PRODUCTION
107
Figures of membership and finance of the Co-operative Societies will be found in Appendix XI.
MINING
There is mining of iron, lead, wolfram and graphite by underground methods, whilst kaolin clay, quartz and feldspar are worked by opencast methods. Iron ore and kaolin clay are exported to Japan, lead ore to the United Kingdom and Europe, and wolfram and graphite to the United Kingdom and the United States. Kaolin clay is also used locally by rubber manufacturers. Quartz and feldspar are solely pro- duced for local consumption, principally by the glass-making, enamelware and ceramic industries.
All mining leases and licences, and prospecting licences are for the New Territories, i.e. the mainland and the islands of Lantao, Chu Lu Kok, West Brother, Ma Wan and Tsing Yi.
At the Ma On Shan iron mine the transition from opencast to underground operation was almost completed by the end of the year, the ore dressing plant being partly used on processing accumulated dumps of low-grade ore.
During the year one lead mine and one wolfram mine were in process of rehabilitation, prior to resuming production, whilst prospecting continued for beryl, iron ore, lead ore, wolfram and graphite.
The Colony's production of minerals for the year was as follows:
Graphite
Iron ore
Kaolin
Lead ore
Quartz & Feldspar
Long Tons Value H.K.$
2,441.75
346,700
122,963.17
4,918,500
5,463.43
327,800
198.65
137,450
3,004.92
75,120
24.22
295,820
Wolfram ore
The Mines Department is under the control of the Com- missioner of Labour in his capacity as Commissioner of