Beryl Mining at Devil’s Peak
“Foxhole located at the north of Devil’s Peak” Courtesy: Jackie CT Chu and Jacky SL Chan
“Devil’s Peak [Pau Toi Shan] is located at the north coast of Lei Yue Mun, the eastern entrance to Victoria Harbour. The economic minerals mined are wolframite and beryl.
The minerals were first discovered in 1914 and mining started in May, 1957. Devil’s Peak Beryl Mine, with an area of 360 acres, was operated by Far East Prospecting and Development Company Limited. During May to November 1957, one ton of ores was extracted.
Each miner could extract about 20 pounds of beryl a day, at a daily wage of HK$3…
…small scale mining was carried out at Devil’s peak. Several abandoned sub-vertical adits can still be found…these are covered by dense vegetation.
No one should attempt to approach or to enter these pits… to avoid danger. (1)
“In the Devil’s Peak area, high-grade beryl [Be3Al2(SiO18)]… has been reported from wolframite-bearing quartz veins within hydrothermally altered fine-grained granite. However, the deposit has not been exploited commercially. Minor quantities of beryl have also been reported from the D’Aguilar Peak area.” (2)
“A shaft with a depth of over 10 metres, located at the southeastern side of Devil’s Peak” Courtesy: Jackie CT Chu and Jacky SL Chan
Tymon Mellor’s article about Sha Lo Wa Mine, Lantau Island, linked below, says “In 1954 the Far Eastern Prospecting And Development Corporation Limited was formed and took over the mining license. They established a facility and started large scale workings that were active until the 1960’s. The company was dissolved in 1979.”
HF: I think the company was indeed called the Far Eastern Property and Development Corporation Ltd and if so was founded on 1st November 1954 and dissolved on 14th September 1979.
Can anyone supply further information about:
a) Mining, Beryl or otherwise, at Devil’s Peak
b) Far Eastern Prospecting And Development Corporation Limited
Tymon Mellor has sent this 1963 aerial photo of the Devils Peak area. He adds you can see the fort and the fox holes dug by the miners.
Sources:
- Jackie CT Chu and Jacky SL Chan, Hong Kong Mining History, ProjecTerrae, 2015
- Sewell RJ et al, Hong Hong Geology: A 400-million year journey, Gov of HKSAR, 2009 Chapter 9 covers economic geology – mining, quarrying and offshore sand deposits in HK.
This article was first posted on 27th September 2016.
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