Ride the new wave of Cornish mining

Our region’s mining history is the stuff of legend. But whether you’re seeking to invest in high-tech metal exploration, or to join a cluster of international mining services businesses, the biggest opportunities lie ahead. Cornwall Trade & Investment will be showcasing this at Mines and Money, a mining event in London. 

Three key reasons to invest in Cornwall’s mining sector:

1. Explore and extract today’s and tomorrow’s in-demand minerals. Join the companies already exploring Cornwall’s abundant high-tech metals – or strategically invest in their operations.
2. Join a thriving mining services cluster, trading internationally. Cornwall’s mining supply chain is already 100+ companies strong, and trusted by clients across the world.
3. Tap into local talent, support, and enthusiasm for the mining industry. Hire graduates from local, world-renowned mining institutions – in an area where there’s great social licence to operate.

Meet the businesses who we will be alongside Cornwall Trade & Investment at Mines and Money, helping to showcase the depth of Cornwall’s mining industry:

Cornish Lithium are using the power of digital technology to evaluate the potential for lithium-enriched geothermal waters, lithium in hard rock and other battery metals, across Cornwall in the UK. The Company aspires to create a new, environmentally-responsible battery metal extraction industry, and has rights to explore for lithium and other metals across more than 500km2 of Cornwall. By integrating regional historic mining data with that from contemporary sources (satellite imagery, mapping, drone mapping, airborne hyperspectral surveys), the Company are taking a data-driven approach to digital geological modelling – allowing rapid identification of prospective targets. At the beginning of November 2019, Cornish Lithium began drilling the first of two research holes planned to intercept lithium-enriched geothermal waters in the centre of Cornwall, with results expected in Q1 2020.

The UK Government recognise the importance of establishing an environmentally-responsible lithium supply chain in Britain. In May 2019 Cornish Lithium were awarded funding from the UK Government Faraday Battery Challenge fund, alongside the Natural History Museum and consultants Wardell Armstrong. The ‘Lithium4UK’ project aims to assess the feasibility of establishing a domestic lithium supply chain to support British industry and the construction of electric vehicle batteries in the UK.

Paterson & Cooke is a specialist engineering group with niche areas of expertise founded on our core skills. Operating from nine global offices Paterson & Cooke provide the mining industry with services including:
• Slurry pipelines and hydraulic hosting
• Tailings dewatering and transportation
• Mine backfill systems
• Water treatment solutions
• Mine dewatering

Our capabilities in delivering client focused solutions include process, mechanical, chemical, mining and minerals engineering. We support our engineering design with industry leading in-house laboratory services in all our regions of operation. The Cornwall office began life in 2013 growing progressively to a 15 strong team of engineering and administrative professionals, and a full capability laboratory service at the Wheal Jane Earth Science Park in Cornwall. Focusing on the European region, our key areas of focus include the Iberian Peninsula, Scandinavia and the Balkans. We are also actively operating throughout the Russian Federation and the CIS countries. Our vision is to be the most sought-after company delivering specialist engineering to the mining industry. We live by this vision by ensuring that we continually strive to provide the highest standard of innovative solutions in areas that add specific, specialised knowledge and engineering to our clients. Our strength lies in the intellect, commitment and creativity of the people who work for Paterson & Cooke.

Petrolab has been operating for over 20 years analysing the content of rocks, minerals, ores, aggregates and concrete from all over the world. Petrolab now occupies part of the original Redruth Miners’ Hospital building, in the heart of the world-famous Cornish mining district and continues the tradition of exporting cutting edge technical services to the mining, minerals processing and materials industries worldwide.

Petrolab specialises in automated mineralogy, including ore characterisation, geometallurgy, gold deportment studies, routine plant monitoring and auditing. We run the only commercial installation of a Zeiss Mineralogic mining platform in the UK, this state-of-the-art system allows our clients access to the most powerful mineral characterisation tool on the market. The core focus of an automated mineralogy study is to lower risk for clients, with mineralogy providing the key linkage between the deposit, processing plant and tailings facilities. Petrolab also offers a wide range of optical microscopy investigations including transmission, reflected light and fluorescence microscopy. We are also leading the way with correlative workflows to combine optical, automated mineralogy and ancillary analysis techniques such as laser ablation to open the process mineralogy.

Geolorn is a multi-disciplined drilling project and operating company, with strong in-house capabilities, coupled with strategic alliances that bring a unique service offering to operational companies. Our experience ranges from East Africa Rift Geothermal through to Hot Dry Rock systems, as we develop drilling technologies and systems that reduce CAPEX and OPEX. Our key focus is on operational performance and reducing cost through increased efficiencies.

We’re here to help you take advantage of Cornwall’s mining opportunities – and, where necessary, to make your move into the region as seamless and productive as possible, so talk to our team today.