Tungsten West produces first trial concentrate at Hemerdon mine in UK

[Ben Graham]

Tungsten West (LON:TUN), reported Friday positive progress from the ongoing processing trial towards restarting production at the Hemerdon tungsten and tin mine in Devon, England. 

As part of the trial program, the company has generated its first trial tungsten concentrate. 

The trial is being undertaken as part of a program focused on testing and optimising the performance of key sections of the mineral processing facility. The program forms part of the company’s approach to de-risking operations and gathering technical data essential for the planned restart of full-scale production. 

Tungsten is a smaller market, with an estimated value of around $5 billion in 2023. But the industries that depend on it are getting bigger, and it is the material of choice for a key defense application – what the military calls penetrators – high-density, armour-piercing projectiles. 

The Hemerdon tungsten-tin mine, formerly known as Drakelands mine, or the Hemerdon Ball or Hemerdon Bal mine, has a history of mining activity. Operations date back to 1918, with production during both World Wars, according to the company’s website. 

Further exploration and feasibility work was carried out in the 1980s. The site was later developed into a modern operation and produced tungsten and tin between August 2015 and October 2018 under previous operators. The mine is located 7 miles NE of Plymouth, near the village of Plympton, in Devon, and is one of the largest tungsten resources in the world, the company said.  

This marks an important milestone in restarting operations at Hemerdon, the company said, adding that it is a strategically important project to the UK and Europe, and is set to provide a secure supply of tungsten outside of China, with restart of operations anticipated by late 2026. 

“The progress we are making in this processing trial is an important milestone in restarting operations at Hemerdon and provides confidence to our neighbours, the Environment Agency, our investors and off-takers that we are moving towards production,” Tungsten West CEO Jeff Court said in a news release. 

“We have ensured that all activities throughout this trial have been conducted to high environmental and operational standards,” Court said. “As the need for a diversified source of tungsten intensifies, Hemerdon becomes an even more important strategic asset.” 

Tungsten West’s London-listed shares closed the day up 12%. The company has a £21.28 million ($28 million) market capitalization.