Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum
After the closure of Eldon sidings all clay exports were via lorry. For several years the clay was carried from the mines across the A351 by trains to the "Lorry Drop". It was realised that the lorries could take the clay directly from the mines and the cost of maintaining a railway system avoided. The transhipment buildings were raised to accommodate the lorries beneath them and in the early 1970s the railway system sold partly into preservation and the rest scrapped. Use of narrow gauge railways continued underground at Norden No 6 & 7 mines until all mining operations ceased in 1999.
Mining in the United Kingdom
There are many slate mines in the United Kingdom producing slate for building and architectural purposes, of which the largest is the Delabole Slate Mine on the north coast of Cornwall. The United Kingdom also has an abundance of specialized minerals such as china clay, used in fine china and porcelain; and Fuller's earth, an absorbent mineral used for spill containment and cleaning supplies. However, production of Fuller's earth ceased in 2005 in the country.