UK Coal Mine Entries with Best-Plot Positions from the National Coal Mining Database

Over 170,000 records of mine entries in the UK, captured by the Coal Authority from sources like abandonment and Ordnance Survey plans. The National Coal Mining Database includes shafts and adits, with positions derived from plans of varying age, scale, and accuracy. The layer shows the best-plot position for each entry along with any treatment information.

Use Cases

• Risk assessment for land development based on known mine entry locations.
• Historical analysis of coal mining activity and infrastructure from plan-derived positions.
• Validation and improvement of subsurface geological models using recorded entry data.
• Planning ground treatment or stabilization projects based on entry treatment records.

Strengths

• Over 170,000 individual mine entry records provide substantial coverage.
• Data originates from authoritative sources like the Coal Authority and the National Coal Mining Database.
• Distinguishes between two entry types (shafts and adits) with positional data.

Limitations

• Row count and column-level documentation are absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data may reflect geographic and temporal bias inherent to historical plan sources.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

Coal Authority, via the Government Digital Service on eu_open_data.

Collection Method

Compiled from a variety of historical sources including abandonment plans, geological plans, and Ordnance Survey plans.

Time Range

Plans primarily post-1872, when deposit requirements began, but includes older records.

Freshness

unknown

Geography

United Kingdom