MineArchiveMines in Stockton-on-Tees
Teesside's mining is a single enormous hole under a chemical works. ICI sank a shaft at Billingham in 1926 to reach a bed of anhydrite, and over the next forty-four years took out thirty-three million tons of it to make sulphuric acid and fertiliser — leaving a void the size of thousands of swimming pools beneath the town, sealed since 1978.
Open the full map for the year filters and disasters.
| Mine | Worked | Commodities |
|---|---|---|
| Billingham Anhydrite Mine | 1927 (sinking from 1926)–1971 (shaft capped 1978) | Anhydrite |
Record created: 24 August 2026 · Last researched: 24 August 2026