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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1991
THE DEPARTMENT LATER BECAME INVOLVED IN SAFETY INSPECTIONS OF MINING AREAS, THE ISSUE OF MINE BLASTING CERTIFICATES, MINING LICENCES AND PROSPECTING LICENCES AND THE COLLECTION OF MINING ROYALTIES AND FEES.
WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF HONG KONG, A WIDE VARIETY OF MINERALS OF ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE HAVE BEEN FOUND. IRON, WOLFRAMITE, GRAPHITE, KAOLIN, LEAD, QUARTZ AND FELDSPAR HAVE ALL BEEN EXPLOITED AT ONE TIME.
IRON ORE WAS MINED EXTENSIVELY AT MA ON SHAN FROM 1906 UP TO THE SEVENTIES, WHILE AT NEEDLE HILL, ABOVE SHATIN, MINING OF WOLFRAMITE, WHICH IS A TUNGSTEN ORE COMMENCED IN THE LATE FORTIES ALSO CONTINUED UP TO THE SEVENTIES.
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LIN MA HANG, NEAR THE BORDER, LEAD AND SILVER WERE MINED, AND IT IS RECORDED THAT 150 OUNCES OF GOLD WERE RECOVERED.
THESE DAYS THE AMOUNT OF MINING CARRIED OUT IS VERY SMALL AND IS CONFINED TO SURFACE MINING FOR FELDSPAR AND KAOLIN, USED MAINLY IN CERAMICS. BUT AS THE MINING HAS DECLINED, THE JOB OF CONTROL EXPLOSIVES HAS ASSUMED GREATER IMPORTANCE.
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THE MINES DIVISION HAS ALWAYS BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE SAFE OF EXPLOSIVES IN MINING, QUARRYING AND CONSTRUCTION WORK, BUT FOLLOWING THE 1967 CIVIL DISTURBANCES, THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED IT WAS NECESSARY TO IMPOSE STRICTER CONTROLS OVER THE STORAGE, TRANSPORTATION AND USE OF EXPLOSIVES.
SINCE THAT TIME, ALL EXPLOSIVES, INCLUDING FIREWORKS, HAVE BEEN STORED IN SECURE GOVERNMENT EXPLOSIVES DEPOTS AND ARE ONLY RELEASED AFTER THE NECESSARY LICENCES AND PERMITS HAVE BEEN ISBURD UPON APPLICATION TO THE DIVISION.
ORIGINALLY, ALL DELIVERIES OF EXPLOSIVES TO BLASTING SITES WERE MADE UNDER THE ESCORT OF ARMED MILITARY PERSONNEL; WHILE POLICE OFFICERS SUPERVISED THE USE OF THE EXPLOSIVES ON SITE TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS NO PILFERING AND THAT ALL THE EXPLOSIVES WERE USED.
THESE PRECAUTIONS ARE STILL NECESSARY, BUT THESE DAYS THE DUTIES ARE CARRIED OUT BY OFFICERS OF THE MINES DIVISION. RVERY MORNING THEY COLLECT THE EXPLOSIVES WHICH HAVE BEEN ORDERED BY CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES AT THE MAIN GOVERNMENT DEPOT ON STONECUTTERS ISLAND.
EXPLOSIVES
THE EXPLOSIVES ARE TRANSPORTED BY PURPOSE-BUILT VESSELS UNDER CAREFUL SUPERVISION TO LANDING SITES WHERE THEY ARE TRANSFERRED TO SPECIAL EXPLOSIVES DELIVERY TRUCKS WHICH THEN MAKE THE ROUNDS OF THE VARIOUS BLASTING SITES.
ABOUT 5,000 TONNES OF EXPLOSIVES ARE NOW USED EACH YEAR, MAINLY IN SITE FORMATION AND FOUNDATION WORK ON CONSTRUCTION SITES AND FOR TUNNELLING AND QUARRYING.
SINCE MUCH OF THE USAGE IS IN OR CLOSE TO URBAN AREAS, ONE OF THE MINES DIVISION'S PRIMARY ROLES IS TO ENSURE THAT BLASTING OPERATIONS DO NOT CAUSE DANGER TO THE PUBLIC ARISING FROM FRAGMENTS OF ROCK BEING PROJECTED INTO THE AIR OR DAMAGE TO ADJACENT BUILDINGS SENSITIVE MACHINERY FROM VIBRATIONS.
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