HC Deb 30 June 1950 vol 476 c263W
Brigadier Rayner

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning what are the acreages in Great Britain where ironstone and or other metalliferous mining is taking place and which have been rendered derelict by spoil banks.

Mr. Dalton

Some 17,500 acres have been worked opencast for ironstone during the past 50 years, of which 2,500 are now derelict. I have no details about spoil banks resulting from underground mining, but the acreage is very small.