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SECTION
3 NATURAL RESOURCES CAPITAL STOCK
| 3.6 |
Minerals,
Aggregates and Energy |
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| 3.6.1 |
Existing
Capital Stock and Trends |
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| 3.6.1.1 |
Many
countries rely heavily on internal supplies
of minerals, coal, petroleum or other raw
materials and energy sources either for
domestic use or as valuable export commodities.
In contrast, Hong Kong has few mineral or
energy resources of its own and has always
imported energy supplies from the Mainland
and international markets. Major suppliers
in recent times include Mainland China as
well as Indonesia, Australia and South Africa
for steam coal for electricity generation;
Mainland China for direct imports of electricity
and natural gas piped from offshore and
Singapore for already-refined petroleum
products. The following section describes
Hong Kong's existing natural resource capital
stock of minerals and aggregates, and briefly
discusses Hong Kong's local energy production
and demand. Further information on energy
usage, including baseline data to support
the energy indicator is provided in the
Socio-economic Baseline Report. The environmental
effects of local energy generation are discussed
in Paragraph 5.4.1.17 - Assimilative Capacity
of Air.
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Minerals
and Aggregates |
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| 3.6.1.2 |
Although there are significant deposits of
some minerals in Hong Kong (eg kaolin, lead
and iron ore), the previously active mining
industry of the early and mid 20th century
no longer exists as previous land resources
were given over to, inter alia, urban development
and water catchment uses. Hong Kong does not
have any reserves of energy minerals. |
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| 3.6.1.3 |
Quarry
production in Hong Kong in 1996 was estimated
as 17.4 million tonnes (CSD 1997). The Civil
Engineering Department, which is responsible
for ensuring an adequate supply of aggregates
in the SAR, estimate current terrestrial aggregate
demand in Hong Kong to be 15 million tonnes
per annum (CED, 2000 (website)). This is supplied
from four quarries located at Lam Tei (Tuen
Mun), Lamma Island, Shek O (Hong Kong Island)
and Anderson Road in Kowloon. Most of the
aggregates won are used to make concrete or
as bulk fill in reclamations. Hong Kong also
imports large quantities of processed stone,
principally from the Mainland, of a higher
quality than can be worked locally. |
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| 3.6.1.4 |
Significant
quantities of marine aggregates, in particular
sand, are extracted each year from the seabed
around Hong Kong for use as bulk fill in reclamation
projects. Since 1990, approximately 220 Mm3
of sand has been dredged from the seabed and
in 1993, at the peak of reclamation activities
at the Chek Lap Kok airport approximately
37 Mm3 of marine sand was imported from the
Mainland. CED estimates that 300 Mm3 of aggregate
will be required to support planned development
over the next decade (CED 2000 (website)). |
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