KOTA KINABALU: The Bukit Mantri gold mine in Tawau, Sabah, has reaffirmed its position as a key contributor to Malaysia’s mining sector, producing between 60–70 kilograms of gold doré bars each month.
The mine is operated by Wullersdorf Resources Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of AuMAS Resources Bhd, the only fully integrated gold mining and production company listed on Bursa Malaysia.
With a workforce of around 350 local employees, the mine continues to play a significant role in both the state and national economy.
A Storied Legacy
Gold was first discovered at Bukit Mantri in the late 19th century, attracting Chinese prospectors to the Tawau River basin.
The first commercial venture was established in the early 1900s under Borneo Gold Mines Limited, a British-registered company that operated under concession.
Mining was carried out through both open-cast and tunnel (adit) methods, with ores processed using stamping mills and gold extracted through mercury amalgamation.
Although it never matched the output of the Silipopom Coal Mine, Bukit Mantri was regarded as a vital economic activity under the British North Borneo Chartered Company.
During the Japanese occupation (1942–1945), production was intensified under brutal conditions using forced labour, including Australian and British prisoners of war, alongside local workers, Chinese migrants, and Indonesians.
Following the Second World War, the mine was abandoned as challenging terrain and low gold prices made operations uneconomical. In the decades that followed, only small-scale and illegal prospecting sporadically revived activity in the area.
Modern Revival
Renewed interest emerged between 1986 and 1991, and again from 2005 to 2008, when Hock Wah Corporation, a Sarawak-based conglomerate, partnered with German and Australian firms to conduct geophysical surveys and exploratory drilling.
The real breakthrough came between 2013 and 2015, when Southsea Gold Sdn Bhd, working with an Australian mining consultant, confirmed economically viable resources. This set the foundation for Bukit Mantri’s transformation into a modern commercial mining site.
Today’s Outlook
With global gold prices maintaining strength, Bukit Mantri’s stable output enhances AuMAS Resources Bhd’s positioning on Bursa Malaysia, highlighting the mine’s long-term value proposition.
The combination of historical significance, modern mining technology, and strategic corporate ownership positions Bukit Mantri as a cornerstone of Sabah’s natural resource sector.
