Free Downloads
Some of the material featured on this page is available for free download where the material is used for non-commercial purposes. We host a range of BGS material that is NERC copyright protected and also third party copyright materials. Unless otherwise stated, copyright of materials are vested in NERC and are acknowledged as:- BGS © NERC, 2005. All Rights Reserved. Click here to read Copyright Notice before downloading the material below.
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| Minerals and the Economy |
Primary Aggregate Reserves in England 1990-2004 -Download (4.77Mb)
 This
report presents and analyses information on permitted reserves
of primary, land-won aggregates in England, over the period
1990 to 2004. It provides a strategic overview by English region
of the extent that permitted reserves of aggregates are being
depleted or replenished.
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Summary of information on coal for land-use planning purposes - Download (3.47Mb)
 This
report brings together data on coal production, trade, consumption
and uses, and provides information on licensing and reserves.
It also summarises information on opencast coal sites granted
and refused planning permissions and coal exploitation by methods
other than conventional deep and shallow mining. You may also
be interested in seeing our web
page on coal.
Orgreave opencast coal site near Sheffield, 2004
Photo Copyright: BGS©NERC
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The role of imports to UK aggregates
supply - Download (201kb)
 This
report is intended to stimulate awareness of, and debate on,
the role that imports from outside the UK (Europe) play in the
strategic supply of aggregates to the UK, and England in particular.
Isle of Grain terminal, Kent
Photo copyright: Foster Yeoman Ltd
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The Economic Importance of Minerals to the UK - Download (2.64Mb)
 This
report is suitable for a wide non-economist audience. It provides
a better understanding of the economic issues associated with
the production and use of minerals in the UK and their contribution
to sustainable economic development.
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Mineral Matters
A series of short leaflets, commissioned by the Office of the
Deputy Prime Minister, designed to provide a non-specialist
audience with key information on a wide range of topical
minerals issues such as sustainable development, mineral
deposits and resources, planning, supply, demand, recycling,
trade and minerals in everyday life.
1: Building for the future
2: Raw materials for construction – sources
and impacts
3: Minerals in the economy
4: Minerals trade – a global picture
5: Minerals - what makes a mine?
6: Recycling our minerals
7: Minerals in our lives
8: Sustainable development of minerals
9: An Introduction to mineral planning
10: Minerals – Earth's natural resources
11: Mineral extraction and the water environment
12: Future issues for sustainable mineral extraction
13: Safeguarding our minerals supply |
Download (269kb)
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Mineral
Safeguarding for Sustainable Communities
27 March 2007
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham
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The Mineral Safeguarding for Sustainable Communities seminar took place at
BGS Keyworth on 27th March 2007. The seminar was attended
120 delegates representing central, regional and local government,
NGOs, industry, planners, academia, consultants and others.
The seminar focused on the contents of a new Guide to mineral
safeguarding in England which has been developed to complement
recently revised mineral planning policy for England.
For a more detailed report on the seminar follow this link.
Guide to Mineral Safeguarding in England – Final Edition - Download (2.13Mb)
The final edition (December 2007) of the Guide to Mineral Safeguarding in England is now available to be downloaded. The guide is available in Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF). If you do not have Adobe Acrobat installed on your computer you can download the software free of charge from the Adobe website.
Mineral Safeguarding for Sustainable Communities
presentations - The formal presentations were followed
by a lively panel discussion and open debate please see the
following downloads. |
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Photo Copyright: BGS©NERC
Mineral Safeguarding for Sustainable Communities presentations: |
Ken Hobden,
Quarry Products Association
Principles of Mineral Safeguarding |
Download (116kb) |
Fiona McEvoy, British
Geological Survey
Defining Mineral Safeguarding Areas: methodologies and data
sources
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Download (1.95Mb) |
John Cowley, Mineral
Resource Planning Associates Ltd
Perceived Issues ( Or, a reply to; “Not
another thing I've got to do!!”) |
Download (116kb) |
Emma Bee, British Geological
Survey
Case Study: Defining Mineral Safeguarding
Areas in Staffordshire County Council |
Download (3.50Mb) |
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Minerals Resource Information for Sustainable Communities within Central Scotland - Consultation Event
6 June 2007
British Geological Survey, Edinburgh |
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| Mineral resource maps in Scotland
Guide:
This guide aims to inform decision-makers and communities about mineral resources within the central belt of Scotland. It highlights several mineral resource supply issues relating to land use planning, such as sustainable mineral development and maintaining mineral supply, and directs users to useful sources of more detailed information. It accompanies the mineral resource maps produced for the central belt of Scotland.
To download a copy of the guide follow this link:
Maps:
These maps show a broad distribution of those mineral resources which may be of current or potential economic or conservational interest. They are intended to assist in the consideration and implementation of planning policies in respect of mineral extraction and the protection of important mineral resources against sterilisation. The mineral resource data mainly shows the extent of inferred mineral resources at surface, that is those mineral resources that can be defined from available geological information. Four maps are available:
- Mineral Resource map for Clackmannanshire, Fife and Falkirk (3.94MB)
- Mineral Resource map for East Lothian, Midlothian, West Lothian and City of Edinburgh (3.73MB)
- Mineral Resource map for North Ayrshire, East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire (4.92MB)
- Mineral Resource map for Inverclyde, West Dunbartonshire, East Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire and City of Glasgow (6.44MB)
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Environment — to visit the Environment section - follow this link
Provision of geological information and updating of Mineral Consultation Areas for Leicestershire County Council. British Geological Survey Commissioned Report CR/05/034N
Download (120kb)
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Strategic
Environmental Assessment (SEA) and future aggregates extraction
in the East Midlands Region
Executive Summary Download (55kb)
Full report Download (1.96Mb)
Crich quarry, Derbyshire
Photo Copyright: BGS©NERC
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World Minerals
Low-cost lime for small-scale
farming:
FarmLime technical report
Agricultural lime is a farming input taken for granted in developed
countries; however this does not hold true in less-developed
regions such as sub-Saharan Africa. The FarmLime project aimed
to improve the access of small-scale farmers in less-developed
countries to agricultural lime. The report contains the detailed
research carried out in Zambia, it includes a socio-economic
survey, carbonate resource assessment, small-scale production
trials, crop trials and a cost-benefit analysis. It is accompanied
by a summary report and manual for small-scale production of
agricultural lime (also available to download see below).
FarmLime manual for small-scale production
of agricultural lime
Agricultural lime is typically produced by the extraction,
crushing and milling of dolomite; however industrial scale
plants are scarce in many parts of the less developed world.
This manual is a concise guide to the small-scale production
of agricultural lime. It is accompanied by a technical report
and a summary report (also available to download see below).
Technical report CR/03/066N Download (1.71Mb)
Summary report Download (858kb)
Manual CR/05/092N Download (1.68Mb)
Small scale lime operation Solwezi, Zambia
Photo Copyright: BGS©NERC
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Minerals
from Waste - recent BGS and Tarmac experience in finding
uses for mine and quarry waste - Download (44kb)
Like most other industries, mining and quarrying produces waste
material. The Minerals from Waste paper summarises
the research carried by two BGS projects to find uses for
quarry fines (material finer than 4 to 5 mm). The REFILL
project included characterisation of fines arising from a
range of Tarmac querries as well as trials to test their
use in construction products (such as asphalt and concrete)
and as a growing medium. The Minerals from Waste project
studied the potential uses for fine waste arising from a
former tin mine, a currently working Pb-Zn mine (both in
Namibia) and silica sand operation in Costa Rica.
Leahill Quarry, Bantry, Co Cork
Photo Copyright: BGS©NERC
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Planning — for further information on Planning - follow this link
Industrial
Minerals: Issues for Planning summary report - Download (424kb)
 Industrial
minerals are vital to a modern economy and provide essential
raw materials which underpin manufacturing industry, construction
and agriculture. They also have important environmental applications,
such as water treatment, flue gas desulphurisation and road
de-icing. This short report provides a brief summary of research
into planning issues related to the supply of industrial minerals
in England carried out by BGS on behalf of the Office of the
Deputy Prime Minister.
Pedrockstow ball clay quarry
Photo Copyright: BGS©NERC
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| Definition and characterisation of very
fine-grained sedimentary rocks: clay, mudstone, shale and slate. British
Geological Survey Commissioned Report CR/03/281N - Download (452kb)
 Shale,
slate and clay are exempt from the Aggregates Levy, but problems
have arisen with their precise definition. This report attempts
to explain their characteristic and differences.
Westmoreland Green slate
Photo Copyright: BGS©NERC
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Brick
Clay: Issues for Planning
Executive Summary. British Geological Survey Commissioned
Report CR/01/118N - Download (20kb).
Brick is an important building material and is one of the most
visible components of our built environment. A number of critical
issues face those involved in planning for the future supply
of the clay for the manufacture of bricks and other clay-based
products such as roof tiles and drainage pipes. This short
report provides a brief summary of research into planning issues
related to the supply of brick clays carried out by the BGS
on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
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| Construction
Raw Materials Policy and Supply Practices in Northwestern Europe.
Facts and Figures – England,
Scotland and Wales (Great Britain). |
Download (1.14Mb) |
| Fireclays in ceramic production |
Download (236kb) |
Research reports on aggregate minerals in England
Aggregates supply in England : Issues for planning report. - Download (5.95Mb)
This report summarises the main findings of the report by the British Geological Survey on Managing Aggregates Supply in England : a review of the current system and future options . It also draws on essential messages of a series of four other research projects carried out in 2007 – 2008 for the Mineral Industry Research Organisation (MIRO) and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).
Managing aggregates supply in England: A review of the current system and future options report. - Download (3.66Mb)
A research report concerned with the managed aggregates supply system in England has been prepared by BGS, in conjunction with a team of leading consultants, under the DCLG-BGS Joint Minerals Information Programme.
The need for indigenous aggregates production in England report. - Download (1.07Mb)
Aggregate resource alternatives: Options for future aggregate minerals supply in England report. - Download (2.73Mb)
Two research reports dealing with different aspects of the supply and demand for primary aggregate minerals have been published by BGS. This research has been sponsored by the DEFRA Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund administered by MIRO.
Regional Aggregate Mineral Resources maps - click on a region to download the relevant map for that area
(Please note the maps are in pdf format and are between 2 and 6.70MB)
The maps have been designed to be printed at 1:250 000 scale. With the exception of the South West region, to print at this scale the regional maps will fit on A0 (841 mm x 1189 mm) sized paper. To print the South West region map at 1:250 000 scale requires a paper size of 1067 mm x 1829 mm. The maps are, however, legible when printed on smaller paper sizes.
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Research report on the need for indigenous fluorspar production in England - Download (600kb)
 In partnership with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (cebr), BGS has published a research report on
‘The need for indigenous fluorspar production in England '. This report examines the contribution which indigenously produced fluorspar makes to the English economy.
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Sustainable development issues for mineral extraction in the Wareham Basin of East Dorset
This report sets out recommendations in relation to resource management
issues, the planning process and sustainable development considerations.
Summary report - Download (2.12Mb)
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Mineral Statistics For more information on minerals statistics follow this link
Meeting the mineral commodity challenge — minerals information from the British Geological Survey
14 October 2008
Law Society, London
Presentations
Introduction - Download (440kb)
Andrew Bloodworth, Head of Science, Minerals, British Geological Survey
Meeting future global demand for minerals - Download (866kb) - Please note several images have been removed from this presentation.
Maintenance of reliable and adequate supplies of minerals is becoming a matter of increasing concern as global consumption escalates, especially in the developing world. This presentation will explore some of the myths and realities concerning the future availability of minerals and the factors that influence their sustainable supply.
Gus Gunn and Paul Lusty, British Geological Survey
Emerging European initiatives in security of minerals supply - Download to follow
EU's DG Enterprise and Industry has been involved in a public consultation on the future of EU non-energy materials policy. This presentation will provide an outline of the content of the communication resulting from the consultation and consider the implications from a EuroGeoSurveys perspective.
Slavko Šolar , Geological Survey of Slovenia and Patrice Christmann, Secretary General, EuroGeoSurveys, the Association of the European Geological Surveys
Mineral statistics information from the BGS – what we have and why it matters - Download (951kb)
What information does BGS hold on mineral statistics? Why was it important in the past and who is using it now? Monitoring production and trade of mineral commodities is vital for security of supply planning and measuring change in patterns of supply and this presentation will show trends within the EU.
Linda Hetherington, British Geological Survey
Mineral statistics in BGS – the example of China - Download (252kb)
The economic growth of China is having an unprecedented effect on world trade in mineral commodities. How much does China produce, what patterns of trade can be observed and how reliable is the data?
Teresa Brown, British Geological Survey
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World Mineral Production 2002–2006 - Download (808kb)
 This publication includes five year tables of production, by country, for the majority of economically important mineral commodities, including ferrous and non-ferrous metals, industrial minerals and hydrocarbons.
New this year! Additional information has been added describing the characteristics, uses production trends, prices and industry events for 11 commodities including bauxite/alumina/aluminium, coal, copper, fluorspar, gold, iron ore, lead, nickel, titanium, uranium and zinc.
This is part of the World Mineral Statistics (WMS) series and back issues of WMS, including production and trade tables, can be purchased from the BGS online shop.
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| European
Mineral Statistics 2002–2006 - Download (2.17Mb)
European Mineral Statistics has over 300 pages of tables on
minerals production and trade. Thirty two countries are covered
including all the EU members, EU applicants, Norway and Switzerland.
In the first section there are tables by country, followed
by commodity tables with selected graphics and bullet points
with information on use and prices.
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| Commodity
Profiles
This series presents essential, up-to-date, background information
on individual mineral commodities for a non-specialist audience.
Each profile provides an overview of the global industry for
the individual commodity, with emphasis placed on the British
perspective. The profiles vary in length considerably, roughly
in accordance with their economic importance to Britain today.
Barytes specimen from Foss Mine, Perthshire, Scotland
Photo Copyright: BGS©NERC
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Downloads
Cobalt (182kb)
Platinum
Group Elements (99kb)
Magnesium (119kb)
Zinc (190kb)
Coal (1.08Mb)
Fluorspar (1.7Mb)
Barytes (1.2Mb)
Building
and Roofing Stone (664kb)
Cement
Raw Materials (292kb)
Uranium (1.78Mb)
Copper (4.60Mb)
Nickel (2.84Mb) |
African
Mineral Production 2001 –2005 - Download (1.2Mb)
African Mineral Production is a new publication from the British
Geological Survey containing mineral production data from
all African countries.
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China and South East Asia Mineral Production 2001–2005 - Download (432kb)
China and South East Asia Mineral Production is a new publication from the British Geological Survey containing mineral production data from twelve countries in the region.
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South American Mineral Production 1997–2006 - Download (2.88Mb)
 South American Mineral Production 1997 –2006 is a new publication from the British Geological Survey containing mineral production data from South America.
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United
Kingdom Minerals Yearbook 2007 - Download (3.47Mb)
The Yearbook brings together in one volume data on minerals production,
consumption and trade, and includes an up-to-date and authoritative
commentary on current developments in the minerals industry.
It will be of value to all those interested in the many facets
of Britain's minerals industry and its contribution to the national
economy. It forms part of the long term mining and quarrying
record of the UK.
Previous editions:
United Kingdom Minerals Yearbook 2006 - Download (980kb)
United Kingdom Minerals Yearbook 2005 - Download (978kb)
United Kingdom Minerals Yearbook 2004 - Download (2.90Mb)
United Kingdom Minerals Yearbook 2003 - Download (2.34Mb)
United Kingdom Minerals Yearbook 2002 - Download (2.64Mb)
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UK Exploration — For more information on Exploration follow this link
Minerals
in Britain — Past Production, Future Potential 
A series of leaflets that provides concise descriptions of
the known occurrence and past production of selected mineral
commodities, mainly metals, in Britain. Target areas favourable
for the discovery of new economic deposits are described and
sources of further information are identified.
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Baryte (410kb)
Lead
and Zinc (503kb)
Nickel
and
Platinum (421kb)
Copper (511kb)
Gold (1Mb)
Gemstones (520kb) |
Exploration
for Metalliferous and Related Minerals in Britain: A
Guide - Download (4.8Mb) 
This guide provides a wide range of information to assist all
those interested in exploring for, and developing, metalliferous
and related minerals in Britain.
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