Tin mining to restart in Devon and Cornwall

I have to say it's unusual for Cornwall to get a mention on both Radio 4's 'Today' programme and BBC1's 'Six o'clock News' but a few days ago just such an event occurred. The reason: the closed South Crofty tin mine down in the Camborne/Redruth area has been woken from its slumber and will be mining tin again.

Then today we hear that it is intended to reopen the Hemerdon Mine for tin and tungsten. Hemerdon village is tucked away to the north east of Plympton in Devon. It sounds as if a new access road would be built which would keep lorries out of the village itself. Tin and tungsten are much in demand at the moment particularly with the fast developing economies such as those of China and Brazil. The Australian company developing Hemerdon are talking about reserves for 20 years mining and a direct and indirect workforce numbering about 500.

With the scaling back of the china clay business together with associated redundancies in Devon and Cornwall this shot in the arm for the metal extraction industries will be welcomed by many.