<P> The last deep coal mine in the UK closed on 18 December 2015 . Twenty - six open cast mines still remain open . </P> <P> The United Kingdom's onshore coal resources occur in rocks of the Carboniferous age, some of which extend under the North Sea . The carbon content of the bituminous coal present in most of the coalfields is 86% to 88% . Britain's coalfields are associated with Northumberland and Durham, North and South Wales, Yorkshire, the Scottish Central Belt, Lancashire, Cumbria, the East and West Midlands and Kent . </P> <P> Stone and Bronze Age flint axes have been discovered embedded in coal, showing that it was mined in Britain before the Roman invasion . Early miners first extracted coal already exposed on the surface and then followed the seams underground . </P> <P> It is probable that the Romans used outcropping coal when working iron or burning lime for building purposes . Evidence to support these theories comes mostly from ash discovered at excavations of Roman sites . </P>

When did coal mining start in the uk
find me the text answering this question