KANGAR: The Perlis government is in the process of formulating a State Mineral Policy, intended to guide and regulate mining activities within the state, Menteri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli announced. The policy aims to align with the National Mineral Policy, which received approval at the recent National Mineral Council meeting.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohd Shukri emphasized the significance of Perlis’s dolomite resources, which are considered among the best. However, currently, the mineral is only extracted in raw form without processing into value-added downstream products. The state government is working on enhancing the existing policy to maximize the economic returns from these mineral resources.
In his address during the State Legislative Assembly’s budget debate, Mohd Shukri revealed that market studies conducted by the Land and Mines Office with various stakeholders have led to the development of comprehensive guidelines for dolomite concession holders. These guidelines are intended to foster
a downstream industry based on dolomite, requiring concession holders to produce not only raw dolomite but also processed products.
To date, nine applications for exploration and seven for mining have been assessed, but only five have shown potential for producing high-value downstream products like pure magnesium ingots and magnesium refractory bricks. Mohd Shukri highlighted that 11 applications are focused on producing raw and semi-raw materials with fertilizer as a downstream product, prompting the state government to exercise caution in granting concessions to ensure economic benefits.
Additionally, Mohd Shukri announced the creation of the Perlisku Bestari Strategic Institute. This institute, comprising scholars and strategic thinkers, will oversee the implementation of 20 initiatives outlined in the 2025 State Budget under the theme ‘Perlisku Bestari Berkat Lestari.’ The establishment of the institute aims to ensure these initiatives are executed effectively and align with the aspirations of the Perl
is populace.