The pattern of iron ore sources for the United Kingdom iron and steel industry has evolved in response to both national and worldwide technical developments and discoveries. In the earliest times ores came from numerous locations and supported small, local industries. Production grew rapidly from the mid-eighteenth century, especially after coke replaced charcoal as a reductant. Output became focused increasingly on the large resources of bedded phosphoric ironstones of central and eastern England; this was accelerated by the improved transport offered by the canal and railway networks. The low-phosphorus replacement hematite ores of Cumbria and South Wales were also exploited, especially to meet the requirements of the acid Bessemer process. Imports began in the mid-nineteenth century, initially from Europe and North Africa, and both domestic and imported ores were used on a substantial scale for many years. Dependence on imports became complete with the adoption of the Linz-Donawitz steelmaking process in the 1960s and 1970s. At about the same time mining and ocean freight developments enabled the use of ores from worldwide sources. In recent years ore supplies have come mainly from Australia, Brazil, Canada and South Africa. Most of the supply is sintering fines, with considerable quantities of lump ore and some pellets.
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