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An article in the Chinese Newspaper Lianhe Zaobao on the Kekek quarry reopening. Translation to follow later.
缓解石荒 扩大来源 乌敏岛将恢复开采花岗石
吴汉钧, 邬福梁(摄）
联合早报
10 April 2007
印尼当局百般阻挠花岗石出口到新加坡，政府已制订“开源节流 ”的方案，包括重启乌敏岛的采石业，以供应花岗石给本地的建筑业。
建屋发展局将指定采石商，在未来几个月内在乌敏岛废弃多年的可克石场（Kekek Quarry）进行有限度的采石活动，以了解重启采石业的准备工作。采石商须恪守安全和环境保护程序，以确保岩石开采在顾及环保的前提下展开。
国家发展部政务部长傅海燕昨天在国会回答惹兰勿刹集选区议员梁莉莉医生和潘丽萍有关政府如何应对花岗石短缺的口头询问时，透露这个消息。
她说，政府的方针是尽量扩大花岗石的来源，维持储备石料的库存，同时也跟业者合作，鼓励他们采用可持续建筑法（sustainable construction）。
“如果需求持续提高，其中一个选项是依靠我们自己的花岗石。因此，（我们）须要展开有限度的采石活动，以了解重启采石业带来的问题，例如所需的准备工作和时间，以及如何减轻采石活动对环境的影响。”
白沙—榜鹅集选区议员张有福则问傅海燕，政府会否借这个机会向邻国展示开采花岗石可以在不破坏环境的前提下展开。
傅海燕说，政府绝对会要求采石商在采石过程中做好全面的环境保护和安全措施，包括照顾好石场附近的生态环境、炸石时的安全措施、控制炸石带来的尘土等。有限度采石活动结束后，有关当局也会恢复石场的原来模样。
选择在可克石场开采花岗石，是因为这个石场距离岛上民宅较远，采石活动对岛上居民的影响可以降至最低。采石活动只会在平日和白天进行，不会在周末和晚上进行。运输花岗石到本岛的码头设在石场附近，而不是现有的码头。
政府将尽最大努力维持乌敏岛原来面貌
傅海燕也向人民保证，政府将尽最大的努力确保乌敏岛维持它原来的模样，让乌敏岛继续成为休闲的好去处。
国家公园局已对可克石场和周围环境进行了初步评估。石场一带主要是灌木丛林地，有153种植物，大部分是本地常见的植物，如星果木（simpoh air）、合欢树（albizzia）等。一些较罕见的植物如小叶红光树（seashore nutmeg）则可能受采石活动影响，当局将把它们移植到其他地方。沿岸的红树林则不会受影响。
公园局也在石场周围记录到57种鸟类，这些鸟类也出现在乌敏岛其他地方。根据过去的采石经验，当局相信炸石的噪音不会影响岛上的野生动物。
可克石场的业主是建屋局，该局将在近期招标采石。据了解，本地目前约有五家采石商，一些采石商在新加坡于上个世纪末停止采石业后，转移到邻国经营采石业。
建设局将发出执照给中标的采石商，并监督采石商遵守沙地和花岗石场法令（Sand and Granite Quarries Act），以确保他们做好环境保护和安全措施。
采石商预计需要三个月的时间抽干石场坑里的水。这些水主要是雨水和地下水，对乌敏岛的水质和渔场影响不大。不过，建设局将进行更详尽的研究，以确保水质符合国家环境局的要求。在排水期间，有关当局也将监测附近水域的水质。
石场坑里的水抽干后，采石商将炸开裸露的花岗石。炸石工程只会在平日的白天进行。炸石前，石场周围须架设栏杆，也会响起警报。一般上，炸石过程不超过一分钟。
炸开的花岗石块将在现场碾成碎石，然后由驳船运到本岛。碾石工程也只能在平日的白天进行。建设局和环境局也将管制炸石和碾石过程所产生的噪音和尘土，包括通过洒水和利用噪声衰减器来控制尘土和噪音。
运送花岗石的驳船码头设在距离石场不到200公尺的海岸，以避免运送碎石的路线影响到居民和动物。
乌敏岛采石业历史超过150年
采石业过去曾是乌敏岛的经济命脉，其历史可追溯到1848年以前。当时，白礁的霍士堡灯塔（Horsburgh Lighthouse）和后来的莱佛士灯塔（Raffles Lighthouse）便是以乌敏岛的花岗石建造的。
乌敏岛的采石业在上个世纪六七十年代最为蓬勃。当时新加坡兴建的组屋、公路、填海和樟宜机场所用到的花岗石便来自乌敏岛。事实上，乌敏岛在马来文的意思就是花岗石岛。
在1970年代，岛上有10多家采石公司，有千多名员工。过去，炸石的时间每天两次，第一次从上午11时至中午12时，第二次从下午5 时至傍晚6时。
1993年，中央花岗石场在一次炸石活动发生石块飞到800公尺外砸伤居民的意外。
乌敏岛的采石活动在1999年完全停止，石场也归还政府。
未来几个月，政府将在乌敏岛废弃多年的可克石场（Kekek Quarry）进行有限度的采石活动。
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Monday, April 09, 2007
"Singapore looking to reopen granite quarry"
Have you figured out yet where the quartet was going last Saturday? Here's the video in question: Ubin Journies Ep 1
Singapore looking to reopen granite quarry
Posted: 09 April 2007
Channel News Asia
SINGAPORE: Singapore is looking at reopening a granite quarry on Pulau Ubin, according to Minister of State for National Development Grace Fu.
She said this on Monday in response to questions from MPs in Parliament on whether Singapore had alternative sources of granite.
Singapore's supply of granite and sand from Indonesia had been affected recently when Jakarta announced a ban on sand exports and later detained some barges carrying granite to Singapore.
Ms Fu said that while Singapore has sourced and received imports from other granite sources, efforts will be made to ensure that the supply line is further diversified to enhance resilience for the local construction industry.
She said that while Singapore looks to buy from as many sources as possible, to build its stockpile and work with the industry for more sustainable construction methods, one other alternative is to look into the local granite sources.
Ms Fu said there will be some limited quarrying and the HDB will look into re-opening one of its quarries on Pulau Ubin.
Pulau Ubin lies on the northeastern tip of Singapore.
The island was once a thriving centre for granite quarrying, employing several hundreds of quarry workers.
When limited quarrying work is started on the outlying island of Ubin, Ms Fu said efforts will be made to ensure environment protection.
Ms Fu said marine life, which is rich on Pulau Ubin, will be taken care of with measurements being made of the water content discharged as well as the discharge rate from the quarry site.
Safety is another issue that's being kept in mind and Ms Fu said precautions will be taken such as the sounding of sirens to warn of blasting and the use of barricades to cordon off the area when blasting takes place.
In addition, dust from the blasting will be both monitored and managed.
Ms Fu revealed that the Kekek Quarry has been chosen for re-opening as it is far from the residential area of Pulau Ubin, therefore minimising the impact on the island's residents.
At the same time, Kekek is close to a barge so granite can be transported with disruptions to life on the island kept minimal.
She said the consensus is to keep Pulau Ubin as a place for leisure, so blasting and mining activities will not take place on weekends or at night.
At the end of the exercise, Ms Fu said, efforts will also be made to rehabilitate the quarry area. - CNA/ir
Singapore to reopen granite quarry-minister
9 April 2007
Reuters News
SINGAPORE, April 9 (Reuters) - Singapore said it will reopen a small granite quarry on one of its islands to supply its booming construction industry after Indonesia interrupted granite exports and banned all sand exports to the city-state.
The government fears that Indonesia -- which was Singapore's main sand supplier until it banned all sand exports to the city-state on environmental grounds -- may halt granite exports as well, potentially damaging the city-state's fast-growing building sector and the economy.
Grace Fu, minister of state for national development, told parliament on Monday that the government would look at restarting a quarry on the tiny island of Pulau Ubin to provide local supplies of granite.
"It is necessary to carry out some limited quarrying to understand the issues involved in reactivating quarries," Fu said, adding that Singapore was also importing granite from other countries in the region.
The construction sector has already been hit by the sand ban, as builders are being forced to buy more expensive sand from the government's stockpile and from other countries.
Goerge Yeo, Singapore's foreign affairs minister, said on Monday that Indonesia has not banned granite exports to the city-state. However, Yeo said that supply has been disrupted after 22 Singapore-bound barges and tugboats carrying granite were detained by Indonesia in February and March.
Yeo said seven of the 22 tugboats and barges were alleged to be carrying sand, while the rest were detained for violating other Indonesian shipment and custom regulations.
Indonesia has said that the detention was part of "administrative verification procedures".
Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Pangestu said last month that Indonesia would continue to export granite to Singapore as long as the shipments were checked by appointed surveyors to guard against damaging the environment.
The price of concrete, which is made of sand, granite and cement, has nearly tripled to S$200 ($132) per cubic metre from S$70 ($46), according to the local Straits Times paper. The higher raw material prices would add about S$100,000 ($66,100) to the cost of building a S$2.5 million house, the paper said.
Singapore has turned to other sand suppliers including China, Cambodia and Vietnam since Indonesia's sand ban in January. Singapore's Foreign Affairs Ministry said last week that Myanmar could also be a long-term supplier of sand and granite.
Ties between Indonesia and Singapore have soured since the ban, with Singapore criticizing Indonesia for using the sand export ban to pressure it into negotiations on an extradition treaty and border delineation.
Reuters News
SINGAPORE, April 9 (Reuters) - Singapore said it will reopen a small granite quarry on one of its islands to supply its booming construction industry after Indonesia interrupted granite exports and banned all sand exports to the city-state.
The government fears that Indonesia -- which was Singapore's main sand supplier until it banned all sand exports to the city-state on environmental grounds -- may halt granite exports as well, potentially damaging the city-state's fast-growing building sector and the economy.
Grace Fu, minister of state for national development, told parliament on Monday that the government would look at restarting a quarry on the tiny island of Pulau Ubin to provide local supplies of granite.
"It is necessary to carry out some limited quarrying to understand the issues involved in reactivating quarries," Fu said, adding that Singapore was also importing granite from other countries in the region.
The construction sector has already been hit by the sand ban, as builders are being forced to buy more expensive sand from the government's stockpile and from other countries.
Goerge Yeo, Singapore's foreign affairs minister, said on Monday that Indonesia has not banned granite exports to the city-state. However, Yeo said that supply has been disrupted after 22 Singapore-bound barges and tugboats carrying granite were detained by Indonesia in February and March.
Yeo said seven of the 22 tugboats and barges were alleged to be carrying sand, while the rest were detained for violating other Indonesian shipment and custom regulations.
Indonesia has said that the detention was part of "administrative verification procedures".
Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Pangestu said last month that Indonesia would continue to export granite to Singapore as long as the shipments were checked by appointed surveyors to guard against damaging the environment.
The price of concrete, which is made of sand, granite and cement, has nearly tripled to S$200 ($132) per cubic metre from S$70 ($46), according to the local Straits Times paper. The higher raw material prices would add about S$100,000 ($66,100) to the cost of building a S$2.5 million house, the paper said.
Singapore has turned to other sand suppliers including China, Cambodia and Vietnam since Indonesia's sand ban in January. Singapore's Foreign Affairs Ministry said last week that Myanmar could also be a long-term supplier of sand and granite.
Ties between Indonesia and Singapore have soured since the ban, with Singapore criticizing Indonesia for using the sand export ban to pressure it into negotiations on an extradition treaty and border delineation.
关闭十年 乌敏岛石场将恢复开采
For a video of how the quarry looks like, see the news reel video clip, commentary in Chinese
关闭十年 乌敏岛石场将恢复开采
9 April 2007
Channel 8 News
www.xin.sg
新传媒新闻报道，新加坡政府将重新开放乌敏岛花岗岩采石场，以解决花岗岩短缺问题。乌敏岛在1999年年底之前，是花岗岩开采中心，岛上共有7个开采场。不过，近年来，它像仄爪哇一样，成了吸引游人的生态保护区。
克克石场位于乌敏岛以北海岸，和人来人往的码头有段距离，它将再度为新加坡建筑业供应花岗岩。采石场已经关闭了十年，有议员置疑，如果恢复开采，是否对环境造成破坏？
白沙-榜鹅集选区议员张有福表示，“石场可能重新开采，对我们的环境采取保护措施，同时也应该向邻居说明，开采花岗岩不会破环境和生态，也不会影响海上边界。”
新加坡国家发展部政务部长傅海燕表示，“我们选择克克石场，因为这里远离居民，我们会把对居民的影响减到最低，开采过程中 将顾及安全问题。”
多年来新加坡也利用这里的矿井收集雨水。如果将雨水抽出，首先必须研究是否影响石场周围的海洋生物和野生生物。
为安全起见，在施工前，当局将封锁石场周边地区。爆破之前也会响起警报，提醒公众远离。
由于热爱大自然的民众喜欢造访乌敏岛，因此开采工作不会在周末进行。当局也将监控开采花岗岩所引起的灰尘问题。
关闭十年 乌敏岛石场将恢复开采
9 April 2007
Channel 8 News
www.xin.sg
新传媒新闻报道，新加坡政府将重新开放乌敏岛花岗岩采石场，以解决花岗岩短缺问题。乌敏岛在1999年年底之前，是花岗岩开采中心，岛上共有7个开采场。不过，近年来，它像仄爪哇一样，成了吸引游人的生态保护区。
克克石场位于乌敏岛以北海岸，和人来人往的码头有段距离，它将再度为新加坡建筑业供应花岗岩。采石场已经关闭了十年，有议员置疑，如果恢复开采，是否对环境造成破坏？
白沙-榜鹅集选区议员张有福表示，“石场可能重新开采，对我们的环境采取保护措施，同时也应该向邻居说明，开采花岗岩不会破环境和生态，也不会影响海上边界。”
新加坡国家发展部政务部长傅海燕表示，“我们选择克克石场，因为这里远离居民，我们会把对居民的影响减到最低，开采过程中 将顾及安全问题。”
多年来新加坡也利用这里的矿井收集雨水。如果将雨水抽出，首先必须研究是否影响石场周围的海洋生物和野生生物。
为安全起见，在施工前，当局将封锁石场周边地区。爆破之前也会响起警报，提醒公众远离。
由于热爱大自然的民众喜欢造访乌敏岛，因此开采工作不会在周末进行。当局也将监控开采花岗岩所引起的灰尘问题。
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Ubin Journies Episode 1
4 singaporeans set out for an adventure one saturday morning in April 2007.
Where were they going?
What are they looking for?
What adventures lie ahead of them?
Watch the video and find the answers!
To be continued...
This video was filmed on location at Pulau Ubin.
Directed, Filmed and Produced by:
November Tan
Starring:
Khew, Pauline and Ria
Supported by:
Pulau Ubin Stories
Date of Filming:
7 April 2007
Looking for a clue to the questions above?
You might have some luck at the new Wildfilms blog!
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