Harworth - Potentially Britains Super Pit

Harworth, the most northerly pit left in UK Coals portfolio on the Nottinghamshire/Yorkshire border employs 24 UDM members, and has always been a strong base of manpower for the UDM.

The Doncaster pit has emerged as a political hot spot during many trade union clashes throughout the course of history.

The colliery owned by UK Coal , who inherited the mine from RJB mining has often been nicknamed Britain's “Super Pit” has for a long time been under the shadow of closure, most recently in October 2006 when UK Coal announced plans to place the pit under “care and maintenance ”with the loss of 400 jobs.

But the pit had a last minute reprieve when miners struck a deal after lobbying government and UK Coal to open up a new seam.

The new seam has potentially 45-65 million tonnes of high quality coal available in the Top Hard area of the colliery and although the seam is over 2000 metres from the pit bottom area , plans have been drawn up ready for when funding for the £200 million project becomes available.  At the joint presentation meeting with the European Investment Bank and UK Coal early in 2009, it was made quite clear by the Vice President of the bank, Simon Brookes, that the bank would not consider a loan for the project unless the coal produced by Harworth was burned cleanly, in a new clean coal fired power station with CCS fitted.

Due to the lack of movement from the Government in this area Harworth presently remains mothballed on care and maintenance.

This at least keeps Harworth as a future asset of UK Coal and if a new power station is commissioned somewhere on the Humber, then Harworth may yet rise from the ashes to become a major asset to the company, and our countries future indigenous energy supplies, plus offering future employment for our members.