Limestone is formed from small particles of rock or
stone that have been compacted by pressure. It can be formed in two ways, for
instance; by evaporation of water containing particles of calcium carbonate and
the breaking down of shells and bones of marine organisms ("irvmat.com
- Portland Cement", n.d.). Limestone, which is a type of sedimentary
rock, has a light colours such as grey, tan, and white. There are several ways
to distinguish the limestone. Limestone will produce a white powder if it is
scratched with a sharp object, due to its soft stone. It also react with acid
such as vinegar and hydrochloric acid (HCl) to form a bubble and eventually
will neutralize the acid.
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| Varieties of limestone. Chalk (upper left) is a marine limestone consisting of tests of microscopic algae and foraminifera. Tufa (upper right) is a chemical precipitate of calcium carbonate. Fossils are very common in marine calcitic sedimentary rocks. Rocks such as coquina are wholly composed of fossils but so-called normal limestones may be also highly fossiliferous. The sample (lower left) is from the Ordovician. Grainstone is a coarse-grained grain-supported variety that contains almost no limy mud (micrite). |
Limestone forest areas are home to many species of
flora and fauna in Malaysia. Malaysia is blessed with abundant reserve of
limestone and granite rocks resources. In Peninsular Malaysia,
limestone forest areas are estimated at 26,000 ha, mostly concentrated in the
northern states and 50,000 ha in Sabah and Sarawak. According to the Department
of Mineral and Geoscience of Malaysia (JMG), there are some 12,000 million
tonnes of limestone reserves located throughout the states of Perak, Perlis,
Selangor, Kedah, Sarawak, Negeri Sembilan, Sabah, Pahang and Kelantan. Production
of limestone in 2012 is likely to have increased to 36,000,000 tonnes from
21,832,159 tonnes produced in 2011 ("Mineral
Resources - Malaysian Minerals", n.d.).
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Large and pristine limestone karsts in Bau, Sarawak, Malaysia (top), a
half-quarried large karst in the Kinta Valley, Perak, Malaysia.
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Limestone, including limestone forests and
caves are an important resource in Malaysia because to most people, caves are mysterious
places with wondrous objects such as stalactites, stalagmites and whirlpools.
Sometimes the hand of nature had carved these formations into shapes and
object-like bodies which are regarded as sacred to the Buddhist and Hindu
worshippers. As a result, temples were often built in caves and statues of
Buddha and Hindu Deities were placed in them and their surroundings. The
combination of recreational and spiritual pursuits act to draw visitors from
all walks of life to these areas. For instance, Batu Caves in Malaysia is rich
with the diversity of culture and religion. The
Batu Caves attract thousands of Hindu worshipers and visitors each year. This
multi-day Hindu festival commemorates the values of faith, endurance and
penance, and marks a time when Hindus show their appreciation for Lord Murugan.
The main attraction of Batu Caves is the Lord Murugan Statue, which is second
tallest statue of a Hindu deity in the world at the entrance of the caves. In
addition to being a highly revered religious destination, the Batu Caves serve
as a source of inspiration for those less spiritually inclined.
This is my trip to Batu Caves. From my point of view, Batu Caves is a really nice place. A lot of tourists came here to explore the uniqueness of the caves, and also got an opportunity to learn some of the cultures and religion of Hindu.
Basically, the most growing limestone economy in Malaysia is quarrying and eco-tourism. For example, in Batu Caves tourism during Thaipusam presents viable opportunities for local economic development. The domestic tourism of Batu Caves significantly is more dependable because countries with significant domestic and regional tourism industries tend to suffer less from problems such as political instability and security. Domestic tourism can also cushion the impact of low arrival of international tourists during low season. This has been proven in the case of Batu Caves, when the Thaipusam ceremony was celebrated as normal in 1998 even as the country experienced the worse economic and tourism downturn in its history.
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| I got a chance to visit and explore the special uniqueness at Batu Caves! |
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| Limestone hills at Batu Caves, Malaysia. This limestone hills is also serves as one of the most important Hindu temples in Malaysia. |
This is my trip to Batu Caves. From my point of view, Batu Caves is a really nice place. A lot of tourists came here to explore the uniqueness of the caves, and also got an opportunity to learn some of the cultures and religion of Hindu.
Basically, the most growing limestone economy in Malaysia is quarrying and eco-tourism. For example, in Batu Caves tourism during Thaipusam presents viable opportunities for local economic development. The domestic tourism of Batu Caves significantly is more dependable because countries with significant domestic and regional tourism industries tend to suffer less from problems such as political instability and security. Domestic tourism can also cushion the impact of low arrival of international tourists during low season. This has been proven in the case of Batu Caves, when the Thaipusam ceremony was celebrated as normal in 1998 even as the country experienced the worse economic and tourism downturn in its history.
In terms of quarrying
economy in Malaysia, there are two main types of quarries in Malaysia which are
limestone and granite quarries. The output value of the mining and quarrying
sector increased by 1.4% compared with a decrease by 5.7% in 2011, reflecting
an increase in production of crude oil and condensate (Tse,
2012). Limestone is used as raw material for cement, lime and in the
manufacturing of paper, paint, plastic, rubber and glass. Limestone and granite
are also used to produce aggregates, dimension stones and ornamental stones.
The demand for these natural resources is projected to increase in tandem with
the economic development of Malaysia, which aspires to attain developed status
in the year 2020 (Wan Ibrahim, n.d.).
However, the quarrying economy has also bring some pros and cons towards limestone, especially when considering the social and health issues. The advantage of limestone quarrying is to provide employment opportunities that support the local economy in towns around the quarry. On the other hand, the disadvantages of limestone quarries such as it is visible from long distances and may permanently disfigure the local environment. Quarrying is also a heavy industry that creates pollution from noise, dust and heavy traffic, which damages people's quality of life ("BBC - GCSE Bitesize: Quarrying", n.d.). Limestone quarrying can cause adverse effects especially to the wildlife habitats of flora and fauna as well as the valuable agricultural land is also taken away. So, since limestone had been used for quarrying industry as the main economy of mining in Malaysia, it can be argued that this non-renewable resource is unsustainable.
However, the quarrying economy has also bring some pros and cons towards limestone, especially when considering the social and health issues. The advantage of limestone quarrying is to provide employment opportunities that support the local economy in towns around the quarry. On the other hand, the disadvantages of limestone quarries such as it is visible from long distances and may permanently disfigure the local environment. Quarrying is also a heavy industry that creates pollution from noise, dust and heavy traffic, which damages people's quality of life ("BBC - GCSE Bitesize: Quarrying", n.d.). Limestone quarrying can cause adverse effects especially to the wildlife habitats of flora and fauna as well as the valuable agricultural land is also taken away. So, since limestone had been used for quarrying industry as the main economy of mining in Malaysia, it can be argued that this non-renewable resource is unsustainable.
The importance of limestone resources
had changed through time. Some limestones have been
changed by the introduction of magnesium in groundwater. Magnesium in
groundwater may convert some or all of the calcite in the limestone to dolomite. There are also some problems and deterioration that happened to the
limestone that makes this resources had changed through time. For example,
weathering, staining, crumbling, chipping, cracking, detachment, efflorescence,
and erosion may occurred to the limestone as a result of natural or inherent
problems ("Limestone: Characteristics, Uses and Problems",
2012).
Moreover, there is a particular region or people in Malaysia that are associated with limestone resource. In Kedah and Perlis, due to the demands for crystals from crystal shops and mineral collectors, people have been removing the crystals from caves. This is an increasing problem as locals see it as a way to make money and indiscriminately take crystals from caves. For example, Mount Keriang in Kedah is one of the famous hotspot for people collecting and buying crystals for decoration purposes and they also believe the stones are symbols of luck and fortune ("Threats to Caves and Hills", n.d.).
References
BBC - GCSE Bitesize: Quarrying. Bbc.co.uk.
Retrieved 12 April 2016, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/edexcel/materials_from_earth/calcium_carbonaterev2.shtml
irvmat.com - Portland Cement. Irvmat.com.
Retrieved 12 April 2016, from https://www.irvmat.com/kids/whatIsLimestone.htm
Limestone: Characteristics, Uses and
Problems. (2012). General
Services Administration.
Retrieved 12 April 2016, from http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/111930
Mineral Resources - Malaysian
Minerals. Malaysianminerals.com.
Retrieved 12 April 2016, from http://malaysianminerals.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21&Itemid=45
Wan Ibrahim,
W. Towards a Sustainable Quarry
Industry in Malaysia.
UniMAP Library
Digital Repository. Retrieved 12 April 2016, from http://dspace.unimap.edu.my/dspace/bitstream/123456789/14622/1/feature%20sustain%20quarry%203p.pdf
Threats to Caves and Hills. Cavesofmalaysia.com.
Retrieved 12 April 2016, from http://www.cavesofmalaysia.com/photopage8.htm
Tse, P.
(2012). The Mineral Industry of
Malaysia. USGS Mineral
Resources Program.
Retrieved 12 April 2016, from http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/country/2012/myb32012-my.pdf
