Welsh slate is a very durable material and as such has been used as brick and common household tools and utensils since the Iron Age.
During the Industrial Revolution, the importance of the Welsh slate, with its various uses for building materials, including penrhyn welsh slate roofing, became apparent.
It has become one of the main products that compete only with coal. Welsh Slate is mined in several places. Although it has been absorbed somewhat by cheaper to manufacture materials in modern times, it is still a very important industry.
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Slate was used to decorating people's homes in the 1800s. It is not deformed by heat, so it is used for many other applications including water tanks, partitions, snooker tables, stairs, doorposts, fences, and even chalkboards and chalkboards for schools.
The acid resistance of slate makes it ideal for items such as workbenches in many laboratories and factories. It is also often used as flooring, and many different examples of this can be seen in gardens across the country.
Welsh slate is now used in household jewelry, including clocks, entertainment mugs, and fridge magnets with pictures of animals and wildlife printed on them.
I'm sure innovative designers will continue to find more uses in the future, which in turn will help protect an industry that has been in steep decline over the years.
Home industries help protect rural communities, and using traditional raw materials in this way is great for keeping these traditional industries alive, jobs and local communities alive.