Tower Colliery is located at Hirwaun, near Cwmaman. In 1994 British Coal closed the colliery because they considered it would be uneconomical to keep it operational.

However, the workforce bought out the mine and in 1995 they produced 450,000 tons of high grade anthracite, making over £4million in pre-tax profits.

Tower is still producing coal and mining it at a profit. It is the only deep mine left in Wales.