Who are Cornwall Resources Limited? 

Cornwall Resources Limited (“CRL”) are an exploration and resource development company based in Kelly Bray, Cornwall. Since 2016 CRL have been focused on the development of the Redmoor Tungsten-Tin-Copper deposit in Kelly Bray, and further regional exploration within its mineral rights agreement area to establish the potential for other critical metal deposits.

CRL has an existing 23km² mineral rights agreement with Redmoor Minerals Limited, which has been in place since 2012, covering the historic parish boundaries of Callington and South Hill, in east Cornwall.

Cornwall Resources are a wholly owned subsidiary of Strategic Minerals Plc.

What are critical minerals?

In 2021 the UK Government designated a list of minerals it deems critical to the UK economy and their ability to support the UK’s transition to a Net-Zero economy, via the Green Transition. The UK’s Critical Minerals Strategy (2022) recognises that minerals can only be extracted where they occur, and further establishes the Government’s intention to accelerate the growth of domestic capabilities for critical minerals, aiming at “Maximise what the UK can produce domestically, where viable for businesses and where it works for communities and our natural environment”.

Tungsten and tin, the focus of CRL’s Redmoor Project, and wider exploration activities, are both designated as critical minerals. Working within the UK regulatory framework, and with sustainability at the core of operations, CRL aim to contribute to the UK’s ability to source and secure critical minerals.

What activities has CRL undertaken to-date?

CRL is currently developing the Redmoor Tungsten-Tin-Copper deposit, in Kelly Bray, which through the completion of exploration drilling and related activities, established an underground, inferred Mineral Resource Estimate (2019) of 11.7 million tons @ 1.17% Tin equivalent, composed of high-grade zones of Tungsten-Tin-Copper mineralisation. This led to the completion of a mining scoping study on the project in 2020, which highlighted Redmoor’s economic potential for the establishment of a new, underground, critical minerals mine. 

CRL are actively reviewing and studying its historical drill core, with the objective of identifying further mineralisation outside of the current resource and outlining targets for future drilling programs, which will aim to increase the resource size and confidence and take the project from its current scoping study stage into a mining pre-feasibility study.

From 2021 to 2023, CRL provided its Redmoor licence area as a field site for the acquisition of new geochemical and geophysical data and the development of geological expertise (in conjunction with Camborne School of Mines) as part of the Deep Digital Cornwall project. This program consisted of the collection of 2,186 soil samples, geophysical surveys and other field-based studies across the Redmoor licence area. These activities were undertaken with the consent and involvement of landowners across the survey area, and included public information events on all activities. 

What is the Tamar Valley Licence Area?

The Tamar Valley Licence Area is an area of c.64km² which encompasses Mineral Rights owned by The Duchy of Cornwall. In 2024, CRL signed a new mineral rights agreement with the Duchy of Cornwall, covering exploration activities for a 3-year period, over the Tamar Valley Licence Area. This area is adjacent to CRL’s Redmoor mineral rights licence area, creating program synergies and expansion potential.

This licence is the first of its kind to be awarded, in modern times, to a resource company by The Duchy of Cornwall, and follows a period of due diligence into CRL’s operating performance, project plans, and stakeholder relations. These exclusive rights allow CRL the ability explore within the historically productive Tamar Valley Mining District, subject to landowner consents. 

The Tamar Valley Licence Area is adjacent to CRL’s Redmoor licence area and extends northwards and eastwards from Kelly Bray to the Tamar River. The area, (like many areas of Cornwall), is historically mined and contains the historic Prince of Wales Mine, Gunnislake Clitters and Drakewalls Mines, and Luckett New Consols Mines, along with numerous other mines and sites of geological interest. This area remains highly prospective for new critical minerals exploration.

What does the granting of these Mineral Rights mean?

Mineral Rights for metalliferous minerals in the UK are a form of property rights. There is no centralised licensing for exploration and mining projects for minerals in the UK, (except for Coal, Oil and Gas, and Mines Royal), and therefore Mineral Rights agreements are commercial contracts between the owner of the mineral rights and the operator, with planning and permitting required for mineral developments.

CRL have three mineral rights agreements currently in place. The granting of these Mineral Rights permits exclusive access to CRL to explore for metalliferous minerals within the Tamar Valley Licence Area, with the aim of identifying any potentially economic mineral occurrences that are located within the area, and adding further knowledge of the mineralising systems underpinning the regions perspectivity.

Unlike CRL's other agreements, this new agreement covers an initial period of exploration only; and is focussed on research and development activities, there is no provision for mining within this agreement, with this being an option for potential future agreements.

This agreement does not mean that CRL has unrestricted access to the land within the licence area, the mineral rights agreement requires CRL to agree and arrange all necessary surface access arrangements prior to undertaking our activities. CRL work closely with surface landowners and tenants to arrange land access and to mitigate disruption. CRL has a strong track record of working with surface landowners and tenants to facilitate exploration activities, as evidenced by the successful completion of drilling activities at Redmoor, and through the completion of the Deep Digital Cornwall project.

The granting of the Tamar Valley Licence Area will allow for the identification of areas of interest, through the completion of desk studies and initial prospecting activities. Any areas of interest will then be subject to preliminary exploration, such as soil sampling, with the objective of confirming the presence of any minerals of interest.

What kind of activities can we expect?

Mineral exploration encompasses a variety of different techniques and methodologies depending on the type of mineral deposit being explored for, typically early-stage exploration is focused on reconnaissance and the collection of baseline data, this typically involves the collection of stream sediment and soil samples, geological mapping, and the collection of rock samples and geophysics.

If a mineral or geochemical occurrence is identified, the exploration program can focus on smaller areas that require more comprehensive exploration techniques such as trenching, detailed geochemical sampling and geophysics. If there are positive indications that there may be economically significant mineral occurrences, then diamond drilling using a borehole drill rig may be employed to drill the subsurface to extract rock samples used to identify the extent and type of mineralisation. CRL have successfully completed 32 boreholes at Redmoor over two 6-month drilling campaigns.

Permission for drilling activities is granted by the local Planning Authority, and includes a detailed consultation process with local communities and statutory consultees, as well as environmental surveys. Drilling is usually undertaken through an agreed General Permitted Development Order (GDPO) process, however, CRL have also recently applied for and received a full planning permission for drilling activities that were planned at Redmoor. In all instances CRL have received positive feedback on its planned activities and addressed all stakeholder contributions to the processes.

This process typically happens over several years, with project development often taking up to 15 years and being subject to planning permission. To successfully identify a potentially economic mineral deposit, these exploration techniques are undertaken with the highest diligence to ensure that nothing is missed, whilst working to strict environmental standard, and limiting disturbance.

Importantly, these processes are not undertaken without close communication with all stakeholders and engagement with local landowners, tenants, and communities.

What impact will this have on the local community and the environment?

CRL aim to have a positive impact on the local community and the environment. All our activities are carried out with the local community and environment at the forefront of our plans, and we aim to cause as little disruption as possible. The early stages of the exploration process are typically very-low in terms of visible activity, with little to no impact on people or environment, but we always aim to work transparently so that local communities and stakeholders are aware of our activities and can raise concerns and/or ask questions should they arise in a timely manner.

CRL has previously undertaken two drilling programs at Redmoor, in Kelly Bray, and maintained high environmental standards throughout, adopting novel environmental mitigations to reduce the potential impacts on the environment or communities. CRL also maintained high standards whilst undertaking its regional soil sampling program as part of the Deep Digital Cornwall program, engaging with well over 50 landowners to gain land access, and at a minimum maintaining the integrity of the land which it worked on.

CRL aims to support local communities in improving the local environment and to involve them in our activities. CRL holds regular engagement events in Parish and Council halls to update its community and stakeholders on project activities, plans, and outcomes.

What’s next? 

In the near term, CRL will begin liaising with local councils, stakeholders and organisations to introduce ourselves and expand our regular community information events to all communities covered by our expanded operating area. CRL have undertaken landowner discussions, and information events with Calstock, Stoke Climsland, and Linkinhorne Parish Councils. Our events allow local communities and stakeholders to gain information about our activities, ask questions, and meet CRL staff members. 

CRL will continue desk-based studies focused on identifying areas of interest for initial exploration and reconnaissance. CRL aims to undertake preliminary geochemical soil and stream sediment sampling surveys during 2024 and 2025 in identified target areas. Furthermore, any economically interesting mineral occurrences may be subject to more advanced exploration, such as diamond drilling. Drilling activities require permission from Cornwall Council, with detailed stakeholder engagement and the chance for responses from statutory consultees, including; the National Landscapes and EA. Information on all activities will be published well in advance of their commencement.

Cornwall has a rich and extensive mining history and CRL believes that some of these historical areas, deserve further exploration and have great potential to reinvigorate the mining industry in Cornwall, bring good, high-wage and high-skilled jobs and investment, and contributing resources for the green transition and the UK’s Net Zero aspirations.

Will there be a mine and, if so, what will it be like? 

CRL is currently undertaking exploration activities, primarily focused on Redmoor in Kelly Bray. Other regional exploration activities are aimed initially at developing satellite resources to a future potential mine at Redmoor. CRL’s primary focus is to advance the Redmoor project towards underground mining, however, feasibility studies, planning and permitting are all long-term projects. 

Any future mine will be subject to design during project feasibility stages and will pass through consultation and planning applications before it is approved to be built. Any mine at Redmoor, or within CRL’s operating areas is expected to be underground and deep enough to limit surface disturbance. Modern surface facilities will service the underground mine and process the mined ore, and the location of these facilities will also be subject to further study. CRL endeavors to work to the highest standards, and within the UK’s regulatory frameworks, to develop sustainable projects.

What areas are covered by CRL’s licences?

The combined areas of Callington, South Hill, Calstock and Stoke Climsland parishes, and a portion of Linkinhorne parish, see map .