Tour of Pahang - Sg. Lembing Old Mines

In Sunagi Lembing, practically everyone I spoke to in their 40s and 50s told me that at some point in their lives, they had worked in the underground mines of Sungai Lembing.

Since the mines opened in 1886, Sungai Lembing attracted wave after wave of Chinese migrants from southern China, all in search of a better future. My grandfather, born in 1882, was among them. He arrived as a young man, most likely in the early 1900s. Driven by the hardships back home, he left behind his young wife and children in China and journeyed thousands of miles to what was then known as a land of opportunity. Like many others, he likely intended to return home once he had saved enough money. However, for reasons unknown, he eventually left Sungai Lembing and moved to North Borneo. There, he married a local native woman, started a new family, and never returned to China.

At its peak, the Sungai Lembing underground mine was considered one of the largest and deepest tin mines in the world. Its tunnel network stretched an astonishing 322 km, reaching depths of up to 700 m - far deeper than the height of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, which stand at 450 meters.

Mining operations at Sungai Lembing finally ceased in 1987, when the cost of extracting tin at such depths became no longer economically viable.

Today, the Pahang state government has taken over the site and transformed it into a heritage tourism destination. The tunnels that are now open to tourists are part of the original mining network, though they have been carefully refurbished to ensure visitor safety. Notable upgrades include concrete guniting along the tunnel walls and soil nailing to stabilize the structure and prevent potential collapses.

Brief history of the mine.

Left: School children learning geography and geology on site. Right: Entrance to the mines.

Inside one of the tunnels. Note the protruding soil nails

Some of the tunnels were fenced to prevent people from entering

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Beside the old mining shafts, there are numerous other tunnels scattered throughout the area. Even the hotel where we stayed had a tunnel that was easily accessible. According to the hotel staff, people still venture into it in search of rare mineral stones to sell. 

Interestingly, through conversations with local residents, we learned that small-scale mining activities are still taking place today. These efforts are carried out by individuals hoping to earn a modest income from selling tin ore. It’s mostly done on an ad-hoc basis using simple hand tools. 

Some gold was also discovered among the tin deposits. Our guide shared a remarkable true story about a Bangladeshi worker who had been hired to help build a bridge. While digging to place wooden stakes into the ground, he struck some rocks. Curious, he dug further, working around the obstruction - and to his amazement, uncovered a rich vein of tin, within which was a large chunk of gold! The discovery created quite a buzz among the workers. The Bangladeshi, however, quietly resigned and promptly left Sungai Lembing.

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Remnants of former mineral processing facilities still line the roadside, just a short walk from the town centre.