Could Cornwall’s Mining Comeback Change the UK’s Future?

Cornwall is preparing to take centre stage at one of Europe’s biggest mining events, just days after the government revealed a new critical minerals strategy aimed at boosting domestic production of lithium, tin, tungsten and rare earth elements.

A delegation from the Duchy will head to London for Resourcing Tomorrow, held from 2nd to 4th December 2025, to showcase Cornwall’s mining strength, geology and new opportunities emerging in geothermal power and critical minerals.

Cornwall Steps Into the Spotlight

The government’s strategy, announced on Saturday 22nd November, sets a goal that no more than 60% of any one critical mineral should come from a single partner country by 2035. Cornwall and Devon are highlighted as key contributors.

Under the plans, the UK aims to meet 10% of its mineral demand for sectors including clean energy, transport, defence, life sciences and advanced manufacturing through domestic extraction. This includes producing at least 50,000 tonnes of lithium, with UK demand expected to grow by 1,100% by 2035. Demand for copper is expected to almost double. The strategy also focuses on increasing domestic tin, tungsten and rare earth element production, showing the strategic role of the South West in supporting low carbon supply chains.

Cornwall’s team will take one of the largest stands at the event. The Cornwall Pavilion, located at Stand E10, will be led by Cornwall Trade and Investment and Cornwall Mining and Geo-Resource Alliance.

Delegates include Cornish Lithium, Cornish Metals, Cornwall Resources, Cornish Tin, Paterson & Cooke, SLR Consulting, Geothermal Engineering Ltd, and Neo Geo Consulting. The University of Exeter’s Camborne School of Mines will also exhibit opposite the Cornwall Pavilion.

Across the three days, Cornwall’s businesses will be able to meet policymakers and industry figures from more than 100 countries, including Europe, the USA and the UAE. Cornwall will also take part in the international Government Roundtable on the eve of the event, where delegates will discuss how governments, mining companies and financial institutions can work together to meet energy transition timelines.

Geothermal Power Takes Centre Stage

A major focus this year will be Cornwall’s potential for deep geothermal energy production, tied closely to the region’s geology.

Ola Zawalna, Strategic and Business Manager for the Cornwall Mining and Geo-resource Alliance, said: “The Southwest’s Cornubian Granite Batholith is one of the UK’s most promising geothermal resources, with temperatures reaching 180°C at 5km depth. Cornwall is developing pioneering projects to generate heat, cooling, and electricity alongside lithium extraction, and geothermal energy to power mining and processing operations.”

Energy demand in the UK is expected to increase 2.5 times by 2050, partly due to energy-intensive data centres. If the UK is to stay the third largest AI market globally, the release states it must find reliable energy sources at scale.

Caroline Carroll, Senior Trade and Investment Manager at Cornwall Trade and Investment, said: “Recent advancements at the US FORGE programme in Utah, mean that previous barriers to geothermal energy are falling rapidly.

“Here, costs for well drilling have been cut by 60%, drilling speeds have increased by 5 times, and well outputs have increased by 300%. Consequently, levelised costs for geothermal projects coming online in 2028 are estimated to be $37.58 MWh by the US Department of Energy.

“At this price, geothermal has the potential to provide competitively priced baseload power to data centres, critical mineral exploration and processing. Requiring minimal land use, with low visual and environmental impact, and now comparatively quick exploration and extraction timeframes, deep geothermal energy production represents a vital future solution to the country’s and region’s growing energy needs. And with the help of the geo-resource sector and Cornish experts that have been involved in the US FORGE project, we believe that Cornwall has the potential to become a strategic geothermal national asset.”

Caroline Carroll added: “On top of this, geothermal energy also has the benefit of providing increased access to critical minerals that are pivotal to energy transition, including lithium extracted from brines. This is a process that is being pioneered by Cornish Lithium, and separately by Geothermal Engineering Ltd at its United Downs Deep Geothermal Power project, which is set to become the UK’s first to generate electricity alongside lithium extraction.”

A Moment of Opportunity

Perran Moon, Member of Parliament for Camborne, Redruth and Hayle, said: “The launch of the Critical Minerals Strategy is truly a watershed moment for the domestic critical mineral’s sector. It presents an opportunity to secure investment, skills and economic growth for Cornwall, and to ensure the region’s businesses and natural assets play a vital role in the UK’s energy transition.”

For businesses wanting to learn more about Cornwall Trade and Investment’s work, details can be found at https://www.cornwallti.com