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GEOGRAPHICAL FOCUS: UK M


ining has had a long history in Britain, and greatly infl uenced its economic


development. One of the earliest known mines is at Grime’s Graves in Norfolk, Eastern England, where Neolithic people excavated high quality fl int over 5,000 years ago. T ey dug some 400 pits using tools made from deer antler. In more modern times, the abundance of coal underpinned the industrial revolution, and at one time before WW1, one million men were employed underground and there were 200 pits in Wales alone. However the industry has declined, with many unprofi table pits closing during the T atcher administration in the 1980s. T e last deep pit, Kellingley colliery


in North Yorkshire, closed at the end of 2015. With the closure was the loss of over 400 jobs. T e remaining mines produce around 12 million tonnes per year. To gain an understanding of the


current state of mining in Britain, in February 2016 the CBI published


a report entitled T e UK Mineral Extraction Industry. Even at a glance, the numbers further underline the importance of Britain’s natural resources: 210 million tonnes of mineral extraction per year, turning over £15 billion, providing 34,000 direct jobs and 4.3 million across the whole supply chain. Altogether this makes up 16% of the total UK economic turnover. T e lion’s share is non-metallic,


with around £6,133 million worth of building stone, limestone, gypsum, chalk and slate being produced, and £7,049 million worth of sand, gravel and china clays. Many other materials are mined, including salt (6.6 million tonnes), peat (1 million tonnes) and potash (0.9 million tonnes). T at last fi gure looks set to be dramatically expanded with the news that the Sirius York Potash Project is now entering a crucial stage, and the Defi nitive Feasibility Study (DFS) is to be published as International Mining Engineer (IME) goes to press. T e company says in a statement, “T e completion of a DFS for such a large-


MADE IN SCOTLAND W


ith such a long history of mining it is no surprise


to see thriving vehicle and equipment manufacturing industries in the UK. Terex Trucks can trace its roots


back to 1950 when US company Euclid started making off -highway trucks in Motherwell, central Scotland. In 1968 General Motors shed the Euclid brand and the new name was born, joining Terra (earth) and Rex (king). The Volvo Group acquired the company in 2014.


14 www.engineerlive.com


Sirius Minerals’ polyhalite project in North Yorkshire has a simple and efficient design from mine to port, enabling large- scale production in a way that is sensitive to the environment


The company is in the process


of renewing its range, the fi rst new model to be launched this


year is to be the 38 tonne TA400 articulated dump truck. Terex claims, “To guarantee maximum uptime of the truck, investments have been made to ensure increased durability and protection of truck components, including upgraded hydraulic hoses, electrical interfaces, transmission mountings and brake pipes.” More models in Terex Trucks’ new generation of articulated haulers will follow later in 2016 and 2017. ●


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