Silica Valley in Terengganu
State project expected to attract Rm1.2bil in investment
KUALA TERENGGANU: The state will be home to the world’s first Silica Valley with the launch of the silica project helmed by TRG Industrial Minerals Sdn Bhd (TIM).
Sultan of Terengganu Sultanmizan Zainal Abidin launched the project, which would cover a total of 1,800ha of silica deposits in Setiu and Marang located within the East Coast Economic Region (ECER).
The project will be developed by TIM Consortium, which is a joint collaboration between TIM and companies from Japan, India and France.
TIM chairman Datuk Seri Tengku Baharuddin Sultan Mahmud AlMuktafi Billah Shah said the consortium would invest between Rm350mil and Rm400mil within the next five years to develop valueadded and downstream industries in the Silica Valley.
“The Silica Valley is expected to attract up to Us$400mil (Rm1.2bil) in local and foreign investment.
“The first phase will commence in the middle of this year while the second will start in the second quarter of next year,” he said in his speech during the launch yesterday.
Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said said the project would position Terengganu as the centre for silica industries in malaysia and South-east Asia.
“The project is expected to generate more than 1,000 jobs and create entrepreneurship opportunities for local residents and spur development in the surrounding areas,” he said.
Ahmad said the state was home to the largest silica sand reserve in the country and South-east Asia, with more than 80 million tonnes of high grade silica deposits.
“The largest silica processing plant in South-east Asia, which is expected to be built by TIM Consortium in Setiu, is also in the pipeline,” he said, adding that the plant would have an estimated production capacity of 800,000 metric tonnes per year.