All the fuss over gold in Kampung Melayu seems to be for nothing after experts revealed that the glittering stones there were worthless. Associate Professor Dr Md Radzuan Junin, head of the Geology Department of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s Faculty of Petroleum Engineering and Renewable Energy, said the glittering stones had always been mistaken for gold.
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| People digging for ‘gold’ on a road at Jalan Mewah, Kampung Melayu in Johor Baru. — ABDUL RAHMAN EMBONG / The Star |
“However, based on my experience, the shiny stones are known as ‘fool’s gold’, which glow in the dark and shine under the sunlight due to its iron sulphide or pyrite content,” he said yesterday.
To geologists, the mineral we are very familiar with the name of pyrite. In fact, many pyrites are found during the course of field trips among the Curtin Geology students. In times like this, we really need geologists to make sure we are not one of the fools. It is obvious that there is no Curtin Geology students in the village to explain to them that it is not gold, otherwise why would they keep digging for 'gold'? Hours of observing pyrite in the lab is worth something after all!-iGeology
