Mining is at the heart of the North of England’s history and development, probably dating back to Roman times. It was here that the steam engine was first widely used on railways, and here that the Davy safety lamp was first demonstrated, alongside that developed by Stephenson. Coal dominates the long history of mining, with lead and more recently fluorspar important in the hills behind Newcastle, and now potash from a deep mine in North Yorkshire. Yet this is a heavily populated region, with differing views about land use and the acceptability of mining in the 21st Century. This workshop discusses future prospects for mining in the region, and explores in the field the legacy of metal mining in the North Pennines as well as current good practice in meeting modern environmental standards in coal mining.
Subsequent to the workshop that is co-organised by GSL and EFG, the annual EFG summer Council meeting will be held at Newcastle.