The collection includes colour microfilm aperture card copies of 7,170 plans of mine workings for coal and oil shale dating from 1872 onwards deposited on abandonment of a mine in compliance with the Coal Mines Regulation Act. An additional c.5,000 coal 'working' plans, mostly pre-dating 1872, formerly belonging to British Coal, have been added to the abandonment plan collection. The latter are held as black & white microfilm aperture cards. The collection includes plans of workings for other minerals, notably ironstone, where worked with coal. The microfilms are held on behalf of the Coal Authority who hold the original plans on behalf of the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). Original plans are held by the Coal Authority, Mansfield. No complete digital index held by BGS. An up to date finding aid is provided by the Coal Authority's paper 'Catalogue of Plans of Abandoned Mines'. The collection is believed to be fairly complete for mines abandoned since the 1872 Act. Plans were added from the British Coal plan collections to fill gaps in holdings, particularly for mines abandoned prior to 1872. Relates to coalfield areas of Central Scotland.
