Nottinghamshire, England, UKi

Regional Level Types
Nottinghamshire	County
England	Constituent Country
UK	Country

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Nottinghamshire is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England, covering approximately 2,160 km². It is bordered by South Yorkshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. The county town is Nottingham, which lies near the River Trent and has long been a regional centre of trade, administration, and industry.

Geographically, Nottinghamshire is characterised by a broad north–south lowland corridor defined by the River Trent, which drains much of the county eastward into the Humber system. The western part of the county rises gently toward the Derbyshire Coalfield and the eastern margin of the Pennines, while the eastern areas include flatter agricultural land and river floodplains. The county also includes the remnants of Sherwood Forest, historically associated with sandy soils developed on underlying sedimentary rocks. The climate is temperate maritime, with relatively low rainfall.

Geologically, Nottinghamshire exposes a well-developed sequence of Permian, Triassic, and Jurassic sedimentary rocks, forming part of the eastern margin of the English Midlands Basin. The Carboniferous Coal Measures underlie the western part of the county and extend eastward beneath younger strata. Overlying these are Permian Magnesian Limestone, followed by Triassic sandstones and mudstones, and younger Jurassic formations in the east. Much of the lowland area is mantled by Quaternary alluvial and glacial deposits, particularly along the Trent Valley.

Nottinghamshire has a strong mineral and mining heritage, particularly associated with coal mining. The Nottinghamshire Coalfield formed part of the larger East Midlands coalfield and was extensively worked from the 19th century until the late 20th century, supporting power generation and heavy industry. Deep coal mining has now ceased, but its legacy remains significant. The county has also produced gypsum, notably near East Leake, which remains one of the UK’s most important gypsum-producing areas. Sand and gravel extraction from river terraces and glacial deposits is widespread, and Magnesian Limestone has been quarried for building stone and aggregates.

Historically, Nottinghamshire developed as an agricultural and later industrial county, with growth driven by coal, textiles, and engineering. The county is well known for its medieval heritage, including Nottingham Castle and associations with the legend of Robin Hood, linked to Sherwood Forest. Administratively, Nottinghamshire has evolved over time, with the modern ceremonial county retaining strong historical identity despite boundary changes.

Nottinghamshire’s geology—combining Carboniferous coal measures, Permian evaporitic limestones, and younger Mesozoic sediments—has played a central role in shaping its landscape, settlement patterns, and industrial history. The county remains an important reference area for understanding coalfield geology, evaporite-related mineral resources, and the relationship between sedimentary geology and economic development in central England.

Commodity List

This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded from this region.

Mineral List

Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

16 valid minerals.

* - Minerals that have never been found, but their existence is inferred in some way (e.g. from pseudomorphs)