2 minute read - 13th May 2025
Imerys to invest £18m in new processing facility
Global mining company Imerys is to invest £18m over the next two years in its kaolin (china clay) dry mining operations in Cornwall. The investment, which includes a £2.1m grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, will fund a new state-of-the-art dry mining facility in the Karslake area of Littlejohns Pit in mid-Cornwall.
China clay has historically been mined here using a wet process. This process involves high-pressure water washing the clay from the granite and forming a slurry, which is then transported through pipes to refining and drying sites. The new beneficiation process with mechanical equipment will use significantly less water and lower its electricity consumption in Cornwall by 10%.
In addition, building the new dry mining plant will provide access to untapped clay reserves beneath the decommissioned processing plant, effectively extending the life of its Cornish kaolin operations.
Imerys is to invest £18m over the next two years to install a new state-of-the-art dry china clay mining facility in Cornwall / Picture: Imerys
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Mark Hewson, who leads Imerys in the UK, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be receiving this funding, which represents a significant contribution towards the overall investment required. Our Cornish operations support around 3,500 direct and indirect jobs and, in addition, spend more than £40 million every year in the local economy. By extending the mine life of the Littlejohns pit, the investment will help us to protect local employment and maintain that economic support for many years to come. This project not only underlines our commitment to sustainable mining and innovation, but also to the communities where we operate.”
In parallel with improving existing mining infrastructure, the strength of the project lies in the firm’s ability to use its existing china clay assets to reduce its environmental footprint. Doing so will help pave the way for its lithium project, which is located in a nearby china clay pit. While kaolin mining will remain a mainstay of the Cornish economy, Imerys says the lithium project is strategically important to the UK’s transition to net zero.
