Tymon Mellor: Mining is always a high risk enterprise, but in the case of the Lam Tsuen lead mines, it was compounded by remote terrain, objecting villagers and corrupt officials. This is the story of the lead mines on the Lam Tsuen river at Ng Tung Chai, near Tai Po. After the Second World War, interest in mining picked up […]
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York Lo: Tracing Roots: Joseph Yen (嚴錫榮), post-war chairman of Marsman HK China and the father in Falling Leaves Left: Joseph Yen (right) with his second wife Jeanne (left) and father C.L. Yen (center); Right: View of the Morrison Hill Quarry operated by Marsman (工商晚報, 1958-08-07) Earlier on the Group’s website there were several articles about the Dutch American mining magnate […]
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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 […]
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Elizabeth Ride has sent a number of British Army Aid Group (BAAG) reports regarding Japanese efforts to collect metals, vehicles, machinery, coins etc for export, mainly to Japan, during their occupation of Hong Kong (WW2). Elizabeth has re-typed several of these reports and has kindly added references to assist searching where this has not been done. This was a considerable effort […]
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HF and Thomas Ngan: According to the linked 1987 report below Nui Po Shan (Turret Hill) Quarry was originally used as a borrow area in the mid 1960s [another source suggests the quarry began in “mid-1960”] and 70s. A borrow pit is a term used to describe an area where material has been dug for use at another location in […]
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HF: Jan Hendrik Marsman, was born in 1892 in the Netherlands and died in 1956, I think in the Philippines. He was known as Hank to his friends. He started his working life as an engineer and later developed extensive business interests in the Philippines. Marsman is of interest to us because he became involved, through his company Marsman Hong […]
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HF: I took these photographs of the quarry at Lei Yue Mun on the 11th November 2014. The map shows that it is actually just east of Ma Pui Tsuen though this is an extension of the well-known Lei Yue Mun and I’ll stick with the latter until we have an “official ” name. I am especially interested in the […]
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Tymon Mellor’s article, Mui Wo Silver Mine – Part One – The Owner provides much information about Ho A Mei who promoted and developed the mine that lent its name to the well known Silver Mine Bay on Lantau island. Tymon has sent this Hong Kong Telegraph article published in 1905 which provides guidance on the plant and a plan to […]
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Tymon Mellor has pointed us in the direction of an article which includes information about West Brother Graphite Mine published after a field trip to both Brother Islands and Chek Lap Kok in October 1992. Just before then the construction of the airport which irrevocably changed all three including much of the mine’s above surface structures and tailings. The report, titled, […]
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Tymon Mellor: The existing public camp site at Nga Ying Kok is located next to the Tai O coastal path on a series of small platforms cut into the hillside. The site is surrounded by trees and bush with an exposed water main running across the site. This quiet little backwater of Lantau in 1959 was to be the site […]
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