Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar believes soil in bauxite mining areas can restored for future cultivation.

However, treatment of the soil will take about 50 years for the restoration with its natural nutrients, he told reporters after opening the Malaysia-Korea Seminar on Healthy River Basin in Kuala Lumpur today.

Elaborating on the methods, Forestry Department director-general Abd Rahman Abd Rahim said bauxite mining areas undergoing treatment must be cultivated with cover crop such as legume for a long period of time.

He said this was because cover crops could help improve soil quality and it had been proven in Malaysia.

"For example, the land where the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) headquarters was located in Kepong, underwent similar treatment because it was an ex-mining area before it was restored as a green area.

"It can take about 50 years before the land can be restored to its normal state," he added.

Yesterday, a Bernama report quoted a University Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) professor as saying that oil palm plantations at Felda Bukit Goh, Bukit Kuantan, Bukit Sago and Bukit Nerang faced a bleak future, following bauxite mining activities in the areas.

Professor Dr Maketab Mohamed said bauxite mining in the areas produced chromium which was poisonous and could damage oil palm trees in those areas.

Meanwhile, speaking on another topic, Wan Junaidi said the public lack of awareness and social responsibility to conserve and protect rivers had contributed to the increase in river pollution in the country to nine per cent in 2014, as compared to five in 2013.

Earlier at the seminar, the minister was conferred a Research Professorship by the University of Seoul in the field of environment for his outstanding efforts and contributions in handling the haze problem last year.

- Bernama