Why “Lead Mine” Pass – Location
Tymon Mellor: Below is the possible location of the old lead mine, close to Lead Mine Pass.
From the 1963 ortho photo, there are abandoned buildings clearly visible on the main path (circled in red) opposite the possible mine site. The suggested mine site can be seen (highlighted in red) to be terraced, indicating some sort of man made activity or possibly the collapse of the mine workings below. The latest Google image of the area has no obvious signs of previous activity, masked by the lush vegetation and trees.
More HK Mines:
Interestingly, I seem to get a slightly newer version of the satellite imagery, marked as being (c) 2014.
http://imgur.com/wjbUNFO
It looks to show a small clearing in the vicinity of the abandoned buildings — I wonder if any trace of foundations might still remain? There are also traces of disturbance / terracing in the area marked as being the lead mine in your images.
Perhaps somebody can visit and take a look — I’ll be in HK myself shortly for a couple of weeks, but that’s a bit more of a trek than I’d be comfortable with unaccompanied.
Hi there,
If the Shing Mun Arboretum is is concerned, there is a leaflet:
http://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/conservation/con_flo/con_flo_shing/files/shing_mun_pamphlet_en.pdf
The afcd page also have some photos: http://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/conservation/con_flo/con_flo_shing/con_flo_shing.html
I have not been there for years, but it would seem to be a side track from the main foot path wide enough for a truck. There are Maxi-cab routes from Tsuen Wan MTR Railway to Shing Mun Visitor’s Centre and then, just a walk up the gentle slope along the path for 4-5 kilometres, and back. The path is well marked with sign posts and markers, it would be quite difficult to get lost if you keep yourself on the main foot path.
http://www.landsd.gov.hk/mapping/en/paper_map/cm.htm <—- this series of country side maps may also help.
Thanks & Best Regards,
T
Thomas
A useful guide to those who don’t know the area. I do and going up Tai Mo Shan, down to Lead Mine Pass, up Grassy Hill and down into Tai Po Kau or round and up Needle Hill is wonderful, if strenuous, walking. Coming up from Shing Mun through Lead Mine Pass and down to Tai Po provides similar.
If do come up the latter route have a look around the Arboretum site and see if you can spot anything in the area Tymon has indentified that might be connected with the lead mine.