1. plural of colliery; coal mines and their associated buildings and equipment
Usage: British English

Examples

• The old collieries in Wales employed thousands of miners.
• Many collieries were closed during the 1980s due to economic changes.
• The region’s collieries were once the backbone of the local economy.
• Safety regulations at the collieries became much stricter after the accident.
• Former collieries have been converted into museums and heritage sites.
• The government announced plans to shut down several unprofitable collieries.