When the Lead is Gone: The Ever-Changing Lin Ma Hang Lead Mine Situated in the northwest of Robin’s Nest Country Park, the mining history of Lin Ma Hang Mine dates back as early as the 19th century. The mine predominantly produced galena, pyrite, sphalerite, and chalcopyrite, alongside small amounts of silver and gold. Operators across different eras excavated multiple working platforms, tunnels, and shafts. The pre-WWII era marked the mine’s golden age, housing up to 2,000 miners and making it the largest lead mine in Hong Kong at the time. During WWII, the mine turned into a battleground for anti-Japanese guerrilla resistance, sustaining heavy damage and halting operations completely. Post-war, buffeted by natural disasters, labor strikes, and plunging international lead prices, the mine eventually ceased operations in the 1960s. The abandoned, dark, and damp mine complex, rarely visited by humans, gradually transformed into a vital bat habitat. In 1994, the Lin Ma Hang Lead Mine was designated as a “Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).”
