Tungsten West Starts Aggregates Production at Plymouth Mine

Tungsten West, which owns the vast Hemerdon mine in Plymouth, will create jobs when it begins producing and selling aggregates for the construction industry, while planning a full restart of mining operations.

The company has commissioned a temporary plant to produce aggregates, a by-product of the metal mining process, which now represents a secondary cash flow opportunity due to planned technological innovation at the upgraded Hemerdon processing plant, as well as assisting the company in achieving its "no-waste" goal.

The new Terex AggWash 60 plant was commissioned at the end of November 2021 and will be operational following the redevelopment of the Hemerdon processing plant and the completion of a separate full-size aggregate plant.

Aggregates West, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tungsten West, is currently selling an average of 1,000 tonnes per day through its partnership with GRS (Roadstone) Limited, a market leading supplier of construction materials, selling an average of 1,000 tonnes per day.

Tungsten West has entered into a mutually beneficial partnership with GRS in order to vertically integrate the company into the UK's aggregate supply chain. The material supplied from Hemerdon is sustainably produced and will help the country meet the demand for aggregates.

The partnership with GRS will create significant cash flow and jobs, and secure a long-term supply to manufacturers, ensuring the UK is increasingly self-sufficient. The company will gradually scale up its business until a full-scale plant is operational in 2022.

Max Denning, CEO of West Tungsten, said, "The business will be a significant secondary cash flow business for Hemerdon and importantly will utilize surplus material from our mining operations."

"The interim operation will allow West Tungsten to build market share and demonstrate the quality, and once fully operational, we will be one of the first mining companies in the world to implement dual production and sales of tungsten and tin and aggregate products."

"Through our partnership with GRS, we will have the ability to meet the growing demand in the UK market and help the UK become more self-sufficient."

"By working closely with environmental agencies and Devon County Council, we are ensuring that our business meets the highest ESG standards. We look forward to further informing the market of our progress as we formally relaunch Hemerdon and expand our business."

The cash flow was generated through the sale of aggregates, which were generated by processing stockpiles left by Hemerdon's former operator Wolf Minerals (UK) Ltd.

This revenue is expected to increase incrementally as Tungsten West builds market share and products are introduced into the wider UK construction industry. Aggregate production is expected to expand in line with the increase in project mining operations.

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