The Midlothian Coalfield is a

coalfield A coalfield is an area of certain uniform characteristics where coal is mined. The criteria for determining the approximate boundary of a coalfield are geographical and cultural, in addition to geological. A coalfield often groups the seams of ...

in southeast

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

situated immediately to the east and southeast of

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

. It is geologically continuous with the East Fife Coalfield beneath the Firth of Forth though the undersea

coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal is formed when ...

reserves have only been partly exploited. There were undersea workings extending from Prestonlinks Colliery. The sulphur content of the majority of Midlothian coals is less than 1% making it especially suitable for modern requirements.

Geology

The following seams were worked. They are shown in rough stratigraphical order thought not all seams are present throughout the coalfield. Those shown in bold were worked to the greatest extent: Within the Scottish Coal Measures Group (Middle and Lower Coal Measures): * Clayknowes Coal * (Musselburgh) Splint Coal * (Musselburgh) Rough Coal * Beefie Coal * Musselburgh Jewel Coal * Golden Coal * Little Splint Coal * Cowpits Five Foot Coal * Glass Coal * Salters Coal * Musselburgh Nine Foot Coal * Musselburgh Fifteen Foot Coal * Pinkie Six Foot Coal * Musselburgh Seven Foot Coal * Eskmouth Extra Coal Within the Upper Limestone Formation: * South Parrot Coal Within the Limestone Coal Formation: * Great Seam Coal * Gillespie Coal * Blackchapel Coal * Kittlepurse Coal * Peacock Coal * South Bryans Splint Coal * Stony Coal * Ball Coal * Loanhead No 1 Coal * Corbie Coals * Andrews Coal * South Coal * North Coal * Stairhead Coal Within the Lower Limestone Formation * North Greens Coal Within the West Lothian Oil-Shale Formation * Houston Coal * various oil-shale horizons Monktonhall Colliery was abandoned in 1997 and Blinkbonny mine adit was sealed in 2003 so bringing to an end a long history of deep-mining of coal within the coalfield. Opencasting has continued at various sites since then including Blinkbonny, Oxenfoord, Gourlaw and Newbigging Farm.Smith, RA, Bide T, Hyslop EK, Smith NJP, Coleman T, and MacMillan, AA (2008). Mineral Resource Map for East Lothian, Midlothian, West Lothian and City of Edinburgh OR/08/13

References

{{coord, 55, 54, N, 3, 06, W, region:GB, display=title Coal mining regions in Scotland Geography of Midlothian