I. Fill in the blanks with the correct words.

1. Britain possessed abundant ___of coal and iron ore, the two chief minerals on which the Industrial Revolution was based.

2. In the early years of this century coal production ___demands and huge quantities were exported.

3. These coalfields are the easiest to mine because the coal ___are particularly thick.

4. Up to the early 1960s, over 99 per cent of Britain's petroleum___ were imported, primarily from the Middle Eastern countries.

5. About two thousand kilometres of ___ pipeline have been built to bring ashore oil from the North Sea oilfields.

6. Like oil, natural gas is a ___ material for the chemical industry and demand for it is likely to increase considerably.

7. Iron ore is one of the most abundant metals in the earth's___.

8. A great ___ of non-metallic minerals is produced in Britain.

II. Complete the sentences with the best answer (a, b or c).

1. Many of Britain's most valuable and accessible deposits of non-ferrous metals have been

a) developed.

b) worked out.

c) exhausted.

2. At the same time British industry has become increasingly orientated towards

a) heavier industry.

b) lighter industry.

c) agriculture.

3. The most important coal deposits are to be found in such industrial regions as Yorkshire, Lancashire, North-East England, the Midlands, Central Scotland and

a) North-West England.

b) Northern Ireland.

c) South Wales.

4. In the 1960s, however, several discoveries of natural gas were made on the continental shelf off the east coast of Britain, in the bed of

a) the Irish Sea.

b) the North Sea.

c) the English Channel.

5. Most of the ironfields in Britain are to be found in the areas of major coalbasins, and this created favourable conditions for the development of

a) chemical industry.

b) metallurgical industry.

c) textile industry.

III. Are the statements true or false? Correct the false statements.

1. The rise of Britain as an industrial nation in the late 18th and early 19th centuries was partly due to the presence of considerable mineral resources.

2. As an industry coalmining has been in existence for over 100 years, twice as long as in any other European country.

3. These coalfields are the easiest to mine because the coal seams are particularly thin.

4. However, with the introduction of new sources of power and fuel the production of coal has decreased considerably and constitutes at present about 100 million tons.

5. The production of oil has risen fast, amounting in 1987 to 123 million tons, and for the first time the United Kingdom became an oil exporting nation.

6. The principal oil producing area lies between the latitudes of the Tyne and Shetland Islands, but known to extend to the latitudes of Greenland.

7. As the metallurgical industry expanded, the failing supplies of domestic iron ore could no longer keep pace with the demands for the production of iron and steel.

IV. Answer the questions.

1. Examine the role of mineral resources in the rise of Britain as an industrial nation.

2 What minerals constituted the basis of the Industrial Revolution?

3. What rare metals make Britain's economy depend on imported raw materials?

4. When and where was coal first obtained on a commercial scale?

5. Describe the development of coalmining industry in Britain.

6. What are the most productive coalfields? Explain the reasons for the decline of coal production.

7. Examine the development of oil and gas production industry in Britain.

8. What are the principal oil and gas producing areas in Britain?

9. Give an account of the iron ore production and consumption in Britain.

10. What non-metallic minerals are produced in Britain?

Points for discussion

1. Minerals in the life of people.

2. Britain and the North Sea oil and gas. The role of the continental shelf.

3. Dependence of Britain on a variety of raw materials.