Brooketon Colliery
Encyclopedia
Brooketon Colliery was one of the underground coal mines in Brunei
. It is no longer in production and has reverted to its natural state (i.e. overgrown with secondary forest).
. It is located to the north of the roundabout where Jalan Muara meets the Muara Tutong Highway about one and a half miles away from Muara Town centre
.
was first reported in Brunei Darussalam near Muara
as early as 1837. in Serai Pimping. The Muara coalmine was first mined commercially in 1883, when William Cowie was given the concession rights to mine the coal in exchange for $1,200 per year. However, Cowie later sold his rights to Rajah
Charles Brooke and the Rajah renamed the mine
Brooketon (Brooke Town). Between 1889 to 1924, it was operated by the Sarawak
government of Rajah Charles Brooke. Annual export
s of coal varied between 10,000 to 25,000 ton
s annually and in those 33 years of operation, more than 650,000 tons were exported. At first it was opencast
until it became harder and underground mining was introduced.
Brooketon Colliery was strategic as it was very near to Muara where then and now there is a safe deep-water anchorage to which the mine was connected via rail. During the time the mine was in operation, there was a wooden rail line that connected Brooketon which is about one and a half mile away from Muara. The rail line is no longer in place.
Politically too, even though he only had economic rights, Brooke became the de facto ruler of the area. The mine employed hundreds of miners and that required him to introduce a police force, post office and roads transforming Muara into an extraterritorial settlement an extension of Sarawak
. It was not until 1921 that Muara was "returned" to Brunei
.
It closed down in 1924 because of heavy financial losses caused by continuously decreasing coal prices in the world economic recession.
.
The Museums Department of Brunei wanted to turn the historical 62 hectares coal mine as an open site museum
to promote the country's eco-tourism. It is currently already a protected site under the Antiquities and Treasure Trove Act of Brunei Darussalam.
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
. It is no longer in production and has reverted to its natural state (i.e. overgrown with secondary forest).
Location
The Brooketon Colliery is located in SerasaSerasa, Brunei-Muara
Serasa is a mukim in the Brunei-Muara district of Brunei. It is the easternmost and northernmost mukim in the Brunei-Muara district. It contains the largest port in the country - Muara Port...
. It is located to the north of the roundabout where Jalan Muara meets the Muara Tutong Highway about one and a half miles away from Muara Town centre
Muara, Brunei
Muara is a town in the Brunei and Muara district, Brunei. It contains the country's only deep-water port. Muara is the Malay word for estuary.-Location:...
.
History
CoalCoal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
was first reported in Brunei Darussalam near Muara
Muara, Brunei
Muara is a town in the Brunei and Muara district, Brunei. It contains the country's only deep-water port. Muara is the Malay word for estuary.-Location:...
as early as 1837. in Serai Pimping. The Muara coalmine was first mined commercially in 1883, when William Cowie was given the concession rights to mine the coal in exchange for $1,200 per year. However, Cowie later sold his rights to Rajah
White Rajahs
White Rajahs refers to a dynasty that founded and ruled the Kingdom of Sarawak from 1841 to 1946, namely the Brookes, who came originally from England. A Rajah is a monarch in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.-Rulers:...
Charles Brooke and the Rajah renamed the mine
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
Brooketon (Brooke Town). Between 1889 to 1924, it was operated by the Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
government of Rajah Charles Brooke. Annual export
Export
The term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...
s of coal varied between 10,000 to 25,000 ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
s annually and in those 33 years of operation, more than 650,000 tons were exported. At first it was opencast
Open-pit mining
Open-pit mining or opencast mining refers to a method of extracting rock or minerals from the earth by their removal from an open pit or borrow....
until it became harder and underground mining was introduced.
Brooketon Colliery was strategic as it was very near to Muara where then and now there is a safe deep-water anchorage to which the mine was connected via rail. During the time the mine was in operation, there was a wooden rail line that connected Brooketon which is about one and a half mile away from Muara. The rail line is no longer in place.
Politically too, even though he only had economic rights, Brooke became the de facto ruler of the area. The mine employed hundreds of miners and that required him to introduce a police force, post office and roads transforming Muara into an extraterritorial settlement an extension of Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
. It was not until 1921 that Muara was "returned" to Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
.
It closed down in 1924 because of heavy financial losses caused by continuously decreasing coal prices in the world economic recession.
Current Issues
All that remains of the mine today is an overgrown railway, locomotives, mine entrances and an abandoned Morris MinorMorris Minor
The Morris Minor was a British economy car that debuted at the Earls Court Motor Show, London, on 20 September 1948. Designed under the leadership of Alec Issigonis, more than 1.3 million were manufactured between 1948 and 1971...
.
The Museums Department of Brunei wanted to turn the historical 62 hectares coal mine as an open site museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
to promote the country's eco-tourism. It is currently already a protected site under the Antiquities and Treasure Trove Act of Brunei Darussalam.