Record prices are leading to a gold rush in Malaysia’s national parks

Murray Hunter


Record prices are leading to a gold rush in Malaysia’s national parks


Jun 26, 2025





With the price of gold reaching an all time high in Malaysia, there is a rush of prospectors to the rich quartz areas running creeks and streams running through national parks. Prices on June 26 for 999.9 gold are RM 463.23 per gram. A long day with a shovel and pan to clean out the dirt and pebbles might may yield a couple of grams. Alluvial gold in these creek beds and streams is usually 85-85 percent pure.

The most popular places for alluvial gold mining are Bentong and Raub in Pahang, not too far from Kuala Lumpur. There are also rich alluvial areas in Tanah Merah, Gua Musang, Jeli and Kampong Krai in Kelantan. Wang Kelian is another area, where massive granite hills came out of the crust around 200 million years ago. There is a gold belt known by geologists running from Kelantan down through Terengganu and Pahang. These occur around hilly and rocky areas, where the Earth’s crust has collied with magma, where gold deposits were carried and settled. There are a number of established gold mines cutting in the hills through open cut mining and extracting gold deposits.



The larger miners dig holes along the banks of the creek and pan the dirt, while other just pan for the alluvial gold from soil and rocks in the creek or streams themselves. Miners in the area must keep very discreet so park rangers don’t disturb them.

There are rumours the state government may grant a massive concession for a gold mining company in Gua Musang. The project is reportedly the around 450 Ha in size. Open cut mining would destroy much of the forest and disturb the habitat for tigers. Such concessions will be greatly beneficial for corporations, but will takeaway opportunities for freelance minors. Mining companies are now moving in to obtain concessions.

Gold panning kits can be purchased online for less than RM 100.

In the meantime, there are great opportunities for freelance miners who know the national parks and streams flowing from them to get in and mine the stream areas. Some are taking this opportunity. Some strike it big in finding nuggets weighing 40-150 grams, in addition to the alluvial gold they find.

A great location to prospect for gold

Some people are taking up the opportunity, working the creek banks in a nomadic manner to evade detection.