PRESERVATION OF THE ELDOROADO OF THE EAST

            As mention in the whole article, Sungai Lembing can be considering as one of the most excited place to visit in Kuantan. It can be consider as the most attraction spot for the tourist that eager for historical information. The Majlis Perbandaran Kuantan (MPK) should take a very effective and efficient way to preserve Sungai Lembing old mining town. Especially the old “tapak enjin” area whereby it can be consider as the Ä’Famosa of Sungai Lembing. MPK can manipulate all the data from the Museum and use it as a tool to generate new information or representation by using multimedia application such as 3D Max to replicate the actual scenario or scene of the “tapak enjin”area. In Malacca, The Majlis Perbandaran Melaka Bandaraya Bersejarah (MPMBB) used to have the “Light and Sound” event every night to replicate the scenario of the A Famosa area during the era of Dutch’s and British Conquest.

           Below are the images of the old “tapak enjin” scene that MPK should take a serious consideration.

 Gateway tunnel to Myah Mine.

  Gateway tunnel to Tabeto Mine.

The old "Tapak Enjin", Sungai Lembing Mine.

 The old "Tapak Enjin", Sungai Lembing Mine.

The old "Tapak Enjin", Sungai Lembing Mine. 

 The old "Tapak Enjin", Sungai Lembing Mine.

 The old "Tapak Enjin", Sungai Lembing Mine.

FROM THE TIN ROCKS TO THE TIN INGOTS

1. TIN ROCKS

Tin that are mined in Sungai Lembing containing mineral ores such as kasiterit prrimer, iron pyrites, kalporit, arsenoporit, galena, sphalerit, kalbaltit and the mineral manganese. All these samples contain 90% tin ore.

2. TIN ORE

 

The Tin Rocks will be transported to the smelting factor for the further process. It will be washed and separated from the other mineral such as ilmenite, columbinte and monarzite  in the process to improve the quality of the tin. Later the process tin ore will be placed in special bags.

3. TIN INGOTS

Tin powders that have been isolated with variety of minerals had to be melted in a smelting furnace. In thefurnace, tin powder is going through some further refining to produce pure tin. Furthermore, it will beinserted into the mold to form ingots of tin

TOOLS FOR TIN MINING IN GENERAL

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METHODS OF TIN MINING

As mention from previous chapter, Ore or tin mining can be done with various methods depending on the environment and location of the tin.  Perhaps the most popular and efficient methods of tin mining are:

1. Panning
2. Dredger
3. Gravel Pump
4. Open Cast Mine
5. Underground Mining

1. PANNING

 Panning Mining is the oldest method of mining in the world. This method requires the use of trays.  During the process weight the heavier ores or tin will remain in the pan. While the soils and mud will flow together with the water. This method is also used to determine the quality of ore in mining areas.

2. DREDGER

This method had been introduced in Malaysia by the Malayan Tin Dredging Limited in Kinta Valley (Lembah Kinta) in 1913. This method will dredged all the collected soil together with the rocks where the tin ore deposit was embedded. Then it will be place at a high ground. Later the rocks and embedded tin ore with be spray with high pressure of water to broke and loosen the soil and rock (tin ore embedded). The heavier rocks that contain the tin ore then will be channel to a separator where the tin ore minerals were collected.

The advantages of the dredger are it can be operate continuously at the depth of 200 meters below water level. It also can operate about 75, 000 cubic meter of tin ore volume per month.

3. GRAVEL PUMP

 

            This method had been introduced by the Chinese miners and it was the second biggest mining method after Dredger. Historically in 1966 there were around 1000 pumps in Malaysia. In which 400 pumps were found in Perak, and 200 were found in Selangor. Soil containing tin, especially from the edge of the hill or the quarry will be demolished by the high-pressure spray of gravel pumps. An instrument called a "sump" would suck all the broken bits of ground to the box channel. This channel will tilt the box to separate tin ore minerals using gravity separation of care.

 4.  OPEN CAST MINE

At the tin mine, land that consist the tin will be dug and dredged mechanically and broughtto the plant using mechanical methods. Land along the ore will be rinsed with water to allow the heavier tin will remain at the bottom and will be separated with mud and water.
In 1965 there were five of the largest open cast mines in the world located in Kuala Lumpur whichis owned by the Company Sungai Besi Mines Limeted.

5. UNDERGROUND MINING

Underground mining methods require very high expertise and huge capital. Sungai Lembing Mine practices this method because there is high volume of alluvium sediments that containing tin. As all know, the underground mining in the Sungai Lembing have been carried out as early as 1882. And Sungai Lembing underground mine is one of the largest underground mines in the world.

There are 2 tunnels (known as pengkang to the workers) in Sungai Lembing. First is the Myah Tunnel. And another one is Tobeto. The depth of Myah tunnel is 700 meters from the surface of the earth.Mean while the Tobeto Tunnel is 480 meters. The depth between the two tunnels is about 30 meters apart with the total length of the two tunnels is about 322 kilometers.

In general, each tunnel will be constructed manually or by using hydraulic machines and hydraulic water pump. Mean while the usage of explosive `will be use for the area consist of hard rock. Each tunnel will be supported by wooden poles with the thickness of 20cm X 20 cm.

 

PROCESS OF TIN MINING – THE MINERAL EXPLORATION PROCESS

The process of extracting the tin ore from the earth, there are a lots of stage and processes took place. It may take a lot of effort to find the most suitable location for tin mining. Generally the whole process consists of 4 main stages. Including:

1. Mineral Exploration
2. Feasibility Study
3. Mine Development
4. Status of Deposits and Mining Methods
 

1. MINERAL EXPLORATION

 

The first stage of tin mining known as mineral exploration. During this stage, variety of techniques andequipment has been used and developed for the exploration work. Among the techniques is the use ofsatellite images, magnetometer, electro-magnetometer and maps. In addition, all the of science knowledge such as geology, physics, and chemistry were used.  Geologists will use data from maps,photographs, satellite images and examination of soil samples from the drainage works to determine the structure of rocks and tear mineral prospects. Later geochemical will do the soil samples examination to determine evidence of metals and minerals.

2. FEASIBILITY STUDY 

 

Further feasibility studies will be conducted by a geologist, chemist, mining engineers, mineral processing expert, metallurgists, economists and environmental scientists for the evaluation of a mining project. This study is essential before an iron mining company to spend million dollars to open a mining area. It is important to determine the areas that will open it are really a pile of ore. The decision to open a tin mine should be based on:

           • The ability of the entire commercial project
           • The impact on the environment
           • Impact on local people

3. MINE DEVELOPMENT

 

Once a decision to open a mine has been determined, the initial work or planning to open a mine as the purchase of equipment, infrastructure, processing plant construction will be carried out.




4. STATUS OF DEPOSITS AND MINING METHODS

Ore mining process carried out by removing piles of ore reserves regardless of physical condition and the pile of earth ores. It involves the method of excavation, digging, and collecting, transporting, breaking large rocks and keeps the proceeds of ore. Some of the mining process will be conducted on the surface of the ground and below ground. Depends on the ore heap location. For surface mining, open cast mining methods, the use of the dredge and the hydraulic mining will be conducted. Whereas for underground mine, underground mining will be conducted. For underground mining as mining Sungai Lembing, the mining process is quite complicated. In which, some underground tunnel will be established to enable the process to run ore.