Cornwall is playing a "vital role" supplying minerals such as lithium and tin to the 海角视频鈥檚 economy, according to the government鈥檚 first ever Critical Minerals Strategy.

The document, published by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), sets out how critical minerals will become increasingly important to bolstering energy security and 海角视频 industry, including in the production of batteries for electric cars and in electronics and wind turbines.

Cornwall has been highlighted in the report for its mineral wealth and the "world renowned" Camborne School of Mines.

The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has welcomed the strategy. The LEP has invested 拢2.9m from the government鈥檚 Getting Building Fund in a 拢4m pilot lithium extraction plant near Redruth. The project has been built by mineral exploration company Cornish Lithium to demonstrate that lithium can be recovered from geothermal waters.

In June, a major shareholder of Cornish Lithium announced it was investing a further 拢9m in the business.

LEP board member and renewables lead Steve Jermy said: 鈥淲e鈥檝e got a wonderful mining heritage in Cornwall and some of the resources here, particularly lithium, are world-class. If we can invest early and get it running early, it鈥檚 going to be an industry of national significance.

"In terms of jobs and economic development it鈥檚 a sector we think has huge potential, and it will give the 海角视频 resilience for the future by providing a domestic supply of critical minerals.鈥

Mike Round, head of geothermal lithium at Cornish Lithium, said the new lithium extraction pilot plant had created 10 high-skilled jobs. The plant has so far processed geothermal waters from the United Downs Deep Geothermal project, which is planned to be the first geothermal power plant in the 海角视频.

He said: 鈥淲hat we鈥檝e managed to show is that it is possible to extract lithium from deep groundwaters in Cornwall with technology that is low impact. What this is doing is unlocking a potential resource of an incredibly important critical metal here in the 海角视频 that we can process."

According to the LEP, the government鈥檚 Critical Minerals Strategy aims to maximise what the 海角视频 produces along the critical minerals value chain 鈥 through mining, refining, manufacturing, and recycling 鈥 in a way that creates jobs and growth, and "protects" communities and the natural environment.

"It aims to 鈥榣evel up鈥 post-industrial areas like Cornwall by driving up pay, employment, and productivity, and attract overseas investment into 海角视频 critical minerals projects," the LEP added.

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