HF: From the company website “KWP Quarry Co. Ltd. is a joint venture operation between K. Wah Quarry Co. Ltd. and Pioneer Quarries (HK) Ltd. where K. Wah Quarry Co. Ltd. is the majority shareholder. The company is operating Anderson Road Quarry under HK Government Contract NO. GE/96/10 “The Rehabilitation of Anderson Road Quarry”. The Contract commenced in January 1997 […]
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Hugh Farmer: The article, Needle Hill Tungsten Mine, says that, “The deposit was discovered in 1935 by a civil engineer, Mr G Hull, who was working on the construction of the Jubilee Reservoir (now known as Shing Mun)…Hull obtained a mining licence in the same year but the lease was subsequently transferred to Marsman Hong Kong China Ltd. Marsman undertook prospecting […]
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Billy Clarke has forwarded a link to a film made by HK URBEX of a visit by the group underground at Ma On Shan Iron mine. I think the visit was in March 2014. From their website “HK URBEX visits the once booming iron ore mine. Between 1953 and 1976, this was home to thousands of iron ore miners. But […]
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Tymon Mellor: In the late 1960’s the HK Government commissioned a comprehensive geological survey of Hong Kong, to establish and document the territories geology. The Geological Survey of Hong Kong, was undertaken between 1967-1969, and published in 1971. The report was prepared by the Overseas Division of the Institute of Geological Science, working for the Ministry of Overseas Development (London) […]
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HF: “Tsang Tai Uk (曾大屋, literally the Big Mansion of the Tsang Family) is also called Shan Ha Wai (山廈圍, literally, Walled Village at the Foothill). Its construction was started in 1847 and completed in 1867. Measuring 45 metres by 137 metres, it was built by Tsang Koon-man (曾貫萬, 1808-1894), nicknamed Tsang Sam-li (曾三利), who was a Hakka (客家) originated […]
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HF: This Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO) Appraisal mentions that Tsang Koon-man (曾貫萬, 1808-1894), nicknamed Tsang Sam-li (曾三利) came to Hong Kong and “set up his quarry business in Shaukiwan having his shop called Sam Lee Quarry (三利石行)”. Does this mean the quarry was called Sam Lee? The shop [?] was called Sam Lee, and what did it sell? Or both? Or […]
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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 […]
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HF: This map is from an Urban Council book published in 1991. It shows what a large number of mines and quarries there have been in Hong Kong. Many of these may well have been small operations but it forces me to revise my previous estimation of around 25 commercial mines. Please excuse the highlighting which was done many years […]
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HF: New information in red I am assuming, until corrected, that there was only one To Kwa Wan quarry. The quarry dates back to pre-colonial times. Patrick Hase, in his Indhhk article, Quarrying and transportation of stone in Hong Kong, 1841, says, “The most prestigious stone in Canton and the Pearl River Delta area for such quality buildings was Hong Kong granite, which […]
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Here are the locations of the eight mines which we have posted articles about. Tymon Mellor found the map and Malcolm Morris inserted the mines on it. Many thanks to both. This map can be found in Sewell RJ et al, Hong Kong Geology: A 400-million year journey, CEGG, Gov of HKSAR, 2009. Chapter 8, Economic Geology – Minerals and Mines in […]
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