Written question asked by Stephen Mosley (Conservative) on Thursday, 8 December 2011, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 12 December 2011. It was answered by Robert Neill (Conservative) on Wednesday, 14 December 2011 on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Mining

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many mines were in use in England in 2010; and what minerals were quarried from each such mine.

Answer: I have been asked to reply.A detailed list of what minerals were extracted by which quarries and mines may be found in the British Geological Survey's Directory of Mines and Quarries 2010 which can be accessed at:"http://www.bgs.ac.uk/mineralsuk/mines/dmq.html"The directory indicates that there were over 1,250 active mines and quarries in England in 2010 (excluding rail heads and wharves), extracting 22 types of mineral. The minerals extracted included coal, sand and gravel, limestone, peat, clay and shale, sandstone, chalk, slate, silica sand, china clay and igneous and metamorphic rock.

Secondary information