A Nottinghamshire miners' leader has said he thinks the coal industry has no long-term future. The region's pits are getting millions of pounds in government grants over the next four years.
But tough pollution controls may make the local high sulphur coal difficult to sell when that money runs out.
The Union of Democratic Mineworkers' president Neil Greatrex felt the country might well become dependent on nuclear power.
He said: "I cannot see any future whatsoever in coal.
"I have no doubt whatsoever we are going to end up, in the next 10 years or so, in the same position as France, that is, totally reliant on nuclear power.
"There will be a massive programme of more nuclear power stations being built in Britain."
But the chief executive of UK Coal, Gordon McPhie, was more optimistic.
He said: "There is no reason those pits should not be there in 20 years time.
"That is providing we work them in the most productive way possible and providing the market does not collapse."
But those running the power stations say more investment is needed in clean technology.
There is also debate as to whether new seams of coal will be economically viable to mine.
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There is no reason those pits should not be there in 20 years time 
