Scotland

Bankrigg Surface Mine

Works commenced at Bankrigg surface mine during the summer of 2004. Coal extraction operations were completed the same year with over 250,000 tonnes of high quality, low sulphur coal which was supplied to Longannet Power Station on the Firth of Forth.

Coal was recovered from the Mill, Armadale Ball and the Armadale Main and workings reached a maximum depth of 42m.

The site was restored to top soil level in September 2006. A detailed restoration plan was agreed with the local authority and the landowners and works have now been completed. The restoration included the formation of a number of online ponds running through a wooded valley feature. The various field boundaries have been planted with hedges linking the newly created wildlife corridor to existing wildlife habitats.

The soils on the site have been cultivated and seeded with approximately half of the site being applied with bio solids to improve the soil quality. Minor drainage works have been carried out on site as well as works to the various wetland features within the site creating a number of ponds and wetland habitats. A family of swans can regularly be seen on the ponds.

The field compartments and woodland areas have been fenced off and hedgerow and woodland planting has been completed. Over a thousand meters of hedging has been planted in addition to 6,500 trees.