Cornish Lithium Reports 50% Increase in Resource at Trelavour Project

Cornish Lithium has announced a major boost for its Trelavour Lithium Project in Cornwall, revealing a 50% increase in its JORC-compliant Mineral Resource.

The upgrade follows twelve months of drilling, sampling, testing and modelling, marking what the company describes as a significant step forward in securing the UK’s domestic supply of critical minerals.

A Stronger Foundation for Cornwall’s Lithium Industry

The updated resource underpins plans for around 10,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium hydroxide production every year for at least 20 years.

Cornish Lithium’s CEO Jamie Airnes said:
“Today’s resource upgrade also provides a strong foundation for our Feasibility Study, which we expect to publish later this year, moving us closer to our Development Consent Order (DCO) application and commercial production. This is one more step in Cornish Lithium’s plan to secure the UK’s critical minerals supply, jobs and industrial future.”

The Feasibility Study for the Trelavour Lithium Project is due for completion by the end of 2025.

The Numbers Behind the Upgrade

The Mineral Resource has been calculated using drilling data from 18,616 metres, made up of 56 diamond and 88 reverse circulation holes. Over 20,000 metres of drilling has now been carried out at the site.

Key figures include:

• Total Mineral Resource: 88.5 million tonnes at 0.21% Li2O, equal to 183.5 thousand tonnes of contained Li2O.

• Measured and Indicated category: 63.0 million tonnes.

• Inferred category: 25.5 million tonnes.

• Equivalent to 454.5 thousand tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent, a 50% increase from the 2022 resource.

Importantly, this marks the first time resources have been declared in the Measured and Indicated categories, reflecting greater geological confidence in the orebody.

📷Inside Cornish Lithium's Trelavour Demonstration Plant - Image Credit Cornish Lithium - Ian Kingsnorth

Aiming for 2029 Production

The resource extends from surface within a former china clay pit, which allows for a very low strip ratio.

Cornish Lithium plans to use proprietary low carbon intensity processing technology, now fully owned by the company, to refine lithium hydroxide as a battery-grade product without relying on overseas refineries.

If successful, the project could deliver 10,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide per year, with commercial production targeted for 2029.

Independent Oversight

The updated Mineral Resource was prepared by Mining Plus UK Ltd with oversight from Mark Howson of Mineral Resources Professional Ltd, who acted as Competent Person under the JORC Code.

The statement is effective as of 18th February 2025 and follows the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (JORC Code) 2012 Edition.

Further details can be found on the Cornish Lithium website.

📷Cornish Lithium's Trelavour Pit - Image Credit Cornish Lithium_Ian Kingsnorth