Surface miners staring into the abyss

摘要

WITHOUT new PLANNING permissions, the nation's surface mining industry is in imminent danger of extinction in some areas. According to Coal UK calculations, Scotland, not that long ago the leading surface mining centre in the country, will have all but ceased production before the end of this decade, while England and Wales will be in decline. Surface coal mining employs 2,000 directly in mining and is served by a substantial support industry.