Minister McDonald Visits Imerys British Lithium on Cornwall Minerals Tour

The Minister for Industry, Chris McDonald MP, has completed a tour of Cornwall following the weekend launch of the government’s Critical Minerals Strategy. The visit placed a spotlight on the Duchy’s growing role in the country’s move toward securing domestic supplies of vital minerals.

Cornwall MPs Join Minister on Lithium Pilot Plant Tour

Chris McDonald toured Imerys British Lithium’s pilot plant for lithium carbonate production. He was joined by representatives from the Department for Business and Trade and several Cornish Labour MPs, including Noah Law (St Austell and Newquay), Perran Moon (Camborne and Redruth), Anna Gelderd (South East Cornwall) and Jayne Kirkham (Truro and Falmouth).

The group aimed to underline the importance of the new strategy to Cornwall.

Chris McDonald said: “We need critical minerals for everything – from the phones we use to the cars we drive – and for too long we’ve been dependent on a select few sources for our supplies of them, putting our national security at risk.

“Now, we’re taking the bold action needed to shore up our supply chains, ramp up domestic production and back businesses with the investment they need to create new jobs and drive growth, as part of our Plan for Change.”

Industry Leaders Highlight Economic Potential

Mark Hewson, who leads Imerys in the UK, said the strategy reinforces Cornwall’s role in contributing to national growth.

Mark said:
“The Critical Minerals Strategy underscores the role Cornwall can play in unlocking growth for the UK. This was reiterated by Minister McDonald and our local Cornwall MPs across our conversations today.

“The resources sector supports hundreds of jobs in Cornwall and projects such as Imerys British Lithium have the potential to underpin this for many years to come. The potential impact on the supply chain and existing businesses cannot be underestimated.

“We look forward to working in partnership with the Government to realise the benefits of the critical minerals strategy.”

📷Anna Gelderd and Jayne Kirkham

Cornwall Positioned at the Heart of Clean Energy Ambitions

Noah Law, MP for St Austell and Newquay, said Cornwall is set to play a central role as the Government targets 50,000 tonnes per year of domestic lithium production.

Noah said:
“With the Government setting a 50,000t pa domestic lithium production target as part of the Critical Minerals Strategy launched today, Cornwall takes centre stage in Britain’s journey to becoming a clean energy superpower.”

Imerys’ Longstanding Presence in Cornwall

Imerys has been mining and processing kaolin in Cornwall for more than 25 years. The company supports 3,500 direct and indirect jobs and spends around £40 million a year in the Cornish economy.

Its lithium project, Imerys British Lithium, is projected to produce more than 21,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate annually for over 30 years. The operation will make use of Imerys’ existing mining land and infrastructure.