THE NEW Critical Minerals Strategy was launched in Cornwall earlier this week by industry minister Chris McDonald . The strategy sets out the ambition to produce 10 per cent of the UK’s mineral needs domestically, and 20 per cent through recycling, by 2035.

The minister’s visit followed the unveiling of the strategy by prime minister Sir Keir Starmer at the G20 meeting in South Africa. It comes with a £50 million fund to boost domestic production and processing, research and development.

Mr McDonald began his tour at Camborne School of Mines - now part of the University of Exeter’s Tremough Campus in Penryn – where he was given a tour of the labs, including the critical minerals equipment hub and challenge centre. A roundtable discussion was held with local MPs and key business representatives including Imerys, Cornish Lithium, Cornish Metals and Tungsten West.

In Falmouth, Mr McDonald met port operators and received a tour of the harbour by boat, discussing how government can support floating offshore wind development and how to grow Cornwall’s visit economy by cruises.

In the afternoon, he explored tin extraction with Cornish Metals at South Crofty, before meeting representatives from Imerys British Lithium and Cornish Lithium, and touring the latter’s Trelavour Processing Site near St Austell. At least 50,000 tonnes of lithium - more than the weight of the Titanic - needs to be produced annually in the UK by 2035, to power everyday essentials like smartphones and fridges.

“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,” said Mr McDonald. “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.”

Imerys British Lithium is projected to produce over 21,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate, for electric car batteries, annually for more than 30 years. Mark Hewson, who leads Imerys in the UK, said: “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 overestimated. We look forward to working in partnership with the Government to realise the benefits of the critical minerals strategy.”

Noah Law, MP for St Austell and Newquay, added: “With the Government setting a domestic lithium production target of 50,000 tonnes annually as part of the Critical Minerals Strategy, Cornwall takes centre stage in Britain's journey to becoming a clean energy superpower.”

Frances Wall, professor of applied mineralogy, at Camborne School of Mines, contributed to the strategy. "Our Critical Minerals Challenge Centre researchers have expertise in ecology, social sciences, circular economy and finance, as well as mining, minerals and geology,” she said. “Bringing this knowledge together is essential for the sustainable production and use of critical minerals in Cornwall and around the world."