A MAJOR boost for Cornwall’s mining future has been delivered after Cornwall Resources Limited (CRL) unveiled a “transformational” upgrade to mineral estimates at its Redmoor tungsten-tin-copper-silver project near Callington, strengthening its position as one of the world’s most significant undeveloped critical mineral deposits.

The updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) shows an almost 50 per cent increase in ore tonnage compared with previous assessments and more than doubles the project’s potential mine life from 12 years to 29 years. It also reinforces Redmoor’s standing as Europe’s highest-grade undeveloped tungsten resource and among the most significant globally.

For Cornwall, a region where mining shaped communities and landscapes for centuries, the announcement underlines a modern revival of that heritage, focused on materials essential to green energy and advanced technologies.

The 2026 MRE now estimates 17.4-million tonnes of tungsten ore, a 49 per cent increase on the 2019 figure. Contained metal estimates have also risen sharply, with tungsten trioxide up 31 per cent, tin up 55 per cent, and copper up 30 per cent. For the first time, significant silver has also been identified, with an estimated 3,231 koz of contained silver now defined within the resource.

CRL says further analysis indicates improved metallurgical recovery rates for tungsten, strengthening the project’s overall economics and development potential.

In a separate announcement, parent company Strategic Minerals plc published an updated economic sensitivity analysis valuing Redmoor at around US $1.54-billion (after-tax NPV at eight per cent), highlighting the scale of the opportunity.

The project, based near the historic mining centre of Kelly Bray, sits within an area deeply rooted in Cornwall’s mining past. Over the past decade, CRL has carried out extensive exploration work including drilling, soil sampling, geophysics and aerial surveys. The work has been supported by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Programme, funded by the UK government’s Shared Prosperity Fund and delivered locally by Cornwall Council.

Company leaders say that backing has been crucial in unlocking the latest phase of growth.

Strategic Minerals executive chairman Charles Manners described the results as a “transformational piece of work”, praising the CRL team for delivering strong outcomes efficiently and at scale. He said support from Cornwall Council and the Shared Prosperity Fund had helped enable investment that has now positioned Redmoor as a globally significant tungsten project.

Executive director Mark Burnett said the upgraded estimate provides a major uplift in both tonnage and contained metals, alongside the addition of silver, and sets the stage for rapid progress into a pre-feasibility study to test production scenarios and optimise the development model.

He also confirmed a fully funded infill drilling programme is set to increase resource confidence and convert inferred material into indicated categories, with additional rigs expected to be deployed ahead of summer.

Managing director Dennis Rowland said the project had demonstrated the value of public-private partnership funding, noting strong increases in market capitalisation linked to each £1 of grant support invested.

He added that improved recovery rates and confirmation of additional mineral zones had strengthened overall project economics.