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Geological Features for Geotourism in Sabah and Labuan |
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The diverse geological features of Sabah and Labuan not only possess physical values (e.g. minerals, petroleum, construction materials, fertile soils) but also possess cultural values (e.g. aesthetic, scientific, educational, social). These cultural values, like those possessed by Mt. Kinabalu, can become an important asset for the ecotourism industry. To date, most of the geological features in Sabah and Labuan have not been systematically documented and evaluated for their intrinsic resources. A survey of interesting
geological sites throughout Sabah and Labuan has identified at least 39
sites or geotopes possessing high scientific values. These
geological
sites comprise of different rock types (e.g. pillow basalt, sandstone,
limestone, mudstone, tuff); fossils (e.g. petrified wood, coral, foraminifera);
sedimentary structures (e.g. channel, cross-bedding, flute); tectonic structures
(fold, thrust fault, normal fault, duplex); and landscapes (e.g. volcanic
cone, mud volcano, syncline valley, gorge, waterfall, coastline, pool,
cliff, karst, cave). Preliminary evaluation of these 39 sites has identified
at least 8 sites that could potentially be gazetted as geological heritage
sites based on their unique characteristics. Further detailed studies will
need to be carried out to determine how best these sites could be developed
for geotourism activities.
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