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MONDAY, JULY 12, 1976
PRODUCTION CAPACITY OF MT. BUTLER QUARRY TO TRIPLE
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THE P.W.D.'S DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT. MR. DAVID STEAD, TODAY PUSHED A BUTTON SETTING IN MOTION A FULLY-MECHANISED PRODUCTION SYSTEM AT THE P.W.D.'S MOUNT BUTLER QUARRY, MARKING THE END OF A $5.5 MILLION PROGRAMME TO TRIPLE THE QUARRY'S DAILY PRODUCTION CAPACITY.
THE FINAL ADDITION FOR THE QUARRY'S AUTOMATED PRODUCTION SYSTEM IS A GIANT CRUSHING AND SCREENING PLANT CAPABLE OF PRODUCING EACH DAY 1,500 TONNES OF CRUSHED ROCK AN ESSENTIAL COMMODITY IN BUILDING AND CIVIL ENGINEERING PROJECTS.
AT TODAY'S OPENING CEREMONY, MR. STEAD ALSO OPENED A NEW $1 MILLION ROAD WHICH PROVIDES ACCESS TO ALL LEVELS OF THE QUARRY.
MR. STEAD SAID THE MECHANISATION OF MOUNT BUTLER QUARRY MARKED AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN HONG KONG'S QUARRY INDUSTRY.
+WITH THE INCREASED ACTIVITY IN THE CONSTRUCTION FIELD, PARTICULARLY IN THE NEW TOWNS, MORE CONCRETE AGGREGATES WILL BE REQUIRED AND THE NEW STREAMLINED PLANT WILL HELP MEET SOME OF THE EXTRA DEMAND, HE SAID.
+ THE STONE IN MT. BUTLER QUARRY IS AMONG THE BEST IN HONG KONG, AND I HOPE THAT BUILDING CONTRACTORS WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MUCH IMPROVED SERVICE NOW AVAILABLE,+ HE ADDED.
MR. STEAD SAID THE PRODUCTION CAPACITY OF THE PLANT WAS NOW IN EXCESS OF 250,000 TONNES OF CONCRETE AGGREGATES AND 50,000 TONNES OF ASPHALTIC MATERIALS A YEAR, WORTH ABOUT $9 MILLION AT TODAY'S PRICES.
TODAY'S OPENING CEREMONY CULMINATED 12 YEARS OF CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT UNDER THE MODERNISATION PROGRAMME LAUNCHED IN 1964.
BY TODAY'S STANDARDS, THE OPERATION AT THAT TIME WAS RATHER PRIMITIVE AS BLASTED ROCK HAD TO BE BROKEN DOWN BY HAND AND TRANSPORTED IN TUBS PUSHED ALONG EY WORKERS,
THE FIRST IMPROVEMENT CAME IN 1966 WITH THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW PRIMARY CRUSHER CAPABLE OF REDUCING BOULDERS OF UP TO ONE METRE CUBE (THREE FEET CUBE) AND 1-1/2 TONNES IN WEIGHT TO ROCK FRAGMENTS NO LARGER THAN 200 MM (8 INCHES).
AT MAXIMUM CAPACITY THIS CRUSHER HANDLES JUST OVER 200 TONNES OF ROCK PER HOUR -- TEN TIMES THE AMOUNT PRODUCED PER DAY BY THE OLD MANUAL METHODS.
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AT THE SAME TIME, MODERN MECHANICAL PLANT AND A SERIES OF CONVEYOR BELTS WERE INTRODUCED TO HANDLE AND TRANSPORT THE ROCK FROM THE QUARRY FACE AND FEED IT TO THE CRUSHER, THUS ELIMINATING THE OLD MANPOWERED RAIL TUBS.
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