Natural Resources
Coal
Coal was used to fuel the factories, and was the primary source of fuel. Since coal could be mined for, it was a more convenient source of fuel.
Iron
Iron was used to make the boilers in steam engines. It was also (and still is today) used to make bridges, tools, railway tracks, and means of transportation. They produced their iron by smelting it. Smelting is when they separate the iron from its ore.
Wool and Cotton
Cotton is a soft fiber produced by the cotton plant. Wool is the thick fur that comes from sheep. During Britain's Industrial Revolution, both wool and cotton were used to make clothes, blankets, and yarn. New inventions such as the cotton gin and spinning jenny were created just to spin these resources into thread.