René Muschter
Research Expert covering Industry & Mobility
Metal mining industry in the United Kingdom - statistics & facts
Metal mining in the United Kingdom dates back thousands of years, with copper the first metal to be mined in Britain. The largest known bronze age copper mine in the world, the Great Orme site, was discovered in Wales in 1987. Mining at this site began almost 4,000 years ago. Many other ancient mines have been found across Britain, which shows that metal mining on an industrial level started well before the industrial revolution. The copper from these prehistoric mines was mixed with tin extracted in Cornwall to produce bronze weapons and tools. Nowadays, copper is most commonly used in the production of wires and cables. The industry revenue of copper production in the UK is expected to amount to more than half a billion U.S. dollars in 2024.
