Tungsten Mine Seeks Government Assistance

A mining company has sought government assistance to aid in extracting one of the world’s largest critical mineral deposits. The Hemerdon Mine, located on the outskirts of Plymouth, Devon, possesses the world’s second-largest tungsten deposit, its bosses have stated. Tungsten West assumed control of the mine in 2019, subsequent to the previous operator, Wolf Minerals, halting production a year earlier. Marica Lyndon, Head of operations, reported that the company was already in discussions with the Labour-led government concerning the potential support available for the future. Tungsten West recorded losses exceeding £10.3m up to March 2024, as it aimed to bring the mine back into production. Ms Lyndon stated that the company had been reliant on private sector funding, which she characterized as “frustrating in the past”. She added: “We’re really interested as to what the new government brings to the table because this is really vital, not just to the UK, but to the western world.” Ms Lyndon also stated that the company was confident the mine could begin producing tungsten by the second quarter of 2026 and was capable of expanding its current workforce. She stated: “We’re looking at about 250 people that we will have here on site, and that’s just direct employment.” She continued: “So actually what we will bring here to Plymouth and the surrounding area is a huge increase to the labour market.” Tungsten is utilized in electronics, robotics, medical devices, and aerospace. The government has characterized it as a mineral “with high criticality for the UK”. China currently fulfills over 80% of global demand, but the Hemerdon deposit could enable the UK to become a significant participant in the global market, mine bosses indicated. In Cornwall, two mining companies have already obtained millions of pounds of public funds from Cornwall Council and the government to aid in testing equipment for extracting lithium, intended for use in batteries for electric vehicles and electronic devices. Last year, Cornish Lithium received nearly £24m from the UK Infrastructure Bank, and British Lithium stated it had obtained approximately £5m in public investment. The government affirmed that minerals like tungsten and lithium “remain critical for the UK”. It further stated: “We look forward to launching a new critical minerals strategy next year, which will set out how we will boost domestic production and secure vital supplies from abroad and the South West [of England] will play a key role in this.” BBC Devon can be followed on X, Facebook, and Instagram. Story ideas may be submitted to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external sites. Details on its approach to external linking are available.