One of last UK coal mines closes this week
Coal still needed but must now be imported
GRM continues to support developers in coal mining areas
Five years after the last deep coal mine closed, we are now seeing the last of the open cast ones cease production too. Bradley in County Durham has this week extracted its last coal. Except for several small workings, the UK coal mining industry will end its life this month. After over a thousand years.
Those of us around in the 80’s saw the process start, back then more for political than environmental reasons. Over the last few decades, the UK’s electricity has relied less and less on coal, to the point where it is almost coal-free now.
But coal is an essential raw material for so much more than power, so questions should be asked about the wholesale closure of mines on environmental grounds.
We will have to import coal for making a whole range of products including: activated carbon (for water and air purification and in kidney dialysis machines), carbon fibre, silicon metal to produce lubricants, water repellents, resins, cosmetics, hair shampoos and toothpastes.
In the meantime, GRM continues to protect landowners and developers from the construction and environmental risks posed by thousands of years of past coal mining. We regularly find, investigate, and mitigate previous coal extraction areas in, around and under development land.