Kelantan government approves gold panning in Tanah Merah and Jeli districts with licensing scheme to ensure safety and legal compliance
KOTA BHARU: The Kelantan government has identified Tanah Merah and Jeli as districts with potential for gold panning activities.
Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Mohamed Fadzli Hassan said relevant officers have been instructed to review licensing, safety and legal aspects before approving any mining operations.
He confirmed the state government will ensure designated gold panning areas are not within prohibited zones and do not pose safety risks to miners.
“We know some people are already involved in this activity, so the state government is taking responsibility to regulate and facilitate it to ensure it is done legally,” he told reporters after the Kelantan State Legislative Assembly sitting at Kompleks Kota Darulnaim.
Mohamed Fadzli said details of the licensing process will be announced later as officers draft guidelines and conditions for gold panning.
The state government yesterday announced residents would be allowed to conduct gold panning under a conditional licensing scheme.
Gold panning involves extracting gold from river sediment using shallow pans, a traditional method practiced in the region. – Bernama
