Minerals Of The Uk

Considering the relatively small size of the UK, just under 250,000km2, it is host to a surprisingly wide range of industrial minerals, from world-class deposits to small scale production. With the exception of the carbonate minerals sector, which has a large numver of participants, many minerals are produced by a small number of players. Witness the kaolin and ball clay sectors, which despite being large international industries, are domianted by WBB and English China Clays. The recent recession has had a serious effect on the industry, although many companies are now thanking their lucky stars that they decided to develop niche markets. Many companies believe that these low volume, high value products helped them weather the storm.