Paroi: Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) Jeli Campus is cementing its reputation as a centre of excellence in gold and rare earth element (REE) research with the launch of a specialised laboratory offering gold purity and mineral content analysis for the mining sector. Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Arham Abdullah said that developing expertise in the field, particularly at the Jeli Campus, was in line with the current needs of the mining industry and supported the state's development policies.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Arham mentioned that although UMK had yet to fully realise its role as a gold reference centre, the development of a fully equipped gold laboratory in Jeli was considered a key step forward. The laboratory allows for gold purity tests and provides soil sample analysis to determine gold content. Miners and mining operators can send in gold or soil samples to have their gold content and purity tested.

Arham stated that the laboratory had been operational since 2022 and was already in use, although a few pieces of equipment, mainly for gold testing, were still pending completion. Commenting on the industry's response, he said that many samples had been received from miners in Kelantan, as well as from other states, including Pahang and Perak.

In the past two years, several samples had also been submitted by enforcement agencies, including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and parties from Kedah, for REE content verification. Arham noted that the university's expertise in REE, especially at its Jeli campus, had enhanced its role in the research and analysis of rare earth elements.

Arham added that funds channelled to UMK through collaboration with Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah and strategic partners had helped strengthen the university's capabilities in the field. This funding reflects the recognition received by UMK as a key reference for REE technology in Malaysia.

Additionally, Arham emphasized that UMK had strengthened international collaboration through the establishment of a centre of excellence for gold and REE, which received RM15 million in funding from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI). The collaboration with multiple countries, including China, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Korea, and Japan, aims to advance rare earth element processing and separation technology, one of the university's key areas of expertise.