 The first record of Mining in Oakthorpe dates back to 1412.There are a number of active deep mines in the area, however 'Oakthorpe Mine' was closed in 1990 and was purchased by Leicestershire County Council who developed the site for ecological and recreational purposes The mines have been extremely problematic for the residents of Oakthorpe, as underground coal fires in the 1980s resulted in numerous houses/buildings being deformed and restructured, some to the point where they became so inhabitable that they had to be demolished.This problem was a result of the sulphurous coal which lay beneath the village, which is capable of spontaneous combustion when exposed to sufficient air.