Cornish Metals has strengthened the management team at its South Crofty tin project in Cornwall by appointing former Petra Diamonds executive Juan Kemp, as the development moves from permitting and dewatering toward construction, operational readiness and workforce preparation.
Kemp became managing director of South Crofty, taking responsibility for mining, processing, safety and overall business performance. He will be based at the Cornwall project and report to Cornish Metals chief executive Don Turvey.
Mining Experience Added Ahead of Development
The appointment comes as South Crofty advances surface construction, underground development and employee training. Kemp brings more than 30 years of mining experience from senior positions at AngloGold, De Beers and Petra Diamonds. His background includes responsibility for mine operations and major capital programmes, providing additional operational expertise as South Crofty moves closer to construction and eventual commissioning.
At Petra Diamonds, Kemp oversaw mining operations and major projects, including a R6 billion underground block-cave expansion, worth about £275 million, and a R2 billion processing plant, equivalent to approximately £90 million. He also served as Petra’s joint chief executive between February 2025 and May 2026.
South Crofty Targets 2028 Production
South Crofty is a historic underground tin mine that closed in 1998 following centuries of production. The project retains existing shafts and underground infrastructure and has permits covering mining, construction of a processing plant and associated site development. Its mining permission remains valid until 2071. Cornish Metals is targeting annual production of approximately 4,700 tonnes of tin in concentrate during the first five years of full production. The current development plan envisages an initial 14-year mine life, while the company is positioning South Crofty as a potential lowest-quartile-cost tin producer.
£198 Million Development Requirement
The project is expected to require approximately £198 million in capital to reach production, with production currently targeted for 2028. The UK’s National Wealth Fund has already invested about £28.6 million in the project. Meanwhile, the US Export-Import Bank has indicated interest in providing up to $225 million, equivalent to approximately €191 million, in financing linked to the supply of tin concentrate to the United States. Potential US financing would provide an important source of project support while also strengthening the strategic significance of South Crofty as a future Western tin supply source.
European Tin Processing Gap Remains
The project also highlights a structural weakness in the European tin supply chain. Neither the UK nor the wider European market has sufficient primary tin-smelting capacity to process all relevant domestic concentrate. As a result, tin produced at South Crofty could ultimately require overseas processing.
That creates a disconnect between increasing interest in domestic mining and the availability of downstream processing infrastructure. Developing mine production alone does not guarantee that the resulting concentrate can be converted into refined metal within the region.
Investors Focus on Financing and Construction
Cornish Metals shares were trading at around 99 pence, leaving the stock approximately 37% higher over the previous 12 months. Kemp’s appointment generated only a limited immediate market response, with investors likely to remain focused on the project’s financing package, construction progress and ability to maintain the targeted production schedule. As South Crofty advances toward construction, operational execution is becoming increasingly important to the project’s investment case.
Experienced Operator Joins Before Commissioning
Kemp’s appointment adds operational experience at a critical stage of development and addresses part of the execution challenge ahead of commissioning. For Cornish Metals, the next major milestones will include securing the required financing, progressing construction and demonstrating that the project can be delivered within its current capital requirements. South Crofty’s future value will increasingly depend on the company’s ability to translate public-sector financial backing, strategic demand for tin and existing project permits into a fully funded mine capable of reaching production in line with the current 2028 target.
