Our vision for the Centre has been shaped by working closely with the industry and focuses on the UK’s transition to Net Zero. We are working towards becoming a self-sustaining entity by the end of the project funding period.
Critical Minerals and Net Zero Transition
Critical minerals are the raw materials and enablers of the transition to Net Zero, as well as essential ingredients of all digital technologies and advanced manufacturing. Lithium, tin, tungsten, rare earths, and other critical metals and minerals make our green economy work. New, secure, and responsible supplies are needed urgently. The International Energy Agency estimates that up to 40x more lithium may be needed annually by 2040 than is presently produced. The geopolitics of critical minerals is on many international agendas, highlighting the urgency of accessing these resources.
South West Mining Heritage and Future Opportunities
Southwest England’s world-leading mining heritage underpins its resurgence as the UK’s critical minerals hub. With six active developers and 70+ specialist SMEs, the region offers high-value jobs and vital skills. Our Centre will look to support the development of these opportunities in green skills and great jobs, realising the benefits to the communities in which they exist.
Research and Innovation at Camborne School of Mines
The Critical Minerals Challenge Centre builds on a wide and substantial body of international and regional research at Camborne School of Mines (CSM), spanning the whole range of minerals and mining-related studies, with a current focus on critical minerals. CSM is one of the world’s leading mining schools, unique in the UK, and much of its research is conducted with industry partners. Recent research outcomes includes leadership of the UKRI Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Centre for Technology Metals (Met4Tech) and the UK Tech metals Observatory and two new CE roadmaps for the UK, determination of critical metal endowment of granite intrusions in South West England (Cornwall Geo-model and UNRMS case study), and highlighting the impact of mining contamination on floodplains.
Accelerating Project Development and Innovation
All projects need RD&I to accelerate their progress, and in the South West we have live examples of local businesses exploring new sources of granite-hosted lithium ore which require development of new extraction and processing techniques. Likewise, tin and tungsten require novel approaches to processing and more sustainable mining methods that reduce waste materials and environmental footprints. New projects for all critical minerals have much greater expectations in terms of energy efficiency, and environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) performance and at the Critical Minerals Challenge Centre we are working closely with our Industry Partners to address these issues.
Our main partners
Future Vision and Sustainable Development
The ambitious vision includes:
- A sector in 2035 with six to eight operating mines,
- 20 geothermal plants in Cornwall and West Devon,
- Direct links to UK EV battery manufacture and wider UK advanced manufacturing sector in the SW and across the UK,
- Double the size of the SW England consultancy and equipment cluster who work worldwide.
This will lead to sustained economic growth in this key element of the UK’s Net Zero transition across Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset. The Centre is co-created and co-delivered with regional businesses, civic and third sectors to accelerate both commercialisation of projects and expand the related industry cluster
“Essential to the success of this 4-year programme, is working closely with our industry partners”Project Lead, Professor Frances Wall