Construction of the first deep coal mine in the UK in over 30 years, has been suspended by the government despite approvals, to address climate change concerns brought forward by environmental groups.
According to media reports, the £165mn ($214mn) coal mine in Cumbria, England is projected to emit 8mn mt of carbon annually, preventing the UK from reaching net zero emissions by 2050. However, according to the builder, the coking coal will be used in the steel industry replacing imports to steel players in the UK and European Union. About 45mn mt of metallurgical coal is presently being imported by the UK and European steel-making plants each year from the US, Canada, Russia, and Australia.
Extracted coal will be moved by an underground conveyor to trains using a new loading operation. The proposed mine is anticipated to produce up to 3.1mn mt of metallurgical coal per year. The mine is scheduled to begin production by H2 2021 and will create about 500 jobs across its 29-year planned life. It will shut in 2049, just before the net-zero target date.
($1 = £0.77)