Fresh calls to scrap Cumbrian coalmine amid steel industry’s green push

UK's coal-hungry blast furnaces likely to be replaced, making economic case for mine dead in the water' says local MP

News of the likely closure of the UK's steel blast furnaces has prompted calls for the government to reconsider approval for a controversial Cumbrian coalmine that had been planned to supply the industry.

On Monday, British Steel announced that it plans to replace its two blast furnaces at Scunthorpe, while Tata Steel is considering closing its two at Port Talbot, in a dramatic reshaping of the UK steel industry. Both companies will instead rely on much cleaner electric arc furnaces, which use 87 times less coal.