Miners would return to the surface with large slabs of rocks where the work force on the surface would split and cut it into standard sized roofing tiles. Slate would be freed from the rock by blasting in shot holes then later drilled into the rock. Miners would then make chambers of work areas underground and eventually start connecting other chambers to make a underground work area which included floors and rooms big enough to escort mining carts and trucks. Ever since then, mining for slate had to be underground. In the early mining days, work started on the surface pits but soon proved to the miners that the work needed to be carried on down, underground.

Slate can be reached by tunneling in a mine or can be quarried from a slate quarry. In the United Kingdom, our mining region is Wales who produce a vast range of fine slate as well as Cornwall that provides slate quarries and the Lake District that has quarries and mines. There are many slate mines and slate quarries found all across the world.

Slate has been mined around the world for centuries and this was recently confirmed by a discovery of a 16th century wooden ship that was found to be carrying finished slates on board. Slate is mostly grey in colour and ranges from a light grey to darker shade although other colours can be found.The colour of the slate is determined by the amount of organic material that sits within the rock. Hand made slate decor products are becoming increasingly popular in our homes but what exactly is slate? Slate is a foliated and fine grained metamorphic rock that has been exposed to immense pressure and heat over millions of years. Slate is a popular material to use in these builds due to its attractive and decorative appearance as well as its durability. Slate has been used for thousands of years from old school blackboards, roofing, flooring and construction in the 19th century.

Slate stone