| AdminHistory | Opencast mining started as an emergency measure under the Defence Regulations in 1940 when the Government set up the Directorate of Opencast Coal Production within the Ministry of Works and Planning. In 1945 the directorate was transferred to the Ministry of Fuel and Power. In 1952 responsibility for opencast mining was transferred to the National Coalboard Finance Branch until the Opencast Executive was subsequently set up. In 1990 the name of the executive was changed to British Coal Opencast. [Information taken from The National Archive Catalogue, COAL 81, accessed 30 May 2017.] |