United Kingdom

Coal deposits are widely distributed and for many years the United Kingdom was one of the world’s largest coal producers and by far its largest exporter. Production rose to a peak o nearly 300 million tonnes per year during World War I and thereafter did not fall below 200 million tonnes per year until 1960. Output began a long-term decline in the mid-1960’s, falling to less than 100 million tonnes per year by 1990.

The coal still faces fierce competition from natural gas and imported coal (so UK coal production sank to just over 20 million tonnes in 2005). Between 2008 and 2009 the annual hard coal production surpassed 18 million tonnes.

At the end of 1994 the UK coal industry was privatised – the major purchaser was RJB Mining (now UK COAL plc) which acquired 16 deep mines from British Coal. At 31 March 2009 there were 6 major deep mines, 7 smaller deep mines and 33 open-cast sites in production.

Deep-mined coal output in 2008 was about 8,1 million tonnes and open-cast sites produced 9,51 million tonnes. There is now virtually no UK production of coking coal – output in 2008 was only 307 000 tonnes.

Source: World Energy Council