Ma On Shan Iron Mine – further information

HF: Further information about Hong Kong’s largest mine. ”The Ma On Shan Iron Mine is a mine in the hills of Ma On Shan, Shatin District, Hong Kong, that was operated from 1906 to 1976. The nearby Ma On Shan Village accommodated  the miners and their families.

The Ma On Shan Mine was opened in 1906 as an open cast site run by the Hong Kong Iron Mining Co. Ltd., which was owned by Sir Paul Chater. In 1949, the mine was taken over by the Mutual Mining and Trade Company, which extended it underground in 1953. By 1959 mining had moved entirely underground. The mine ceased operation in 1976. The work force of 400 was laid off. The government lease ended in 1981 and the mine closed subsequently.

Historical operators of the mine:

1906-1929 The Hong Kong Iron Mining Co. Ltd
1931-1940 New Territories Iron Company
1940-1941 South China Iron Smelters Co. Ltd
1942-1945 (no evidence of mining) Japanese occupation of Hong Kong
1945-1948 Possibly small scale excavation by South China Smelters Co. Ltd
1949-1976 Mutual Trust Co., Ltd
1953-1976 Joint Venture between Mutual Trust Co., Ltd and Nittetsu Mining Company (Japan)

Present and future

It has been suggested that the Ma On Shan Iron Mine could be repurposed as a storage location for compressed-air energy storage (CAES)
Several sets of structures of the Ma On Shan Iron Mine were listed as historical monuments in April 2016: Exterior walls of 240 ML AND 110 ML of Ma On Shan Iron Mine (Grade 2), Mineral Preparation Plant of Ma On Shan Iron Mine (Grade 3), Site Structures at Mining Settlement of Ma On Shan Iron Mine (Grade 3).”

Source: Wikipedia

This article was first posted on 21st June 2024.

Related Indhhk articles:

1. Ma On Shan Iron Mine – 1906-1976 – biggest mine in HK – further information
2. Ma On Shan Iron Mine – 1906-1976 – open-pit and underground mining
3. Ma On Shan Iron Mine – Hong Kong Naturalist, 1931