The table illustrates changes in the number of deep coal mines operating in the UK from 1913 to 2015.
Overall, there was a dramatic and continuous decline in the number of mines over the period, with the most significant reductions occurring in the mid to late 20th century. By 2015, coal mining had almost completely disappeared.
In 1913, coal mining was at its peak, with 3,024 deep mines in operation. This figure fell moderately to 2,607 in 1923, before dropping more sharply to 1,690 by 1943, representing a reduction of nearly half over three decades. The downward trend continued in the following years, as the number of mines decreased to 943 in 1963.
The most dramatic decline occurred between 1963 and 1983, when the number of operating mines plummeted from 943 to just 170, meaning that around 80% of mines were closed during this period. After 1983, the contraction accelerated further. By 2003, only 20 mines remained, and this number fell to a mere 4 by 2015, indicating that deep coal mining had become almost obsolete in the UK.