The mining of resources

One of the major causes of the Industrial Revolution is the mining of resources such as coal, which was critical to the industrialization processes. Coal reigned supreme during the British Industrial Revolution. As coke, it was an efficient fuel for dependably converting iron ore to iron. In 1781, cheap iron was used to construct the iconic Ironbridge Gorge bridge across the River Severn. And it was from this that the machinery that filled the new factories of the industrial age was constructed.

According to Ville, coal then drove the equipment and lit the "black satanic mills" that transformed cotton manufacturing, as recounted by English poet William Blake (1757-1827). It powered James Watt's double-acting piston engine, which transformed reciprocating motion into rotary motion via a crankshaft. The ensuing steamships and railway locomotives cut the time and expense of transporting coal to manufacturers and transporting their products to British export markets throughout the world.

The British had easy access to coal, iron, lead, copper, tin, limestone, and water power. These ships, in conjunction with Britain's navigable rivers, could transport significantly more coal than land vehicles. In 18th-century Britain, this coal was commonly available. Furthermore, coal had far more energy potential than wood, which was the primary previous energy producer. Bristol had huge gains in coal output over the span of 120 years, beginning with 90,000 tons produced in 1700 and increasing to 600,000 tons by 1830. Until steel was introduced, iron was the primary metal for tools and equipment.