United Kingdom: construction of a new underground coal mine is in progress

Hard coal mining in Great Britain has been determining economic development since the 19th century. Currently this role is played by more modern energy sources. Although the British government intends to shut down all coal-fired power plants by 2025, it turns out that the large decision-making freedom of local authorities gives permission to carry out investments in its own resources.The construction of a new underground coal mine, of which the investor is West Cumbria Mining (WCM), turned out to be such an initiative. Construction will start in the second quarter of 2020, and production is planned for 2021. The mine is to operate for about 40 years, and annual production is expected to be 2.5 million tons. About 500 people and about 2,000 suppliers and subcontractors will find employment directly in the mine.

The construction of a new mine brings many positive aspects - apart from increasing employment, it is primarily an economic aspect, because high-quality coal excavated on the islands is less expensive than that imported from the USA, Australia or Russia.