to have carried out three geological/mining surveys on its concession land in Pengkalan Hulu district, near the border with Thailand, and has begun ground clearing.

The project is near the Rahman Hydraulic Tin mine, Malaysia's current largest operation which produces some 150 tonnes of tin per month.


RHT is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Malaysia Smelting Corporation, whose Butterworth smelter would be the likely destination of concentrates from the planned new mine.


Ho Wah Genting has recently been a partner in a new joint venture magnesium smelter in Perak.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device via Vodafone-Celcom Mobile.