The Princess Royal has been given a tour of an historic Cornwall tin mine that is being brought back into working order.
Mining exploration company Cornish Metals is working to revive South Crofty near Redruth.
Princess Anne was shown around the site and unveiled a plaque to mark the re-opening of the New Cooks Kitchen shaft. She also visited the water treatment plant and went underground into the mine via the mine shaft cage.
Don Turvey, chief executive and director of Cornish Metals, said: "We were delighted to have hosted HRH The Princess Royal at South Crofty, it was an honour to show her around the different aspects of the operation."
The visit follows a recent £57.4m fundraise for the project that included a £28.6m investment by the Government's National Wealth Fund.
"We are grateful to Her Royal Highness for taking the time to re-open New Cook's Kitchen Shaft, which is currently being refurbished to allow mine re-entry at lower levels," added Mr Turvey.
"The opening of NCK shaft is an important milestone as we work to deliver a secure, sustainable, domestic supply of tin in the United Kingdom.
Tin is classified as a critical mineral in the º£½ÇÊÓƵ, US and Canada due to its wide range of traditional uses and its growing role in electronics and energy transition technologies.
"With no primary tin production in Europe or North America, and Asia controlling over two-thirds of global mine supply and more than 80% of refined tin supply, securing Western sources of tin has become increasingly important," added Mr Turvey.
"South Crofty represents a unique opportunity to develop a secure, long-term domestic source of tin, reducing reliance on volatile international markets."
South Crofty was closed in 1998 following more than 400 years of continuous production and was acquired by Cornish Metals in 2016.
It is a high-grade underground tin mine that has existing mine infrastructure including multiple shafts that can be used for future operations.
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