Specialty metals development firm Wolf Minerals has secured a Class A mining waste facility environmental permit for its Hermerdon tungsten and tin project in the UK.
This is the final major permit needed to proceed with development and construction of the project, which is expected to start in January 2014.
Wolf Minerals managing director Russell Clark said Hemerdon will be the first significant mine to be constructed in the UK in more than 45 years. Agencies have worked with the company to ensure that it will have a waste facility permit that provides protection for the broader environment and community.
"Once in operation, the Hemerdon project is expected to deliver over 200 full-time jobs to the region for many years to come, providing diversification in employment and new sources of income for many of the local community," Clark added.
The project is located in Devon and is considered to be one of the largest undeveloped tungsten and tin resources in the Western world.
The project will involve the development of a two-phase open pit and a three million tonnes per annum concentrator with the related infrastructure.
The mine contains 23.5 million tonnes of proven reserves grading at 0.19% WO³ (tungstic oxide) and 0.03% tin (Sn).
Probable reserves total 3.2 million tonnes graded at 0.19% WO³ and 0.03% Sn and resources in the measured category amount to 76.8 million tonnes graded at 0.02% Sn, 0.15% tungsten (W) and 0.19% WO³.
The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the Hemerdon project was awarded to GR Engineering in March 2013.
The EPC contract is valued at £75m and has a term of 24 months.
Image: The Hemerdon tungsten and tin mine is located approximately seven miles north-east of Plymouth in south-west England. Photo: courtesy of Wolf Minerals.
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