Removing crystals from Malaysian caves

Several caves in Peninsular Malaysia are being plundered due to removal of crystals. I have written about this on my website.

Immediately after the Perlis caving expedition in 2010, I spent a day in the Ipoh area to look at a new cave revealed by a quarry company when they were clearing vegetation. This cave, Gua Chichibu, was not very exciting, but it is a new one for the records.

After that I saw a sign to Crystal Cave, a cave which was new to me.  

Gua Crystal on the south end of Gunung Rapat is accessed by driving through a quarry area and past huge blocks of marble.

Cars can go into the cave and are actually parked inside the main chamber

The cave is obviously named from the crystals found inside, and it was really sad to see that the owner/caretaker is digging out these crystals, and selling them in the temple.  I hope it's not a case of killing the golden goose!

Altars in the main chamber.

Natural staining on the walls

The temple was set up around 2000. But the cave was used as a short cut tunnel in the 1960s, as lorries used to drive through the cave from the iron mines inside the wang. However a rockfall in the 1970s blocked the tunnel.

Bell holes in the roof

I just hope that if the supply of crystals in this cave runs out that the caretaker doesn't turn to other caves to find and remove more crystals. Unfortunately I didn't take any photos of where the crystals are being removed.

Entry from main road.
--------

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission

3 comments:

1. 
   Yeshe Liew15 August 2010 18:05

   Where do think they get the money from, otherwise, to built the temple. Of course it sounds good on the surface of conservation and or scientific reserch. But remember that many a wolf are wearing sheeps' colthings.

   ReplyDelete
2. 
   Liz Price16 August 2010 10:25

   The sad thing is more and more caves are being vandalised for crystals. The problem is particularly bad in Kedah, but now there are several temples in Ipoh area selling crystals.

   ReplyDelete
3. 
   Yeshe Liew16 August 2010 21:01

   and why do the authority keeping an eye close not only in crystal and more glaring one like timber and etc. we have good wood but can only buy rubber wood furniture. a curtain rod made of rubber wood costs about rm100-200 !!!

   ReplyDelete