May Cornish Mining Sundowner: welcome guests, and staff movements at two of Cornwall's major mining projects

The May Mining Sundowner was at Falmouth's Chain Locker on a glorious summer evening, with an attendance of over 20, and a few new faces.

Ausenco is a global engineering and consulting firm headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, with offices in more than 80 locations worldwide. The company is playing a key role in the Cornish Lithium Feasibility Study, serving as lead study coordinator and process engineering consultant.

Regular sundowner attendee Klaas van der Wielen was joined by two fellow Ausenco engineers from the Toronto office: Spencer Reeves and Grahame Sterling. Grahame is the Project Manager for the Cornish Lithium Feasibility Study, while Spencer serves as the Director of Technical Services. Klaas, a Subject Matter Expert, is guiding the development of the concentrator process.

Grahame, Spencer and Klaas

Spencer brings significant expertise in comminution design, developed during his time as Project Manager at Starkey & Associates, where he worked closely with the late John Starkey.

Spencer with Barbara and me and John and Donna Starkey, in Denver 2015

Cornish Lithium is pioneering the clean extraction of lithium to support the UK’s transition to renewable energy and secure a domestic supply for the batteries that power smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles. It is focusing on the environmentally responsible extraction of lithium from hard rock and geothermal waters in the historic mining districts of Cornwall. The company has announced the appointment of energy sector leader Jamie Airnes as the new CEO, as the business moves at pace from research and development towards full-scale operations. The appointment of the new CEO will see founder and current CEO, Jeremy Wrathall, transition to the role of Executive Chairman where he will remain firmly at the helm of the business, responsible for company strategy and business development given the growth opportunities that lie ahead. 

It was good to welcome Laura Smith, a fellow post-graduate of Leeds University, although 51 years separate our PhDs! Laura leads the Policy, Governance & Sustainability and Sustainability & Business modules for the fully digital distance-learning MSc in Sustainable Business Leadership within the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Leeds. Her group of social scientists are conducting research on UK sourcing of critical materials in the context of the energy transition. They are researching the challenges and opportunities for industry innovation and new investment and are talking to a range of stakeholders about the non-technical (social, environmental, regulatory etc) issues, constraints, opportunities. Laura is in Falmouth as her group is developing case studies of Cornwall's lithium and tin as well as Aberdeenshire's nickel.

With Laura Smith

Other Cornish mining news this month:

The South Crofty tin project in Camborne is rapidly transitioning to construction and development.and last week received Royal approval with the visit of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal who unveiled a plaque re-opening New Cook’s Kitchen shaft, which is currently being refurbished to allow mine re-entry at lower levels. .

HRH The Princess Royal with Cornish Metals' CEO, Don Turvey

The company has announced the strengthening of the project and operations teams; David Howe has been appointed to the role of General Manager, where he will lead the operational activities of the mine. He holds a Master’s degree in Mining Geology from the Camborne School of Mines and a Bachelor’s degree in Geology from Oxford Brooks University. Guillermo Alcazar has been appointed to the role of Project Director, leading all project construction and development activities. 

A regular at the sundowners over the last few months has been Owen Mihalop, COO with South Crofty, who left the company last month, after nearly 11 years, in order to pursue new opportunities. We wish Owen all the very best in his new endeavour and hope to see him at future sundowners.

Another well known Cornish mining person on the move is Lucy Crane, who in recent years has been a high profile member of the Cornish Lithium team, as ESG and Sustainability Manager. She has now taken up the role of Sustainability Consultant at Satarla, which supports organisations in making informed, risk-based decisions that turn Sustainability and ESG goals into practical action. And many congratulations to Lucy on being appointed Managing Director of Women In Mining UK (WIM UK), and as an Executive Director on the WIM UK Board of Directors.

An interesting sundowner, and a reminder that the next one will be on Thursday June 19th from 5.30pm at Falmouth's Chain Locker.