Quarries in Hong Kong – a list

New information:  A Kung Ngam

1846, “The only produce of Hong Kong, for exportation, is granite…it employs many hands, a great number of boats, each about 70 to 100 tons, and capital. There are seldom less than a hundred of the above craft which monthly leave this place with a  full cargo for the interior; and it is considered a profitable trade, because stone blocks are constantly in demand, and will always fetch a good price.”
Written by Charles Gutzlaff (the anglicised name of a German Missionary whose position was the Chinese Secretary to the Government of Hong Kong). Quoted in Signs of a Colonial Era, A Yanne and G Heller, HKUP, 2009

HF: So quarrying has a long history in colonial Hong Kong, but if you want to go a lot, lot further back in history have a look at Three Fathoms Cove below.

Here is a list of all the Hong Kong quarries we have come across. I have added a source and/or the Indhhk article in which it is mentioned.

A Kung Ngam

Indhhk Of gods, diamonds and brothels – quarrying questions
Indhhk A Kung Ngam quarry
“A Kung Ngam was a rock quarry in the 19th century, and the area was predominantly inhabited by quarry workers who immigrated from Huizhouand Chaozhou.” See: wiki: A Kung Ngam

Anderson Road – Indhhk Quarry Maps then and now – Jordan Valley, Anderson Road, Diamond Hill, Kwai Chung and Cha Kwo Ling
“being landscaped, wth work scheduled for completion by Dec 2013” (2)
Indhhk Quarrying in Hong Kong – rehabilitation of Anderson Road, Shek O, Lam Tei and Sok Kwu Wan

Cha Kwo Ling
– Indhhk Of gods, diamonds and brothels – quarrying questions
– Indhhk Quarry Maps then and now – Jordan Valley, Anderson Road, Diamond Hill, Kwai Chung and Cha Kwo Ling
– Indhhk Four Hills Elementary School, Cha Kwo Ling – Four Kowloon quarries?

Chek Lap Kok – Indhhk Chu Lu Kuk / Chek Lap Kok Island Granite Quarry – early 19th century to 1960s?

Chu Lu Kuk – Indhhk Chu Lu Kuk / Chek Lap Kok Island Granite Quarry – early 19th century to 1960s?

Diamond Hill
– Indhhk Of gods, diamonds and brothels – quarrying questions
– Indhhk Quarry Maps then and now – Jordan Valley, Anderson Road, Diamond Hill, Kwai Chung and Cha Kwo Ling

High Island Reservoir – “lies close to the Main Dam”. Provided material for dam construction of the reservoir. (2)

Hok Tsui – at the tip of Cape D’Aguilar, HK Island
-Indhhk Quarrying and transportation of stone in Hong Kong, 1841

Hung Hom Indhhk Quarrying and transportation of stone in Hong Kong, 1841

Jordan Valley – Indhhk Quarry Maps then and now – Jordan Valley, Anderson Road, Diamond Hill, Kwai Chung and Cha Kwo Ling

Kwai Chung – Indhhk Quarry Maps then and now – Jordan Valley, Anderson Road, Diamond Hill, Kwai Chung and Cha Kwo Ling

Kwun Tong – Indhhk Quarrying and transportation of stone in Hong Kong, 1841

Lam Tei,
– Indhhk Lam Tei Quarry, connections with post WW2 proposed Ping Shan airport
– Indhhk Lam Tei Quarry (Ping Shan airport) RAF Technical Magazine report, May 1946
“due to close in March 2007.” (2) Rehabilitation completion (1)
Indhhk Quarrying in Hong Kong – rehabilitation of Anderson Road, Shek O, Lam Tei and Sok Kwu Wan

Lamma – opposite Sok Kwu Wan. “Rehabilitation of the granite quarry commenced and now complete” (2) Plans for large housing project.
Indhhk Quarrying in Hong Kong – rehabilitation of Anderson Road, Shek O, Lam Tei and Sok Kwu Wan

Lamma – behind Sok Kwu Wan – clearly visible approaching from Yung Shue Wan and walking east from SKW

Lei Yue Mun
– Indhhk Lei Yue Mun Quarry – contemporary photographs

– Indhhk Four Hills Elementary School, Cha Kwo Ling – Four Kowloon quarries?

Mount Butler, 1km East of Jardine’s Lookout.

Mount Butler Quarry

“Opened in 1954, closed in March 1991. Site due to be landscaped.” (2)
http://www.cedd.gov.hk/eng/publications/services/doc/Memoir-No_2.pdf pp118-119

Thomas Ngan believes the quarry is now (Jan 2015) used by the local Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau.

Nam Fung Shan, NW side of Long Harbour – provided material for the construction of the High Island reservoir dams. [2]

Ngau Tau Kok – Indhhk Four Hills Elementary School, Cha Kwo Ling – Four Kowloon quarries?

North Point Government

Quarry Bay

Indhhk Of gods, diamonds and brothels – quarrying questions
Indhhk Quarrying and transportation of stone in Hong Kong, 1841

Sai Tso Wan – Indhhk Four Hills Elementary School, Cha Kwo Ling – Four Kowloon quarries?

Shau Kei Wan

1. (as port for export of quarried stone) – Indhhk Quarrying and transportation of stone in Hong Kong, 1841
2. Indhhk Sam Lee “Quarry” or “Shop” or both? Shaukiwan, 1840s
   Tsang Koon-man (曾貫萬, 1808-1894), nicknamed Tsang Sam-li (曾三利), set up his quarry business in Shaukiwan having his shop called Sam Lee Quarry (三利石行). 

Shek O – “D’Aguilar Peninsula, shut down by December 2009.” (2)
indhhk Quarrying in Hong Kong – rehabilitation of Anderson Road, Shek O, Lam Tei and Sok Kwu Wan

Shek Tong Tsui – “Stonequarry Point” Indhhk
Of gods, diamonds and brothels – quarrying questions
Quarrying and transportation of stone in Hong Kong, 1841

Shui Keng Teng – Provided material for dam construction of High Island reservoir. (2)

Stonecutters Island – Indhhk Quarrying and transportation of stone in Hong Kong, 1841

Tai Kok Tsui – Indhhk Quarrying and transportation of stone in Hong Kong, 1841

Tai Shek Ha – Indhhk Tai Shek-ha 大石下 Stone-quarry – An 1841 hamlet near Belcher Bay, Kennedy Town?

Tai Sheung Kok http://www.cedd.gov.hk/eng/publications/services/doc/Memoir-No_2.pdf pp118-119

Three Fathoms Cove – “Recent discoveries of stone tools, on the shores of Three Fathoms Cove, appear (controversially) to have pushed the record of early human occupation in Hong Kong back to about 35,000 to 39,000 years ago. The abundance of these implements suggest that this site may have been a quarry – the first known in Hong Kong, if the dating is correct.” (2)

To Kwa Wan – Indhhk Quarrying and transportation of stone in Hong Kong, 1841

To Tei Wan To Tei Wan Quarry

Tseng Lan Shue – Indhhk Of gods, diamonds and brothels – quarrying questions

Turret Hill, Shatin – Indhhk Nui Po Shan (Turret Hill) Quarry, Shatin
“granite was imported [from here] in the construction of the outer facing of the High Island reservoir dams.” [2]

The image shown on the Home Page is of an unspecified HK quarry and comes courtesy of the National Library of Scotland.

This article was first posted on 16th May 2015.

Sources:

1. Hong Kong Geology: A 400-million year journey, RJ Sewell, DLK Tang, R Shaw, CEDD, 2009
2. Hong Kong Landscapes: Shaping the Barren Rock, B Owen and R Shaw, HKUP, 2007

Related Indhhk articles:

1. Quarrying and transportation of stone in Hong Kong, 1841
2. Quarries, Four Hills Elementary School, Cha Kwo Ling – Four Kowloon quarries?
3. Quarry, Stone Breaking in early 20th Century Hong Kong
4. Quarry, Lam Tei, connections with post WW2 proposed Ping Shan airport
5. Quarry, Lam Tei  (Ping Shan airport) RAF Technical Magazine report, May 1946
6. Quarry, Lin Hang (Green Island Cement)
7. Quarry Chek Lap Kok Island Granite
8. Quarry, Chu Lu Kuk Island Granite
9. Quarry Maps then and now – Jordan Valley, Anderson Road, Diamond Hill,Kwai Chung and Cha Kwo Ling
10. Quarry, Nui Po Shan (Turret Hill), Shatin
11. Quarrying in HK – how the City Of Victoria was built
12. Quarrying questions – of gods, diamonds and brothels
13. Sam Lee “Quarry” or “Shop” or both? Shaukiwan, 1840s