Tungsten West is set to take part in this year’s Extractive Industry Geology (EIG) conference which is the principal event for sharing knowledge, scientific research and good practice in the field of applied geology within the UK minerals industry.
The conference organised by the British Geological Society is taking place between 7th and 9th July and is being held in Exeter for the first time since 1998 at the University of Exeter’s Peter Chalk Centre.
The packed 2022 programme has now been finalised and includes a talk by Ross Facey, Managing Director of Aggregates West, who will be providing an update on the development of the Hemerdon tungsten and tin mine on the outskirts of Plymouth.
Ross says: “I’m really looking forward to the EIG Conference – it’s a fantastic opportunity for like-minded professionals to get together to share knowledge and best practice, and learn more about some of the exciting developments happening right here in the UK.
”The current global economic climate and energy crisis is really shining a light on the need for reliable, sustainable sources of critical minerals, without which, we will not be able to achieve our net-zero ambitions.”
This year the prestigious Ansel Dunham Lecture will be given by Dr Karen Hanghøj, Director of the British Geological Survey, who will be talking on Critical Mineral Resources for the Energy Transition.
To complement that theme, and as a new direction for 2022, there will be a major plenary session on ‘Climate Change and Minerals’ at the start of Day 2, looking at what the industry needs to do (and is already doing) to help minimise and adapt to climate change.
Away from the lecture theatre, Tungsten West will be hosting a visit to the Hemerdon Mine on Saturday 9 July as part of the EIG Conference for delegates interested in seeing the site with their own eyes. The visit will include a whole-site tour taking in the open-pit, mineral processing facility and mine waste facility.
With China producing approximately 82% of the world’s tungsten, it is considered a highly strategic metal due to its uses - 30% automotive, 8% aerospace and 10% energy. The EU and the UK both have tungsten as a very high priority under their lists of critical metals.
Tungsten West is currently revising its restart plans for the Hemerdon Mine in the face of unprecedented inflation to focus on lower capital and operational costs with the aim of production beginning during 2023.
5 July 2022
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