The company managing the Redmoor mine near Callington has secured $9.25m (£7m) of funding from the US Department of War to accelerate its tungsten-related operations.

Cornwall Resources Limited, a subsidiary company of London-based Strategic Minerals Ltd, has been conducting exploratory operations at Redmoor since 2016. Earlier this year, the tungsten-tin-copper site was found to have 50% more ore than originally expected.

In April 2025, Cornwall Resources was awarded £764,851 of Good Growth funding to prepare the mine for further prefeasibility studies, culminating in an ‘investment-ready business case’. The company has described Redmoor as ‘Europe’s highest-grade undeveloped tungsten resource’.

Tungsten is a dense, heat-resistant metal used in armor-piercing munitions, tank armor, and missile components.

George K. Kollitides II, director of the US Economic Defense Unit, said in a statement:

“Tungsten is essential to the systems that protect American warfighters and sustain deterrence.”

The United States is seeking to strengthen its tungsten supply chain before 1st January 2027, when restrictions on importing critical minerals from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea will come into force. The US has recently secured a deal with Kazakhstan, and is currently investing in tungsten mining operations domestically.

Last week, a £1.4bn partnership between US-based Elmet Technologies and Devon-based Hemerdon tungsten mine was announced. This includes £71 million in UK National Wealth Fund capital and $450 million in US Department of War investment.

The UK and US Governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding in February 2026 to bolster critical mineral supply chains, drive greater investment in mining and processing, and to help ‘crucial sectors like automotive, defence and clean energy in both countries get the minerals they need’.

In May this year, Goonhilly Earth Station was bought by a US Aerospace company for £37m, and US oil services company Halliburton was granted a well engineering and testing contract with Cornish Lithium in August.

Image via: Cobblestone Media