Ffos-y-fran

British Institute for Geological Conservation couldn’t possible work in the South Wales Coalfield without close collaboration with the mining industries. Miller Argent are currently undertaking the remediation and restoration of a huge area of derelict, once industrial land, just to the south east of Merthyr. As part of the remediation scheme Miller Argent are surface mining and extracting around 30 coal seams from the lower part of the Coal Measures succession.

Guided fossil collecting visit to the opencast mine at Fos-y-fran
Guided fossil collecting visit to the opencast mine at Fos-y-fran

BIGC have teamed up with Miller Argent to enhance the educational and geological experiences on site at Ffos-y-fran, and provide exciting geological activities at public events throughout South Wales. On site at Ffos-y-fran we have equipped Miller Argents purpose-built education centre with display cases containing a range of fantastic geological specimens recovered from the site. We have also collected a wealth of fossil plant material from the extensive spoil heaps, as well as a good range of minerals that are typically associated with the bands of ironstone nodules in coal-bearing sequences.

Fossil collecting in rock obtained from the opencast mine at Fos-y-fran
Fossil collecting in rock obtained from the opencast mine at Fos-y-fran

The Ffos-y-fran Education Centre can be booked for meetings or events, and school and special interest groups can book trips into the mine itself.