ENG-1992 — Page 142

PRIMARY PRODUCTION

reclamation. The complex is to be constructed in two phases and works for phase one started during the year are expected to be completed in late 1993. Pending the eventual completion of the complexes, the department continues to operate a number of temporary wholesale markets at Western District on Hong Kong Island for poultry, at North District in the New Territories for agricultural products and at Cheung Sha Wan in Kowloon for imported vegetables, freshwater fish and poultry.

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Mining and Quarrying

The Mines and Quarries Division of the geotechnical engineering office of the Civil Engineering Department enforces legislation relating to mining, quarrying and explosives. It processes mining and prospecting applications and inspects mining and prospecting areas, stone quarries, blasting sites and explosives stores.

There was no mining activity in 1992, but there was an application for a prospecting licence. During this year, Hong Kong's total consumption of sand, aggregates and other rock products amounted to 19 million tonnes. Around one half of the territory's demand for aggregates and sand is met locally, the balance is imported from China. The local quarries and stone processing sites are supervised by the division.

The Mines and Quarries Division controls the possession, conveyance, storage, manu- facture and use of explosives in Hong Kong, and issues shotfirers' blasting certificates. In addition, it manages two government explosives depots, which provide bulk storage facilities for imported as well as locally-manufactured explosives, and undertakes the delivery of explosives from government depots to blasting sites.

Quarrying and site formation works were the largest users of explosives in 1992. Sewerage tunnel construction and seismic surveys also used explosives, albeit in smaller quantities. Overall consumption of explosives in the territory was 4 000 tonnes.

Storage space was provided for imported fireworks for the lunar new year fireworks display in February. The division continued to provide transit storage facilities for explosives and temporary storage for confiscated fireworks awaiting destruction.

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