Specialty metals company Wolf Minerals has officially opened the Drakelands mine at its Hemerdon tungsten and tin project in Devon, south-west England.
Wolf Minerals managing director Russell Clark said: "Since 2007, the company has been working to make the Hemerdon tungsten and tin project a reality.
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"Wolf has invested more than £140m into the project and has created more than 200 permanent jobs, with many more involved during construction."
Following the financing, development and construction of the project, the company said it is able to realise its goal of building and operating the first new metal mine in the UK.
In 2014, the company began construction of Drakelands mine by involving more than 600 people at its peak.
Construction of the project was completed in June 2015.
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By GlobalDataDevon County Council leader John Hart said: "It has taken some time for this project to come to fruition and the county council has worked closely with Wolf Minerals to ensure the infrastructure and modern environmental controls required for the project are in place."
Formerly known as Hemerdon Mine, the site is claimed to become one of the largest tungsten concentrate producers in the Western world, once it reaches full capacity.
The Drakelands mine will have an estimated production of 5,000t a year of tungsten concentrate and 1,000t of tin concentrate.
Wolf Minerals recently completed the development of a tungsten resource at its Drakelands Mine.
Image: Main opencast at the Hemerdon Ball Mine. Photo: courtesy of Southwesterner.
