Tungsten West, the AIM-listed company behind the revival of the Hemerdon tungsten and tin mine near Plymouth, has announced it will escalate operations at the site in the coming weeks. The company is targeting a full project commissioning in the first quarter of 2027, with production expected to begin in spring that year.
One of the world's largest tungsten resources
Hemerdon is one of the largest known tungsten resources globally. Tungsten West acquired the site in 2019 through a receivership process after the previous operator, Wolf Minerals, collapsed. Once operational, the mine could produce up to 20% of the world's primary tungsten supply outside of China, a metal critical for manufacturing in the automotive and defence sectors.
Chief Executive Jeff Court said: "We are making rapid progress on the restart of Hemerdon with the first phase of recommissioning starting this month. This marks another significant milestone towards full project commissioning in Q1 2027, and I would like to thank the team, our partners, stakeholders and shareholders for the hard work that has been undertaken to date to reach this step."
Stakeholder engagement and recruitment
On Wednesday, the company announced an enhanced programme of stakeholder engagement, including with the local community and regulators. Tungsten West has already hired 100 people for the project and aims to recruit a total of 350 by early 2027. The company also confirmed the project remains on budget.
Financial backing
In February 2026, Tungsten West raised over £41 million through a share sale, attracting funds from new institutional investors and existing shareholders. Court described the funds as the "cornerstone" for restarting operations. He added: "We are extremely pleased that the market has shown such strong support for the company. We welcome new shareholders and the increased investment from our pre-existing shareholders, who both strongly believe in the vision we have for the company."
The Hemerdon project is expected to significantly boost the local economy and secure a vital supply chain for tungsten, a metal classified as critical by many governments due to its use in high-tech and defence applications.
