| Economics |
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| Extent of permitted reserves
For England and Wales, detailed information on permitted reserves of primary aggregates in active and inactive sites, by Region and by environmental designation is published in four-yearly Aggregate Minerals Surveys. The last survey was for 2001 and the results are summarised in Table 2. There are no comparable data for Scotland or Northern Ireland. Of the total permitted reserves of 6 960 million tonnes in England and Wales in 2001, crushed rock accounted for 89%. Of total crushed rock reserves, limestone/dolomite accounted for 62%, igneous rock 18% and sandstone for almost all of the remainder.
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Resources and reserves in cross section. There is an almost total absence of hard rock suitable for use as crushed rock aggregate in southern and eastern England where demand is high. This is balanced by increased extraction in, and transport from, the South West and East Midlands. Some 32% of all reserves are located in the East Midlands and 21% in the South West. Both regions have large resources of limestone and have good transport links to the South East with much aggregate being moved by rail. |
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Table 2. Total permitted reserves of aggregate minerals for England and Wales, 2001. Source: Collation of the results of the 2001 Aggregate Minerals Survey for England and Wales, BGS. |
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