Twelveheads
Cornish Lithium is currently drilling their next lithium in geothermal waters research borehole, in the Twelveheads area of Chacewater.
Why Twelveheads?
To explore for lithium in geothermal waters, we have created 3D digital models of the geology of Cornwall to identify areas with the most potential for future lithium extraction. In 2019 we drilled two successful research boreholes at United Downs, which confirmed that the geothermal waters are enriched in lithium from depths as shallow as 600 m (c. 2,000 ft). To advance our exploration programme and demonstrate the regional prospectivity of Cornwall, we are currently drilling an additional research borehole just outside of Twelveheads, that will target permeable geological structures approximately 1,600 m (c. 5,250 ft) below the surface. From this research borehole, we plan to recover rock core, which will be analysed and used to identify the location of natural structures in the rock that geothermal waters flow through. An electric pump will be used to pump water samples to surface from these strucutres, which will be analysed for their lithium concentration as set out in the illustration below.
The borehole is being drilled using a small mineral exploration drill rig, like the one we used at United Downs in 2019-2020 .
Drilling Operations
Cornish Lithium commenced drilling the research borehole on 10 March 2022 and it is anticipated that the research borehole will take approximately four and half months to drill, with drilling operations taking place between the hours of 7:00am and 7:00pm each day. Samples of geothermal waters will be collected at intervals down the hole, which is planned to be drilled to a depth of nearly c.1,600m. Some water sampling may take place between 7:00pm and 11:00pm at night, but there will be no drilling after 7:00pm.
If you would like more information about Cornish Lithium’s drilling programme or have any concerns, please contact our drilling team via email, [email protected], or telephone on 01326 640 049.
Community Drop-In Session
To continue our engagement with the Twelveheads’ community, Cornish Lithium will be hosting further community drop-in sessions at the Twelveheads Methodist Church Hall at 4pm to 6pm on the 24th of January and 10am to 12 noon on the 28th of January. Full details of the sessions will be announced in due course. If you are a member of the local community with questions about the research borehole, drilling operations or Cornish Lithium’s work developing an environmentally responsible source of lithium we’d like to hear from you.
