New Critical Minerals Equipment Hub striving to become a gem for the South West economy

A multi-million-pound project that will offer equipment and expertise to businesses in Cornwall’s critical minerals sector has been publicly launched this week.

The Critical Minerals Equipment Hub has been funded by the Good Growth Programme via Cornwall Council, and will offer the latest scientific knowledge and technology, as well as training and continued professional development opportunities.

The Hub received £3,547,872 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, to create a nexus of key equipment and expertise in minerals processing with the aim of expanding technical capabilities and boosting economic growth in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

This award has enabled mineralogy experts at the Camborne School of Mines, at the University of Exeter, Cornwall, to join forces with key Duchy-based companies, Bluecap Resources, Paterson & Cooke, and Petrolab, to procure and host state-of-the-art hardware and software across their premises and make the equipment commercially available.

The Hub was formally unveiled at a launch event hosted on the University’s Penryn campus, at which attendees were updated on how the project has been developing.

David Harris, Deputy Leader of Cornwall Council, said: “I’m very pleased that our Good Growth Programme has been able to support the Critical Minerals Equipment Hub, a project that represents a significant step forward in our mission to increase Cornwall’s economic resilience and sustainable growth. This is one of a number of projects within the critical minerals sector that we have invested in using the Shared Prosperity Fund to seize the opportunities presented by Cornwall’s rich mining heritage and abundant mineral resources.”

Thanks to the funding, the Critical Minerals Equipment Hub has procured revolutionary technology including state-of-the-art microscopes, analytical X-ray spectrometers, and automated ore sorting and sophisticated sample preparation apparatus. Some of this equipment was showcased and demonstrated to guests and attendees, along with tours of the laboratories.

Frances Wall, Professor of Applied Mineralogy at the Camborne School of Mines, said: “The Hub is a great opportunity to expand our research and consultancy with Cornish companies. This will accelerate the development of critical minerals projects and expand consultancy businesses in Cornwall, who work with clients across the world.”

Dr Rich Crane, Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Mining at Camborne School of Mines, added: “The Critical Minerals Equipment Hub is a landmark investment in the sustainable development of the georesources sector in Cornwall. We are honoured to receive this support, which will benefit a broad range of regional projects and help train the next generation of geoscientists.”

As well as the latest scientific knowledge and technology being offered by the Critical Minerals Equipment Hub, training and continuing professional development opportunities designed for the minerals processing and analysis sector are being planned for the coming months.

Representatives said the Hub is now ready to engage with local and international businesses, SMEs and researchers to offer impartial advice and access to equipment. Enterprises are encouraged to get in touch to discuss options for upskilling staff which can be tailored to fit the needs of individual organisations. To see the full range of equipment available, arrange demonstrations and find out more about the Critical Minerals Equipment Hub, please visit www.cmeh.co.uk or email cmeh@exeter.ac.uk.

The launch event also included a preview of a separate, newly funded project led by Prof. Wall entitled the ‘Critical Minerals Accelerating the Green Economy Centre’, which has recently won £4.5m in funding from UKRI. This project was leveraged by investment of the Critical Minerals Equipment Hub.