THE South Crofty tin mining project is set to benefit from a major injection of funding, with £4,190,500 awarded through the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Programme.

Delivered by Cornwall Council, the funding comes from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund and is part of a £6.8-million project on the site at Pool by owner Cornish Metals.

This will see the construction of new workshops, stores, and offices on the Bartles Foundry site at South Crofty which received conditional planning approval in January.

The infrastructure is critical to supporting the underground development phase of South Crofty, helping to bring the historic tin mine back into production and generating skilled jobs in the local area.

The investment also covers the previously announced acquisition of 4.5 acres of land from Cornwall Council and follows a 2024 feasibility study - also supported by Good Growth funding - that confirmed the site’s suitability for development.

It means the Good Growth programme will have committed more than £10-million developing Cornwall’s critical minerals infrastructure when the four-year, £186-million investment programme draws to a close in March next year.

Tin is defined as a Critical Mineral by the UK government as it is used in almost all electrical devices and electrical infrastructure.

Approximately two-thirds of the tin mined today comes from China, Myanmar and Indonesia. The UK Critical Minerals Strategy includes other minerals found in abundance in Cornwall including lithium and tungsten. The government aims to secure a sustainable and resilient supply of these minerals to support the country's transition to a low-carbon economy and to enhance national security.

Cllr Tim Dwelly, Cornwall Council’s cabinet member for economic regeneration and investment, said: “South Crofty is a big priority for us. Not only are they supporting high-quality well-paid jobs in the area, they are also helping the security of the whole UK by strengthening the domestic supply of essential minerals. I am proud to support this next step towards bringing tin mining back to Cornwall.”

Don Turvey, CEO and director of Cornish Metals, said: “We are delighted to be awarded this grant funding by Cornwall Council, demonstrating ongoing local support for South Crofty and following on from the investment by the UK’s National Wealth Fund earlier this year.

“This funding will enable the construction of the project that will support South Crofty as we move into the underground development phase, which will provide local employment opportunities during the construction and operational phase of the project.”

South Crofty was Cornwall’s last working tin mine before it closed in 1998 after four centuries of operation. Cornish Metals’ ambition is to reopen the mine and develop a secure, long-term domestic source of tin.

The company has successfully raised £57.4-million in funding in Q1 2025, including a £28.6-million strategic investment by the government’s National Wealth Fund. It says the reopened mine could create up to 320 permanent, high-skilled and well-paid jobs and an estimated 1,000 indirect jobs.

For more information on the Good Growth Programme, visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/trengwainton-garden