User guide : BGS BritPits v3

The British Geological Survey (BGS) British Pits (BritPits) dataset is derived from the BGS database of mines, quarries and other mineral workings. The database which holds point source records of over 255,000 surface and underground mineral workings in Great Britain (GB), Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Each record describes an onshore mineral working in terms of its name, operational status, geographic location, Mineral Planning Authority (MPA), operator, geology worked and mineral commodity produced. The workings include quarries, underground mines, oil and gas wells, rail depots for handling bulk minerals and wharfs for landing of marine-dredged sand and gravel and crushed rock aggregates. The information has been derived from the Lists of Mines and Quarries produced for the Home Office since 1897, together with the British Geological Survey (BGS) and Ordnance Survey (OS) mapping and assistance from local authorities and mineral companies (BGS 2023a). The information provided in this User Guide is intended to provide a quick-start guide to using and understanding the BGS BritPits data product.