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Coal
The mining of coal in South Wales can be traced back as far as the Roman time. Its real exploitation began during the 17th century where its main use was in the smelting of copper. By 1845, Waleswas producing 55% of the world’s output of copper. At this time, coal was important only in respect of its use in smelting.

By the beginning of the 19th century, iron had replaced copper as the chief metal industry in Wales By 1850, 40% of Britain’s iron was produced in the Merthyr Tydfil area. Over two million tons of coal per annum were used in the smelting of iron, one million tons in the smelting of copper, and a further one and a half million tons being produced for other industrial, domestic and export uses.

In the 19th century that coal became the main industry in South Wales with the development of the steam engine and its use in shipping and rail transforming South Wales and endowing it with a world-wide reputation.
 

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