Energy Minerals

Solid fossil fuels such as coal, lignite and peat remain one of the world’s major sources for power generation and electricity remains one of the world’s most valuable commodities. Reports of recent energy crises and predictions of similar events in the future have encouraged a number of companies to explore for new sources of fossil fuels.

Fossil Fuels in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland has deposits of coal, peat and lignite. Historically, hard coal has been extracted extensively although the last commercial operation closed in 1967. Two Upper Carboniferous coalfields located in east Co. Tyrone and northeast Co. Antrim were worked for (sub-) bituminous high volatile coal. Unlike in the Republic of Ireland, peat is only worked on a small-scale basis by individuals or small co-operatives to burn in their homes.

The greatest potential for future indigenous production and power generation comes from Northern Ireland’s significant lignite resources, estimated at over 1 billion tonnes. The existence of lignite in the Oligocene Lough Neagh Group has been known since 1757. However, it was not until the GSNI initiated drilling programmes in the late 1970s and mid-1980s that the true potential became apparent. Three separate deposits were outlined at Ballymoney, Crumlin and Coagh. These deposits were then licenced to exploration companies who continued to evaluate them further with the aim of developing opencast mines with minemouth power generating facilities.

Ballymoney

The Ballymoney deposit is located 40km northeast of Lough Neagh and contains the largest resource at 700Mt. The lignite occurs as a number of seams to the north of a major fault within a sequence of sandy clays and silts. The seams can be tens of metres thick, but generally thin and split towards the margins of the palaeo-basin.

Crumlin

The Crumlin deposit is located on the eastern shores of Lough Neagh and substantial lignite resources are known to exist below the lough. The lignite occurs in two seams in a fault-bounded basin, dipping below the lough. Although the onshore deposit is smaller than Ballymoney, there are still enough resources to supply a mine-mouth power plant for 20 years. The prospect is still under development and the current licence holders are looking into all potential uses for lignite.

Coagh

The Coagh lignite deposit is located on the western shores of Lough Neagh and is the least developed at present. Substantial resources also exist under the lough. Other Areas Other areas underlain by the Lough Neagh Group (principally to the south of the lough) have yet to be fully evaluated although lignite has been discovered here.