MASTER’S IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

ENV 703 ENVIRONMENTAL

EPIDEMIOLOGY
ASSIGNMENT 2
Case Study – Bauxite in Kuantan, Malaysia
LECTURER: DR. ALIA AZMI

NAME ID MATRICS

HIDAYAH BINTI ABDULLAH 2021835834

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1. CASE STUDY AREA

1.1 Bauxite Mining in Malaysia.

The Malaysian mining industry is expected to remain as it is driven by

continued demand for mineral supplies at the national and global levels. Bauxite

mining is not a new economic activity for Malaysia. According to the Department of

Minerals and Geosciences Malaysia (2010), bauxite mining has occurred in the state

of Johor since the beginning of 2000. Meanwhile, bauxite production in Malaysia

amounted to approximately 594.7 thousand metric tons in 2020. In comparison,

Malaysia produced about 124.3 thousand tons bauxite in 2010 (World Bureau of

Metals Statistics, 2021).

In Malaysia, bauxite resources are mainly located in Bukit Batu, Bukit

Gebong, Lundu-Sematan, and Tanjung Seberang in Sarawak, Bukit Mengkabau and

Labuk Valley in Sabah, Sungai Rengit and Teluk Ramunia in Johor, and Bukit Goh in

Kuantan, Pahang. Bauxite mining in Kuantan started in early 2013 with small-scale

mining in Balok and later expanded to Bukit Goh, Bukit Sagu and Sungai Karang.

The rapid growth of bauxite mining activity, from 343,000 tonnes to 3.72

million tonnes from January to September 2015, coupled with legal and uncontrolled

mining activities has resulted in environmental disasters. As a result, the government

has imposed a three-month moratorium on all activities there on 15 January 2016

(Abdullah et al. 2016). However, the moratorium has been extended several times

with the current period ending on 31 December 2017 (until June 2017).

Bauxite mining activities in Kuantan have been linked to significant

environmental quality deterioration and have raised environmental concerns among

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 the public. In contrast to the mining operation in Teluk Ramunia Johor which has

been operating for over 15 years without much controversy, bauxite mining in

Kuantan has created a different scenario in a short period of time. Extensive and

aggressive mining including transporting and dumping incoming bauxite in large

quantities caused environmental problems in a short period of time and caused public

outrage (Kusin et al. 2017).

Figure 1: Mining areas in the state of Pahang: (b)sampling locations in Bukit Goh, and (c)

Kuantan Port (kusin et al. 2017).

2. CASE TIMELINE

Beginning from 2013, the government began to start small-scale bauxite mining in

the area of Balok before being expanded into Goh Hill, Sagu Hill and Karang River (Snah

et al. 2017). With neighbouring Indonesia moved out from their long-time bauxite mining

industry to be replaced by domestic metal processing industry with an immediate ban

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being enforced on the mineral mining in early 2014, this subsequently causing the

shortage of worldwide supply particularly to China.

The Malaysian state of Pahang which has deposits on the minerals taking the

opportunity to fill in the demands with the involvement of many unscrupulous parties

with unregulated mining methods. Following Malaysia's participation in the markets,

their annual output of bauxite subsequently increased from over 200,000 tonnes in 2013

to nearly 20 million tonnes in 2015, becoming the world's top producer which accounting

for nearly half of the supply to China's massive aluminium industry (ASM, 2019).

In July 2015, the Pahang state government revoked the licences of 34 contractors

to curb rampant bauxite mining in the area due to increasing concerns over pollution

caused by the activity with only 11 operators would be allowed to operate. With the

growing impacts to environment, the Cabinet of Malaysia decided to suspend the

activities until regulations, licensing and environmental protection can be put in place

(Kusin et al. 2017).

In 2017, the Malaysian government through their Environment Ministry are in the

position to extend its moratorium on the mining for another three months or more as there

is still runoff from bauxite stockpiles near a port that contaminating the country coastal

waters. An estimate of RM10 million tonnes of bauxite stockpile had been seized earlier

by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) at Goh Hill and Kuantan Port with a

probe will be facilitated for the unlawful bauxite-mining since the activities were also

involving a senior state Customs enforcement officer, 10 state Land and Mines Office

(PTG) enforcement officers and a PTG general assistant who has been arrested (Lee et al.

2017)

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 Further in 2019, the Land and Natural Resources Ministry stated that the mining

activities can only resume if every parties involved are prepared to carry out and enforce

the standard operating procedure (SOP) for mining and exporting bauxite in Pahang.

3. DISEASE/DISORDER AETIOLOGY

Bauxite is the main ore of aluminum (Al2O3), a precursor of aluminium

production. Bauxite is not a mineral. It is a rock composed primarily of minerals

containing aluminum. It is formed when lateritic soils are severely dissolved from

silica and other soluble materials in wet tropical or subtropical climates. The chemical

formula of bauxite is Al2O3.2H2O.

Bauxite has red-brown colour and is a natural heterogeneous substance;

comprising aluminium hydroxide (gibbsite, boehmite and diaspore). Other

compounds are hematite, goethite, quartz, rutile/anatase, and kaolinite with few

impurities (Qureshi et. al, 2017). Trace elements comprise arsenic, beryllium,

cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel with natural radioactive

substances (uranium and thorium). However, these substances can still be found in

bauxite residue after alumina extraction.

Bauxite in Kuantan area is formed from basalt. The area in Kuantan including

Bukit Goh (an area which is heavily mined for bauxite) occupied by basalt is about

18,000 ha (Paramananthan 2000). The basalt in Kuantan area is composed of 12–13

% Al2O3, 3–6 % Fe2O3, 7–8 % FeO, 1–2 % TiO 2, 0.02 % Cr2O3, and 0.01 % NiO

(Kusin et al., 2017). The materials having the ore contain minerals which could be

similar to those occurring above it—the soil of Kuantan Series contains gibbsite

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 [Al(OH)3] mixed with goethite (FeOOH), hematite (Fe 2O3), and kaolin. The red

coloration of the bauxite in Kuantan is due to the presence of mineral hematite.

Bauxite is mainly extracted through open cast methods. During the process,

the topsoil and overburden layer will first be removed prior to bauxite extraction.

Most of the barren vegetation mine soils are left unrecovered causing the effects of

dust to be worse especially during the dry and hot seasons. Illegal bauxite washing is

carried out in the open near the river resulting in bauxite leaching flowing back

inwards the river that gives rise to the ‘red river’.

Uncontrolled water extraction contains heavy metals high above the safe level

must treated before being returned to the river system. After washing, the bauxite ore

is transported to Gebeng Industrial Area for stored before being shipped to China via

Kuantan Port. Due to lack of space in Kuantan Ports, the number of storage has grown

rapidly. When heavy rains, landslides or floods may occur, resulting in bauxite

residue flowing into the river system.

These stockpiles are not covered and exposed to wind action generating

windblown dust and erosion from heavy rainfall. Bauxite ore is transported from the

mining site to Kuantan Port by lorries using unpaved roads to exit to normal public

roads and through residential areas especially Felda Bukit Goh, SAS City, Semambu,

Damansara Housing, Batu Hitam Village, Sungai Karang and Jabor (Snah et al.,

2017).

4. Causal Association Discussion

Lack of Governance

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To understand where the non-compliance occurs, it is best to understand the chain of bauxite
handling activities, which are as follows:
Pre-Mining
 illegal mining failed to eradicate
 there were no proper criteria on who can apply for a bauxite mining license, no
requirements for those granted a license to furnish technical reports, and the absence
of an open tender
Mining operation
 Missing or abuse of transit documents
 Minimized mineral transactions caused the occurrence of purchase/sale of ore from
non-sources tenement by using Mineral Ore License (MOL)
 Irregular stockpile management effective cause of dust contamination and water in the
surrounding area the absence of a Mining Scheme or non-compliance to the schemes
to cause waste management including the discharge of irregular effluents on the site
dredging
Post Mining
 Illegal and undirected transport causing spills of lorries and resulting dust pollution
and dirt on the road
 Special AP Expenditure for the purpose of disposing of stockpile ineffective and open
space to dumping ore obtained illegally for export

Source of Governance Failure

What can be translated through the above issues, noncompliance and integrity are the main
sources of governance failure.

Not updating the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

Standard Operating procedure (SOP) important element in ensuring the activity or work
process meet the objectives set by the organization. Elements such as update act/law,
procedures, or policies should implement in the SOP to ensure the sustainability of each
activity does not conflict with the original goal. Through the observation of the bauxite
activity, there are conflicts with the SOP of each government agency involved in managing
bauxite activities start from the application for approval of the mining license until the post-
mining. Not denying the act has been established, but the question is it relevant with the

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current bauxite operation? What about policies and procedures, is it updated according to the
suitability of the activity? This factor contributes to failure in updating SOP to meet current
activity. When the SOP is not fully packed, it will contribute to the failure of the employee's
assessment in ensuring the validity of the bauxite activity. The multiplication of applications
for bauxite mining activities adds to the pressure and failure to comply with the SOPs
provided by the organization. Not surprisingly, we can see that non-compliance issues can
occur that cause damage that negatively impacts the industry. Awareness and training not
given by the organization to the staff contribute to the failure staff acted and not clear their
functionality.

Lack of enforcement and monitoring

Enforcement and weak monitoring contribute to the main factor of failure control in illegal
mining activity. A weakness shows that increase of the illegal mining uncontrol. It is unclear
why this is happening. Among the possibilities for this failure is that there is no clear
guideline and policy for enforcement authorities to take action against illegal miners.
Increased dramatic mining openings made it harder for authorities to take action more
effectively. There is also a cooperation between license miners with illegal miners making it
more difficult for enforcement. It added illegal miners using the power of influence with
stakeholders to free themselves from the grip of enforcement.

Lack of communication between government agencies

Communication is an important element in ensuring process and understanding in performing
the process follow the procedure and policies. Bauxite industry involved several government
agencies where every agency plays its role in ensuring the activity in under control. The
question is how communication between every agency to do monitoring and enforcement.
The failure of this communication led to misunderstandings among agencies in enforcing
more effective enforcement and observations. As an example, stockpile management involves
several agencies in ensuring that miners comply with the procedure and policies. The
question is how the miner's failure in complies regulation and standard given in manage the
stockpile where the failure cause to the serious pollution even though it is under the control of
several agencies involved. The conflict also arises in between officer from different agencies
in communicating when overcoming the issue.

Lack of officer contribute to the integrity issue

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MACC reported Nine Pahang Land and Mines Office (PTG) assistant enforcement officers
were ordered to be remanded seven days to facilitate a probe into alleged graft linked to
illegal bauxite mining in the state. The men, aged between 29 and 59, were suspected of
having received bribes in order to shield bauxite miners who had contravened the existing
moratorium on mining the lucrative mineral in the state. Among others involved is Customs
officer whereas reported he was remanded to facilitate a probe into him allegedly receiving
kickbacks to ignore the shipment of bauxite that was brought by miners to Kuantan Port to be
exported overseas. Why has it happened? What are the factors that have contributed to the
Integrity issue.? The factor that has led to corruption are:
 The Opportunity that is considered open wide when both parties work together to
meet their requirements with risking corrupt practices as a way of making the best of
every one of them, respectively.
 The weakness of personality is a difficult problem dealt with, causing themselves to
be involved in the practice of corruption. Individual weakness affects the value of
itself. The result from the lack of appreciation of true values in carrying out their
duties, the greediness and greed, the desire to live luxuriously and to boast, wanting to
be fast rich and selfish is the driving force of corruption.
 Inadequate procedures, regulations, and weaknesses in the implementation system
solely, may cause a department exposed to treatment such as bribery, abuse, and
abuse of power by officers and staff.
 The problem of the rising cost of living and income or salary received is not worth it
with a challenging current economic environment especially for them living in urban
areas that require tremendous financial resources accommodating the cost of living.
This problem caused some parties to be compelled to take the easy way by doing
corrupt practices.

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 REFERENCES

1. Minerals and Geoscience Department Malaysia. Malaysian Minerals Yearbook 2010.

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%2FMalaysian+Minerals+Yearbook%2Fmmy_2010.pdf.

2. Abdullah, N. H., Mohamed, N., Sulaiman, L. H., Zakaria, T. A., & Rahim, D. A.

(2016). Potential health impacts of bauxite mining in Kuantan. The Malaysian journal

of medical sciences: MJMS, 23(3), 1.

3. Kusin, F. M., Abd Rahman, M. S., Madzin, Z., Jusop, S., Mohamat-Yusuff, F., &

Ariffin, M. (2017). The occurrence and potential ecological risk assessment of bauxite

mine-impacted water and sediments in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. Environmental

Science and Pollution Research, 24(2), 1306-1321.

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Study for Bauxite Mining in Pahang. Academy of Sciences, Malaysia. Swannack,

Jervis D.,(1969), Big Juniper House, Mesa Verde National Park-Colorado, 7.

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5. ASM "Sustainable Mining: Case Study for Bauxite Mining in Pahang". issuu. 19

December 2017. Retrieved 2 September 2019.

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Academy of Sciences Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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