Mining in England - Brief History

Brief History

The United Kingdom has a rich history of mining. There is evidence that mining took place in Wales during the Bronze Age, in approximately 2200-850 BC. Metalworking debris found beneath the ramparts at Beeston Castle located in Beeston, Cheshire, England is evidence of bronze production during the Bronze Age.

Later, lead and copper attracted the Romans to Britain, and in the 15th century they erected a lead smelter at Flint in northern Wales. The Romans introduced iron tools and used local slaves to mine galena, an important lead ore mineral, from which they refined lead, tin, and silver. These metals were used locally and also transported by ship throughout the Roman Empire. Galena was mined from deep mines located in Scotland and Wales. Lead, tin, and aluminum were then refined from galena.

The widespread availability of coal and iron was a significant factor in Europe’s Industrial Revolution of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Although coal and iron ore are no longer mined in significant quantities in the United Kingdom, they were once mined in large quantities throughout the United Kingdom and utilized for steel and energy production. With large quantities of important minerals available and easily accessible, the United Kingdom’s economy grew rapidly.