TANJUNG MALI DROPSTONES GEOSITE

Tanjung Mali is a rocky hill separating Pantai Chenang from Pantai Tengah in the west of Lanakawi. The dropstone phenomenon is a rare event found only in the mudstone of Singa Formation aged Devonian to Permian (370-275 million vears). Dropstone structures are interpreted to occur here when the base of a floating glacier block melted in the sea, releasing pebbles and cobbles onto the muddy lavers of the seafloor. At Bukit Mali, dropstones of various sizes (0.5-60 cm) and forms can be found, comprising pebbles and cobbles of granite, sandstone, mudstone, limestone, marble, schist, chert, quartz and auartzite. The dropstone event is an important record indicating the location of Malaysia near the South Pole at the edge of the Gondwana supercontinent.

In the past, the rocky coast of Tanjung Mali was where residents went fishing, as well as collecting snails and oysters. Now, many of them are involved in beach tourism by opening chalets and conducting water recreation activities. Tanjung Mali is an international geoheritage site due to its high density and diversity of dropstones, the area is under rapid development, and is threatening this important geoheritage. Knowledge on the uniqueness of this natural phenomenon can trigger awareness on the importance of conserving this historical heritage of Malaysian land.