Iron

Symbol	Fe

This is a short overview. For the background — history, value over time and notable mines — see Iron →

Occurs in: Iron Replacement Deposits, Laterite and Residual Weathering Deposits, Sedimentary Beds and Seams, Sedimentary Ironstones →

A magnetic metal worked from ores such as haematite and ironstone by crushing, roasting and smelting, historically in a blast furnace with charcoal or coke. The basic raw material of the iron and steel industry, used across construction, tools and machinery.

Mines

Show these mines on the map

Mine	Region	Worked
Ashburnham Furnace	East Sussex	Working by the 16th century–Early 1813
Bampfylde Mine	Devon	c.1420-1530 (medieval)–1885
Ban Garth Mine	Cumbria	1845–1874
Barbara Pit, Kirkland	Cumbria	1923–31 March 1926
Beaufort Iron Works	Blaenau Gwent	1779–1873–1877
Beauport Park Roman Iron Mine	East Sussex	1st century AD–3rd century AD
Beckermet Mine	Cumbria	1903–3 October 1980
Berry Hill Colliery	Staffordshire	1840s–1960
Big Pit	Torfaen	1880–1980
Bigrigg Mine	Cumbria	medieval–1932
Birker Moor Mine	Cumbria	By 1881, possibly earlier–By 1888
Blaenavon Ironworks	Torfaen	1788-89–1904
Blea Tarn Mine	Cumbria	1871–By 1877 (company in liquidation)
Blists Hill Colliery	Shropshire	From 1770s–1941
Bonawe Iron Furnace	Argyll and Bute	1753–1874-76
Bowhill Colliery	Fife	1895–May 1965
Burrow Farm Mine	Somerset	1860 (shaft sunk)–1883
Carnarvon New Pit	Somerset	1866–1879
Carnbroe Colliery	North Lanarkshire	from From 1854
Clearwell Caves	Gloucestershire	from Bronze Age
Coalbrookdale Colliery	Shropshire	from 16th century
Corby Ironstone Quarries	Northamptonshire	From 1881–1970s-80s
Cornel Wain Colliery	Merthyr Tydfil	to March 1924
Cottesmore Ironstone Quarry	Rutland	1882–1964
Cowden Furnace	Kent	By 1574–c. 1771
Crossfield Mine	Cumbria	from By 1864
Crossgill Mine	Cumbria	By 1864–1925 or 1926
Crowgarth Mine	Cumbria	Working by 1784–1958
Cyfarthfa Ironworks	Merthyr Tydfil	1765–1874
Dalmellington Iron Works	East Ayrshire	1847–1921
Dalzell's Moor Row Mine	Cumbria	From 1882–31 March 1926
Desborough Ironstone Quarries	Northamptonshire	1859–By late 1960s
Doward Iron Mines	Herefordshire	Possibly the Roman period–1917
Dowlais Ironworks	Merthyr Tydfil	19 September 1759–1987 (steel production ended)
Dumbreck Colliery	North Lanarkshire	1885 (sinking)–1963
Dunaskin Ironworks	South Ayrshire	1840s–1921 (closure)
Eskett Pit	Cumbria	From 1882–1913
Eston Ironstone Mines	North Yorkshire	From August 1850–September 1949
Fawler Ironstone Mine	Oxfordshire	1850s–By 1884
Fernhurst Furnace (North Park Furnace)	West Sussex	Working by 1614–1776 or 1777
Florence Mine	Cumbria	1914–2007
Frank Mills Mine	Devon	1847–1880
Frizington Iron Mines	Cumbria	19th century–By late 1970s
Frodingham Ironstone Mines	Lincolnshire	1859–1981 (underground working)
Garths Ness Mine	Shetland Islands	c. 1800–1920s
Gill Force Mine	Cumbria	1880–By 1884
Gillfoot Park Mine	Cumbria	1879–1915
Glenariff Iron Ore Mines	County Antrim	1873–1881
Glendon Ironstone Quarries	Northamptonshire	1863–31 December 1979
Glenravel Iron and Bauxite Mines	County Antrim	From 1866–31 December 1945 (final bauxite closure)
Gloucester Furnace, Lamberhurst	Kent	1548–1787
Gravel Hill Mine	Cornwall	By 1728 (c. 1840 by one account)–1882
Great Rock Mine	Devon	c. 1822–1969
Grinkle Mine	North Yorkshire	1875–1930 (site abandoned 1934)
Grosmont Ironstone Mines	North Yorkshire	1836–1891/92
Groverake Mine	County Durham	From 1819–1999
Halesfield Pit	Shropshire	from 1930s (as an ironstone and coal mine)
Heights Pasture Mine	County Durham	from 1850 (Weardale Iron Company)
Herbertshire Colliery	Falkirk	By 1886–1959
Higher Pitts Mine	Somerset	17th century–1893
Hodbarrow Mine	Cumbria	1856–1968
Irchester Ironstone Quarries	Northamptonshire	c. 1872–1969
Irthlingborough Ironstone Mine	Northamptonshire	1915 (quarrying)–1965
Islip Ironstone Quarry	Northamptonshire	1877–1952
Kilton Mine	North Yorkshire	1875 (sinking from 1873)–2 February 1963
Lecht Mine	Moray	From 1730–1846
Lindal Moor	Cumbria	From mid-19th century–c. 1914-1915
Little Garth Mine	Cardiff	Early 19th century–1884
Llanharry Iron Mine	Rhondda Cynon Taf	Early 1900s–1975 or 1976
Lloyds Mines Ironbridge	Shropshire	14th century–By early 20th century
Loanhead (Ramsay) Colliery	Midlothian	c.1850–1965 (abandoned 1966)
Loftus Mine	North Yorkshire	1859–1958
Margaret Mine	Cumbria	By 1930s–1960
Mowbray Mine	Cumbria	1842–Early 20th century
Nab Gill Mine	Cumbria	By 1842–July 1918
Newbridge Ironstone Quarry	Northamptonshire	1867–1880s
North Skelton Mine	North Yorkshire	1865–17 January 1964
Pallaflat Iron Mine	Cumbria	1874–1914
Park Mines	Cumbria	1850–1921
Port Mulgrave Mine	North Yorkshire	1856–1870s
Raasay Iron Mine	Highland	From 1913–1919
Roanhead Iron Mine	Cumbria	1852–1942
Robertsbridge Furnace	East Sussex	1539-41–1793 (furnace)
Roseberry Mine	North Yorkshire	1870 (worked 1871-87, 1906-26)–1924 (machinery removed by 1931)
Rosedale Ironstone Mines	North Yorkshire	1857 (west side)–1929
Rutland Ironstone Quarries	Rutland	1882–1973 (last ore to Corby 1980)
Sandlodge Mine	Shetland Islands	c. 1790–1929
Seend Ironstone Quarry	Wiltshire	At least 1666–1889/90
Sharkham Point Iron Mine	Devon	c. 1790–1914-15
Shotts Iron Works	North Lanarkshire	16 April 1801 (lease)–1951
Sirhowy Ironworks	Blaenau Gwent	1778–1882
Skelton Park Pit	North Yorkshire	1870–1938
Stank Mine	Cumbria	1871 (first shaft)–March 1901
Ullcoats Mine	Cumbria	1897–1959 (Ullcoats)
Upleatham Ironstone Mine	North Yorkshire	1851–1923/24
Warren Moor Mine	North Yorkshire	1866–1874
Waterside Colliery	East Ayrshire	1848–1986
Wembley Ironstone Quarry	Northamptonshire	1924–early 1940s
Wenvoe Iron Mine	Vale of Glamorgan	Working by 1859–1919
West Rigg Opencast	County Durham	Late 19th century–1968
Westbury Brook Ironstone Mine	Forest of Dean	Late 1830s–1893
Westbury Ironstone Quarry	Wiltshire	1840s–1933
Wheal Crebor	Devon	About 1803–1902
Wheal Eliza	Somerset	From 1845–1858
Wheal Kitty	Cornwall	From 1758–1930
Whitecliff Ironworks	Gloucestershire	1798-1801–By 1816 (production)
Wigpool Ironstone Mine	Forest of Dean	By 1856–1924 (principal mine 1918)
Wilsontown Ironworks	South Lanarkshire	1779–1842
Wroxton and Adderbury Ironstone Workings	Oxfordshire	From 1859–1967
Yarlside Mine	Cumbria	from 1868