Background
There are four quarries in Hong Kong: Anderson Road, Shek O, Lamma and Lam Tei Quarries. They all produce rock products for the construction industry. These quarries meet about 50% of the local aggregate requirements, in the range of 6 million and 9 million tonnes per annum. The remaining is imported from the Mainland.
Contract Details
Anderson Road, Shek O and Lamma Quarries are working on rehabilitation contracts, which are for fixed time periods with no rights to rock extraction after the expiry of the contract periods. A supplementary agreement has been signed for Lam Tei Quarry which also specifies that the contractor also needs to complete the rock excavation within a definite time.
Quarry rehabilitation contract is essentially a large site formation contract in nature with rehabilitation being the main focus. All quarry contracts are design and build and revenue earning contracts. By revenue earning, it means that the contractor needs to pay the Government for the rights he enjoys under the contract, such as selling or removing rock from site, processing of excavated rock for sale, etc. Using these rights, the contractor generates revenue which is used to cover the cost of the works that he carries out for the Government in association with the contract. Under certain circumstances, the contractor may also be given permissions to do other work, such as manufacture, store and export of emulsion matrix from site.
Anderson Road Quarry
Anderson Road Quarry is located in the south-western slopes of the Tai Sheung Tok hill at Kowloon Peninsula, covering an area of 86 ha.
The contract was signed in 1997. The works are scheduled to be completed in 2013. The contractor is required to carry out the following works under the contract:
| (a) | formation of a new landform consisting of 7 benches of each 65o 20 m high rock slope at the central portion (overall height about 200 m), |
| 3 benches of each 20 m high rock slope on the east and west ends and a platform of 40 ha; and | |
| (b) | provision of a green cover to the final landform to blend in with the natural environment. |
Shek O Quarry
Shek O Quarry is located on the west coast of Cape D'Aguilar Peninsula on Hong Kong Island, covering an area of 45 ha.
The contract was signed in 1993. The works are scheduled to be completed in 2005. The contractor is required to carry out the following works under the contract:
| (a) | formation of a new Shek O Road to eliminate the hairpin bend of the old Shek O Road and shorten the road by 600 m; |
| (b) | recreation of a new landform to blend in with the natural landscape of Cape D'Aguilar Peninsula; |
| (c) | provision of nesting sites for cliff dwelling birds peregrine falcon on the southern boundary cliffs; and |
| (d) | planting of slopes with exotic and native trees to establish a natural self-sustaining system and suitable habitats for birds, mammals and insects. |
Lamma Quarry
Lamma Quarry is located on the north side of Sok Kwu Wan of Lamma Island covering an area of 49 ha and about 1 km of coastline.
The contract was signed in 1995. The works are scheduled to be completed in 2002. The contractor is required to carry out the following works under the contract:
| (a) | recreation of a new stable landform comprising a broad, gently sloping series of platforms bounded to the north with slopes which merged with the natural hillsides; |
| (b) | creation of a 4 ha man-made lake with a natural, non-engineered appearence and gently shelving edges which can support reed bed; and |
| (c) | landscaping and planting with exotic and native trees to create a self-sustaining, maintenance-free, green environment with a similar biodiversity to the surroundings. |
Lam Tei Quarry
Lam Tei Quarry is located at about 3 km north of Tuen Mun New Town, covering an area of 30.5 ha. The quarry operation began in 1982 and will complete in 2001. The contractor is required to provide landscaping and planting of approved final landform which is to be created during the contract. The following works are included in the contract:
| (a) | formation of a new landform consisting of 9 benches of each 15m high 60° to 70° cut slope and platform of 17 ha; |
| (b) | revegetation of the final landform to a stable condition to eventually blend in with the surranding natural environment; |
| (c) | provision of a self-sustaining ecosystem with a similar bio-diversity to the surrounding environment; and |
| (d) | provision of a natural and safe environment for the future land use of the site. |