Securing the UK's
lithium supply
Founded in 2016, Cornish Lithium is committed to securing a sustainable, ethical and environmentally responsible lithium supply for the UK.
Since receiving its first external funding in 2017, the company has grown significantly and now employs more than 100 people, most of whom are based in Cornwall.
One company - two projects
Our Trelavour Hard Rock Project is re-purposing a former china-clay pit near St Austell to produce lithium through hard rock extraction.
Our Lithium in Geothermal Waters Projects aim to extract lithium from deep, naturally circulating waters at multiple sites across Cornwall. The county has some of the highest grades of lithium in geothermal waters worldwide.
Our projects
Our projects focus on sustainably extracting lithium from hard rock and geothermal waters.
Trelavour
We are repurposing a former china-clay pit near St Austell to produce lithium through responsible hard rock extraction.
Our mission and purpose
We care deeply about supporting the UK’s transition to renewable clean energy.
Our mission
Our mission is to enable the UK’s transition to renewable energy.
Our purpose
Our purpose is to secure an ethical and environmentally responsible
lithium supply in the UK.
Our values
Innovation
Driving sustainable solutions through cutting-edge mineral knowledge.
Inclusion
Embracing diversity in culture, identity and perspectives.
Integrity
Upholding transparency, honesty and our commitment to communities.
Our team
Jeremy has over 30 years of experience in the mining finance industry and has advised mining companies on transactions globally.
Following his graduation in Mining Engineering from the Camborne School of Mines in Cornwall, he spent three years working as a mining engineer in the South African gold mining industry. Jeremy then pursued a career in mining investment banking in London which included senior roles at global investment banks, including his most recent role as Global Head of Natural Resources–London at Investec Bank plc.
He has advised on transactions on all of the world’s major mining exchanges and has served as a non-executive director of mining companies listed on AIM and on the ASX stock exchanges. Jeremy is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.
Having founded Cornish Lithium in 2016, Jeremy decided to fully focus on the company and left his career in investment banking in March 2017
Patrick was most recently Chief Operating Officer for Euromax Resources. Prior to Euromax, Patrick was VP, Projects & Exploration at European Goldfields, where he was responsible for operations at the Stratoni Mine in Greece and the development of the Skouries and Olympias projects in Greece, and the Certej project in Romania through feasibility work, basic engineering, and financing. In addition, Patrick was responsible for European Goldfields’ exploration properties in Romania, Greece and Turkey, and the growth and compliance of its resource and reserve base.
In the early 1990s, he managed exploration projects in Europe, Ghana and Venezuela before spending five years in Burkina Faso managing exploration programmes including the discovery of Semafo Inc’s 2.8 Moz Mana deposit.
Patrick is also specialised in geological due diligence, resource estimation, the application of GIS systems to exploration projects and deposit evaluation, and is a Qualified Person with respect to NI 43-101 reporting.
Varshan has over 20 years of experience in guiding TSX and AIM listed mining companies from project definition through to development and construction across a number of international jurisdictions.
Following his graduation from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, he has worked on both the investment banking and corporate sides of the mining industry during which time he has arranged and led over US$ 1.5 billion of funding transactions across the entire capital structure from equity to senior secured project finance debt for mining projects. He was most recently President and CEO of Euromax Resources Limited where he led the development of the Ilovica-Shtuka Copper Gold Project in North Macedonia from inferred resource to definitive feasibility study. Prior to Euromax, he led and implemented the financing strategy of European Goldfields Limited which owned,developed and operated copper, gold, lead and zinc mines in Greece and Romania.
Varshan is a Charter holder of the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute.
Kate is an experienced corporate lawyer with over 20 years legal M&A and ECM experience advising on both the investment banking side and corporate side of global transactions and financings for the natural resources and renewables sectors.
She has extensive experience of advising and working with companies from the initial seed round investment stage through to IPO and beyond with on and off-market secondary fundraises and joint venture arrangements.
Kate is utilising this experience and skill set to assist Cornish Lithium as the company continues to expand its corporate activity and strategic development.
Henry has over 20 years’ experience in natural resource management within the Forestry, Farming and Mining Industries. After training in Forestry and Estate Management he worked his way through the ranks with lowland estates in the Westcountry and Overseas, managing commercial and sporting woodlands, agricultural and amenity land.
A career change decision led him to Camborne School of mines where he graduated as a mining engineer in 2009. Since then, he has worked across the globe in technical and operational roles across multiple hard rock commodities and soft rock industrial minerals both open cut and underground. Most notable as the technical services lead for Orica UK and Ireland and as specialist Mining Engineer for Rio Tinto Oyu Tolgoi. The opportunity to combine the two career paths has led him to Cornish Lithium where his expertise in land management and mineral extraction will foster our diverse land use relationships.
Henry is a keen countryman and enjoys all the countryside has to offer as well as juggling the work of a small family farm partnership.
Neil has worked within the mining sector and health, safety and risk roles for more than 20 years, and has gained significant experience in mineral processing and hazardous chemical management.
Neil started his career as a mineral processing chemist within the mining sector in Cornwall, before moving to London and Botswana. Building on existing skills and gaining a NEBOSH Diploma in Health and Safety, he took on the role of the Health and Safety Manager of the newly formed element of De Beers based in Botswana and also supporting the operations in Canada and southern Africa. Neil then moved into Health, safety and risk-based consultancy, based in the UAE and the UK in a variety of sectors, while also delivering work in the mining sector in Australia and Africa. Neil is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Occupational Health and Safety.
Neil has over 17 years’ experience providing corporate finance advice and broking services to UK listed natural resources companies, having also accumulated extensive experience advising TSX and ASX dual listed companies.
Neil was most recently a director in BMO’s UK ECM and Corporate Broking team, which he joined from Liberum Capital in 2018.
Neil started his career at Evolution Securities in 2003, moving to Investec, following its acquisition of Evolution in 2011 and subsequently to Canaccord Genuity.
Neil has a BSc in Economics from the London School of Economics.
A graduate of the Royal School of Mines, Mike spent over twenty years in senior roles in the energy sector in Europe and the USA. Upon leaving the energy sector in 2001, Mike led inward investment activity for the Welsh Development Agency prior to taking up a role as Chief Executive of the Department of Economic Development, Sport and Culture in the Government of Jersey.
In 2017, he returned to the UK as Managing Director of Cornwall Development Company, leading a programme of capital development and business support programmes. In 2022, Mike took on his current role as VP Business Development and Government Relations with Cornish Lithium.
With over 30 years of experience, Peter has sucessfully led operations and engineering teams across the construction materials, mining, and mineral sands industries in North America and the UK.
After graduating in Geology from Kingston University, London he spent five years working as an exploration geologist and mine planner in the UK before moving to the United States where he held various technical, project management and operational roles eventually becoming Vice President for CRH in Ohio. He joined Cornish Lithium in 2024 shortly after returning to the UK, a move that brings him back within just a few miles of where he grew up.
Peter is a Fellow of the Geological Society of London and Member of the Institute of Quarrying.
Paul is a chartered accountant with over 15 years’ experience. After qualifying with PwC in London he worked at BSkyB Plc in the Group Finance team before striking out as a freelancer.
As a specialist in International Financial Reporting Standards, he has worked with a range of AIM-listed and PE-backed companies, delivering high-quality financial reporting and enhancing accounting systems, processes and controls in dynamic, fast-paced environments.
Since joining Cornish Lithium in 2022, Paul has set to work creating a best-in-class finance function engineered to meet the needs of our business now and in the future.
Kate is a sustainability professional with over 30 years of experience across the mining industry. She frequently works as part of the Owner’s Team with leadership on sustainability issues, and for Equator Principles Financial Institutions and engineering groups. She serves as Non-Executive Director to Fortuna Mining Corp (transitioning from Roxgold Inc), Orezone Gold Corporation and Atalaya Mining.
She works on projects mainly in Europe and Africa, developing policy and environmental management frameworks, navigating local and international ESIA processes, stakeholder engagement and permitting, lender liaison, annual reporting and construction supervision. She has joined Due Diligence teams on high profile new projects and has contributed to documentation on industry good practice, such as the UNEP Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at Local Level for Mining, the IFC Good Practice Note on Managing Contractors Environmental and Social Performance and worked with the Responsible Jewellery Council to update their Codes of Practice (COP).
In 2018 she was nominated one of the Top 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining.
Born and brought up in Cornwall, Kate (as Kate Wild) is founder of Wild Card a PR and communications consultancy with offices in Truro, Bristol and London.
A Deputy Lieutenant of Cornwall since 2017, she is a board member of Cornwall Chamber of Commerce and sits on the Cornwall Lieutenancy Business Committee. She leads on fund development for Young & Talented Cornwall, The Lord Lieutenant’s Fund, and is co-chair of the annual Cornwall Christmas Fair at Eden, one of Cornwall’s largest fundraisers supporting Cornish charities through the Cornwall Community Foundation. She co-chairs the Cornwall Lieutenancy Voluntary Sector Committee and since 2023 has advised the Duchy of Cornwall on a non-exec basis. Kate was High Sheriff of Cornwall in 2020/21.
Alverne has worked within the financial community of the City of London for almost forty years.
Initially working for Cazenove & Company where he was Head of Australasian Institutional Equity Sales. Moving to Payden & Rygel as Head of Institutional Sales for the UK and European operations he is currently Manager of New England Asset Management’s London operations. Prior to this he served in the British Army. He is a Trustee of Walking With the Wounded and works with the Cornwall Community Foundation.
Frequently asked questions
In Cornwall, lithium is found in two main forms: within mica minerals in granite rock and dissolved in geothermal fluids (brines) that flow deep underground. Cornish Lithium’s exploration focuses on both lithium in hard rock and geothermal brines.
At our Trelavour Hard Rock Project, Cornwall Lithium is repurposing a former china clay pit and seeking to redevelop former pits for waste storage. In relation to our geothermal projects, Cornish Lithium first recognised the presence of lithium in saline waters in Cornwall from historic records made at the time when the county had a significant mining industry. The miners frequently encountered geological faults (large naturally-occurring cracks in the earth) from which flowed significant quantities of hot saline water. Such occurrences in old mines demonstrate a much larger geological phenomenon which Cornish Lithium believes could be widespread across the county; as a result the company is not focussing on the old mines themselves but on the geological structures which contain the circulating lithium-enriched fluids. Cornish Lithium plans to drill extraction boreholes into these fracture zones and does not therefore need to reopen old mines, or to extract water from the mines themselves. We plan to drill boreholes to extract fluids from 2km depth and so will bypass old mine workings.
Lithium is our primary focus. However, as we build our knowledge of the geology, structures and mineralisation in Cornwall we are discovering areas which offer very good potential for other metals such as copper, cobalt, tin and other metals which are vital to the development of modern technologies including batteries.
Some of our mineral rights agreements give us the ability to explore for other minerals in addition to lithium and hence we are actively prioritising areas that could be of interest. Our use of advanced digital mapping and modelling techniques gives Cornish Lithium the ability to“see”mineralisation that could be exploited using modern mining methods.
Lithium in its metallic form is highly reactive, so it is never found in nature in this state. Instead, the mining industry primarily produces lithium carbonate, a stable, white powder that is safe for handling and widely used in various applications.
The environmental impacts depend on the extraction methods used. The process used in our geothermal lithium extraction plants can be likened to a water purification system. Mineral-rich water is pumped from approximately 2,000 metres below the surface via a borehole and passed through columns where the lithium is extracted from the water. With the lithium removed, the water is returned to the ground via a second borehole. The plant will have a footprint the size of a supermarket or medium-sized industrial unit. Direct extraction of lithium from geothermal fluids using cutting-edge technology is the most environmentally responsible method available.
Our Hard Rock Project near St Dennis is repurposing a former china clay pit to produce lithium. We plan to extract lithium from hard rock in the pit and use a new process technology. This extraction method should have a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to other hard rock lithium extraction processes used elsewhere in the world.
Cornish Lithium strive to ensure that the impacts of all our projects are kept to a minimum.
Cornish Lithium’s Trelavour Hard Rock Project alone is expected to produce 10,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide annually, which will considerably strengthen the UK’s critical minerals supply chain and reduce the UK’s reliance on importing carbon-intensive materials from abroad.
The project will create around 300 highly-skilled jobs and generate up to £800 million for the Cornish economy over its 20-year life.
Reviving a 4,000-year-old mining industry in Cornwall presents a tremendous opportunity to boost the local economy, and Cornish Lithium is committed to playing a key role in this transformation in an environmentally responsible manner.
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