THE possibility of re-opening a tin-tungsten mine near Kelly Bray was revealed to Callington Town councillors last week.

At a meeting of the full council it was announced that Australian company New Age Exploration Limited had obtained the right to develop and operate a mine at the historic Redmoor Mine.

NAE has commissioned UK company, SRK Consulting, to review the potential of the project, based on historic drilling results from the 1970s and 80s by South West Minerals Ltd.

It could potentially lead to the creation of a number of jobs — a similar project in more advanced stages at Hemerdon, near Ivybridge, involving another Australian company, Wolf Minerals, could employ more than 200 people and produce about 3,000 tonnes of tungsten and tin a year if it goes ahead.

The Redmoor Mine project is in its early stages and NAE Ltd has taken an Exploration Licence, which is valid for 15 years with a further option for a 25-year mining lease.

The potential quantity and grade of the area has yet to be established but NAE intends to start a work programme in 2013 to confirm the exploration target and to enable the reporting of a mineral resource if possible.

Portreeve and mayor Cllr Jeremy Gist told councillors that at first the news came as a shock but after some research and having contacted the company, he now believes it is not something to be too worried about.

'The NAE is in the early days of assessing the project. It will be initially be desktop-based work to re-examine the core samples. It is too early to determine the mining process. Given the early nature of the project, the timing remains uncertain — it will be many years before it goes into production.

'It is a re-run of the 1970s and 80s when core sampling was done to see if there was anything to mine. Now, I don't believe there is anything to be too worried about.

'My opinion, based on local knowledge, is that the minerals that were close to the surface have been worked out. If they were still available they would have been worked in the '80s. If there was anything, it would be deep mining and would have a negligible effect. I think it will be a long time before we see anything of any substance.'

Cllr Gist said if the company was to mine, it would have to go through the planning process, which would give plenty of opportunity for the public to have their say.

Cllr Andrew Long said the issue of the Redmoor Mine had been 'rumbling' for a number of years: 'There have been lots of times across the UK, where companies have looked at samples and decided not to do anything. It could be a minimum of ten years before anything major happens.'

On the company's website NAE managing director Gary Fietz said: 'The company has engaged a locally-based consultant mining engineer and executive with extensive international experience and also local tin-tungsten experience.

'NAE intends to add value to the project by defining a JORC (Joint Ore Reserves Committee) compliant resource if possible and we will then review the strategic alternatives for the Redmoor project.'

Redmoor Mine opened in the 18th century, along with Kelly Bray and Holmbush, and was mined until 1892 when it was was forced to close due to low tin prices. Parts of the Redmoor Mine were re-opened between 1907 and 1914 and again in 1934.

In 1977, Southwest Minerals Ltd (SWM) acquired the mineral rights to a large area around Redmoor and undertook a detailed exploration programme of diamond drilling in the 1980s to a depth of 600 metres to test the extent of sheeted vein tin-tungsten mineralisation at Redmoor. No systematic exploration or metallurgical testing has taken place since 1985.