The pyrites found by villagers in Pitas. — Borneo Post pic
KOTA KINABALU, Nov 11 — Officers from the Minerals and Geoscience Department Malaysia confirmed the minerals that look like gold found on a hill near a road construction site in Pitas are pyrites.
Its acting director from Sabah office, Webster Wong Vui Chung when contacted by The Borneo Post, said a team from the department went to the site yesterday to check and took some samples to verify.
“Our officer found only pyrites,” he said today.
On November 8, The Borneo Post had reported villagers of Kampung Boluuh in Bongkol, Pitas were believed to have found minerals that looked like gold on a hill near a road construction site.
Several videos were being circulated showing the villagers collected what looked like gold minerals from the hill.
The Borneo Post then contacted Sabah geologist Professor Dr Felix Tongkul and showed him some of the pictures and videos for comment, he said they looked like pyrites.
“It looks like pyrites to me, the so-called ‘fool’s gold’.
“I might be wrong. They should check their interesting findings with the authorities, like the Department of Minerals and Geoscience Malaysia,” he said.
The discovery of minerals has caused a social media frenzy among Sabahans in the past week. — Borneo Post