IRON MINES AND STOCKS, HAINAN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R006200500001-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 13, 2001
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: November 10, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

C.,.:ASSMC:'1-1(A VC0=0E, (TLY.
Approved For Releige4Oataii50-644415Piattilt 7R0062001arbilf-a
Alt
C1 U MTRY Cl ina
Pusairtar'T
SUBJECT Iron 7"inco and. Stoet.F:?iainnn
,
CD NO. 25X1A
jR 10 NOV 50
NO. OF PAGES 3
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO 25X1X
25X1A REPORT NO.
The /"ientu (109-370 18.-18) iron deoosits are connected with Yulin by a
single-track ono-meter gauge railroad. The deposits were mined by three
glory holes through which the ore was dropped. It broke readily and did
not need crushing or washing; the average-grade was 65 percent. A conveyor
belt with the capacity of 66'0 tons per day carried the ore to large ore
bins at the surface, From the ore bins the ore was loaded by gravity into
freight cars and taken to Yulin.
2. At the mine there are four 3/4-yard Lima shovels, two of which are diesel
and tire gasoline; one C-yard serener; eight tractors (two rd 14 T's and
six D-1" s); and a diesel Porter plant ri-lich operates several comlressors
and the motors for the conveyor belt. Also available in the area are
eioht Loner U.S. Amy bulldozers.
3. There are only about one million bons o: ore remaining at Ttiontu which can
be mined wit' out buil ding a washing plant. 71ith repairs to the lrecent
equipment, the outout could easily be raised to COO long tons a day.
4. De2ore mechanization of the mine, mining costs wore more than N:; a ton;
ofter, tho total cost of mini-g, shi)ning to t a pore an loading on a ship
was only US n1.80 a ton (neither figure includes bribes, which were the
major cost under the Nationalists). The mechanization cut &sun the number
of workers by 20000. This was the only well-mechanized operation in South
China.
Under the Nationalists a Dr. K70 (also called K7011 who is nou in Hong Kong,
received bribes of US :',18,000 a nonth. KUO is trying to get into the good
graccs of the Communists but so far has not succeeded.
6. The Communists are anxious to start operations at the Ty ientu deposits again,
and have ordered about US ''15,000 worth of spare parts for equipment there.
Hoi7ever, they do not want to sell the iron ore to &van unless they can get
railroad equioment and stool in roturn.
This document is hereby regrr.Joi to
CONFIDENTIAL in accordance with
letter of 16 October 1978 from tile
Director of Central Intelligence to tholi
Archivist of the United States.
? ATION
Document No':
No Change In Mass. ,
DiFfizklt ,
STATE
F.
NA
''''.4
1,-; .
,
DIsTRIBuTiont
raAs. C
gill To: -Val
S -C?F-1
ARMY
Fai
1
i
ath.a,
It
7.0-2
CONFIDENTIAL
Dates
Approved For Release 2001/04/13 : CIA-RDP82-00457R006200500001-1
*---
Approved For Release 2001/04/13 : CIA-RDP82-00457R006200500001-1
SEC ATFTROL OFFICIP,LS OILY
CE1TTPAL r:T.ILIGL:PCF; AGETICT ?
MIR
2
25X1 A
7 ',Me Communists have Placed a 22-year-o1d mining engineer in charge of the
Tlientu nine, but no work is bei'.g carried on. Darbed wire has been strung
all around the outside of the workings. Heavy rains have washed overburden
into the mine workings. There is no fuel for the locomotives but fuel is
available for the diesel equipunnt.
Q9 The Tlientur-YUlin railroad has 120 20-ton cars and 7 locomotives. One
locomotive can pull 15 20-ton cars.
9. There arc 10,000 tons of iron ore stockpiled at Ynlin.
10
the eort of Yulin there is a conveyor bolt running to the stockpile and
another belt for loading ships which carries the ore to two loaders The
capacity of each belt is 600 tons per day.
11- Tulin harbor is well-protected and load ;i has been Carried on even during
a typhoon, A 10,000-ton liberty ship could come right up to the dock to be
loaded.
12. Then the TTationalists left, they burned the wooden sul:)orts holding the
conveyor bolts at Yulin, burned most of the bolts and damaFed the conveyor
belt motors. They set explosives under one loader and wrecknd the stool .
supports. A tuF VAS sunk at the entrance to Yulin harbors blocking the
entrance; however, 4,000-ton boats can still enter the harbor.
13. The Conrunists arc planning to reelace the damaged beltsrith some serplus
belt tey are bringing dawn from the Shihlu mines, whore it has been
stored for some time.
lh. The Communists have n)roved fortifications on the west side of Yulin harbor
and have started a cartridge factory in an abandoned cement plant aboa% one
mile northwest of the ore-loading dock. They arc using cartured Hationalist
UC-nade eeuienent.
15. The Chihlu (109-07, 19-15) mine is the largest iron ore deposit on Eadnan and
is believed to be the largest deeosit of high-grade ore in the Far ]o_st. At
least .200,000,000 tons could be mined with little difficulty. The Japanese
mined at Shihlu by open cut, using hand labor and very little enuipment.
16. As part of a long-range program, the Communists are thinking of reo)ening
the Shihlu mine, eut they believe that it will take help from foreign
technicians to get it started, One they are also worried about the large
investment required.
/7. Little equipment is left at Shihlu except for ere cars, conveyor belting
and comoressors. It would take over a year and about US :.:,610000000 to
reopen the mines and begin to ship ore on a large scale from Shihlu. The
main problem in starting operations would be the rebuilding of the big
bridge over1:4:., river which was completely destroyed.
15. The Shihlu deposit is connected with Peili (10C-43, 19-08) by a Jaeaneee-
b-lilt 35-mile railroad. It is in bad repair and sleeners have been stolen
from it. The Japanese planted to electrify the railroad ani all. of 'Hainan
with a hydroelectric Pc7rer plant, which is about (A) percent completed, on
the Chvangchiang River near Tungfang (109-05, 19-05). The generators and
all of t'c heavy equi-ment at the plant are said to be in good condition.
19. There are 60,000 long tons of iron of 65 eercen stocked by the Jar-goe at
',he port ncar 2oil5 bay, nif coasP-, is -ory sl,-.1ori for lc:aly tw:nty miles
111/C0=OL OFFICrLC
Approved For Release 2001/04/13 : CIA-RDP82-00457R006200500001-1
? Approved For Release 2001/04/13 : CIA-RDP82-00457R006200500001-1
-T/C01.7.77,0L- OFTICIALS OTTY
c7.1r:TpAr, r AG-7"C1
25X1A
o.f f cy.:e in this c.:rea and only si7lal1 Lts (aliouL 4-5,030 tons) can load.
? Ott 1,1; Carina y arrancoc: for the use of a float.fmc, rock in t.is area but
it was never used because of difficultie With ratinnalftr t of2icials over
bribes connected with its use.
25X1A riont. iCturo3
CIA ,..;nan-d.ron aro T.91Aattons are available
in
?hies Racist? . _
qr rizicOT:TIZOL -
Approved For Release 2001/04/13 : CIA-RDP82-00457R006200500001-1