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Brick clay is the term used to describe ‘clay, shale, mudstone and other such materials’ used in the manufacture of structural clay products, such as facing and engineering bricks, pavers, clay tiles for roofing and cladding, and vitrified clay pipes. Brick manufacture is by far the largest tonnage use and as such the indicative extraction tonnages and reserve and resource figures presented in this factsheet are based on statistics provided by the brick manufacturing sector. Some clay, shale, and mudstone is used for engineering purposes, such as lining and capping landfill sites, lining canals and ponds and for general construction purposes (fill). This factsheet provides an overview of brick clay supply in the UK. It is one of a series on economically important minerals that are extracted in Britain and is primarily intended to inform the land-use planning process. It is not a statement of planning policy or guidance; nor does it imply Government approval of any existing or potential planning application in the UK administration.

This factsheet provides an overview of brick clay supply in the UK. It is one of a series on economically important minerals that are extracted in Britain and is primarily intended to inform the land-use planning process. It is not a statement of planning policy or guidance; nor does it imply Government approval of any existing or potential planning application in the UK administration.

This factsheet provides an overview of coal supply in the UK. It is one of a series on economically important minerals that are extracted in Britain and is primarily intended to inform the land-use planning process. It is not a statement of planning policy or guidance; nor does it imply Government approval of any existing or potential planning application in the UK administration.

This report is intended to provide technical information that complement the BGS Science Briefing Note: Deep impact: Unlocking the potential of geothermal energy for affordable low-carbon heating in the UK [1]. It gives a general overview of the deep geothermal opportunities that exist in the UK (although regional geothermal potential is not discussed here) as well as of financial, policy and regulatory actions that are needed to support the effective development and exploitation of deep geothermal resources in the UK. The recommendations are applicable to the UK government and its departments as well as to devolved administrations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, and devolved policy areas, such as heat policy and planning, in the respective nations. Following the introduction, the report is organised in three sections. In Section 1, details are given of the UK’s deep geothermal resources and how and where they could be utilised. Section 2 focuses on the experiences of continental Europe and the policies that have enabled the growth of a geothermal industry. Section 3 considers key policies and regulatory actions identified as necessary to drive the development of the UK geothermal sector from its current status of infancy to a mature technology that is universally recognised and utilised by a wide range of stakeholders, end-users and supported by investors.

Rock and mineral waste from the extraction of metals and minerals from the Earth is produced on a vast scale. The characteristics of mine waste are described, along with how this material relates to the nature of original mineral deposits. The influence of the method of mining and processing on the type and volume of waste is described, along with various potential environmental impacts of the waste material. The economic and environmental factors that influence the recovery of resources from mine waste are discussed and a brief overview is given of the various metallurgical technologies available to separate resources from waste. A series of case studies are given which focus on the recovery of relatively high value metals from various waste streams which result from the extraction and processing of alumina (scandium, yttrium, vanadium and rare earth elements), nickel (cobalt, nickel), gold (gold, silver), copper (cobalt, copper) and zinc (indium). The current low level of resource recovery from mine waste is noted and some of the reasons behind this low level of utilisation are explored. Increased future demand for metals is likely to drive up prices. This will provide a strong incentive for mine operators to re‐examine their waste streams as potential sources of alternative products. The environmental and ethical requirements to improve mine output whilst minimising the environmental footprint might also prove a powerful driver to better utilisation of mine waste as a resource.

For more than 200 years many authors have expressed concern about the adequacy of natural resources to support economic growth and the spread of prosperity. Most of these predictions, however, are unnecessarily alarmist and are based on over-simplistic analysis of mineral reserve and consumption data. In fact, despite rapidly increasing demand, continued scientific and technological innovations have ensured that economic development has never been constrained by lack of mineral resources. However, ‘critical metals’, so-called because of their growing importance in new and green technologies and the high risk of supply shortage, present a particular problem because our knowledge of them is limited and many are by-products of major industrial metals. There is now an urgent need for research on all aspects of the lifecycles of these metals to ensure their future availability.

The Thames Basin is the UK’s principal aquifer. It encompasses London, which is Europe’s largest megacity, and has an extensive coastal zone. It presents a unique conjunction of geological, hydrogeological, environmental, and socio-economic factors that are intrinsically linked by the effects of environmental change. The British Geological Survey (BGS) is responding to this challenge through its FutureThames initiative. FutureThames aims to initiate, facilitate, and support interdisciplinary and collaborative geoscience research in an attempt to understand the effects of environmental change in the Thames Basin. The project endeavours to involve not only the diverse threads of geoscience within the BGS, but also the wider environmental communities, public bodies and industry to provide a holistic approach to predicting and mitigating the effects of environmental change. Providing a relevant and focussed geoscience knowledge base and encouraging knowledge exchange between researchers and practionners is essential if the impacts of environmental change in the Thames Basin are to be quantified. This document highlights some of the key challenges affecting the Thames Basin that geoscience can play a role in addressing. Examples of applied research and data from the region show how geoscience can be used to reduce risk and support economic growth. This document provides a starting point to encourage the use of geoscience as part of an integrated solution.

This factsheet provides an overview of potash supply in the UK. It forms part of a series on economically important minerals that are extracted in Britain and is primarily intended to inform the land-use planning process. It is not a statement of planning policy or guidance; nor does it imply Government approval of any existing or potential planning application in the UK administration.