Last Wednesday I was able to spend a very important couple of hours at the Resourcing Tomorrow mining conference in London and was delighted to visit the Cornwall Pavilion to do what I could to promote the remarkable and collaborative cluster of critical minerals businesses that are part of the reason that Cornwall is so unique.

That included of course, Cornish Metals who are the owners of South Crofty. I make absolutely no apologies for throwing everything I can at making a success of our critical minerals businesses which, locally, include lithium, as well as tin. The Labour government has made clear its commitment to this sector as it is a vital piece of the jigsaw in the transition to net-zero targets by 2030, as these minerals are used in virtually all electrical devices that we use today.

We currently import 100 per cent of our critical mineral supply from places such as China, placing our supply security at risk, as well as not capitalising on the fantastic potential we have here right underneath out feet. There is also now a clear and present danger that if we do not act to build up our domestic critical mineral production and supply processes, we will surrender the entire sector to China.

We will become even more reliant on China in the new renewables world than we are today on America, Saudi Arabia and Russia in the old fossil-fuel world. This is why Cornish critical minerals are my top industrial priority. If we get this right, not only do we build supply security and accelerate net-zero, but we also will be able to take advantage of the immense potential and opportunity to bring additional jobs and prosperity to our area.

Another important landmark last week was the publication of the British Geological Survey’s 2024 Critical Minerals Assessment list. This list, which is funded by the Department for Business and Trade, outlines which minerals are classified as critical for the UK’s industrial and manufacturing processes and are therefore important economically for our shift to net-zero.

This year, the List included 34 different minerals - an all-time high after rising from the 18 that had featured on it previously. Tin and lithium, which are both a part of the new generation of minerals that are crucial to our push towards net-zero, are both included on the list.

I then hosted a Westminster Hall debate specifically about domestic critical mineral production. MPs from across the UK all attended and contributed to the debate. Most pleasing of all was the attendance and formal response to my speech of the Minister for Business and Trade, and portfolio holder for critical minerals, Sarah Jones.

This was not the first time I had met the Minister and she now has a very comprehensive understanding of our potential. With support, this government will get our domestic production of critical minerals off the ground and, all being well, it will be Camborne and Redruth that will lead the charge.

Perran Moon

Labour MP for Camborne and Redruth