Cornwall revives its mines to regain jobs and independence. And Brittany?

Moving away from fossil fuels requires electrifying the economy. Electrification requires lithium and other strategic minerals. If Europe refuses to extract them, it will remain dependent either on fossil fuels or on countries such as China. This is the argument put forward by Perran Moon, Labour MP for Camborne and Redruth, who supports the revival of mining in Cornwall.

The Return of Mining in Cornwall

Cornwall was one of Europe’s major mining regions. The Labour MP for Camborne and Redruth in Cornwall, Perran Moon, recalls that in the 19th century, it experienced exceptional prosperity due to the extraction of copper and tin. The mining of Cornish tin dates back to prehistoric times. Perran Moon says in the interview that the Phoenicians came to Cornwall to seek tin and copper. With the decline of the mines, Cornish miners then left by the thousands to export their expertise to the United States, Australia, South Africa, or Latin America.

Today, Cornwall is focusing particularly on its lithium, essential for batteries, but also on tin and tungsten. For Moon, exploiting these resources is essential both to moving away from fossil fuels and to strengthening Europe’s strategic independence.

“What are we doing? Either we depend on China, or we depend on oil and gas, or we open mines to extract the minerals we need to stop using oil, diesel, and gas.”

In Brittany, a Different Path

This debate finds a very concrete echo today in Brittany. Several mobilizations have taken place against the mining exploration projects Taranis, Bélénos, and Epona, led by Breizh Ressources, a subsidiary of the Canadian group Aurania Resources. Although exclusive exploration permits were granted by the state in December 2025, in February 2026, the Regional Council of Brittany requested their “immediate withdrawal,” citing the environmental, health, and social consequences of mining activity. In its resolution, the Region asserts that “there is no such thing as 'clean' mining.”

The Breton position is therefore in stark contrast to that defended by Perran Moon and supported by a majority in Cornwall.

Moving Beyond a Tourism-Dependent Economy

The divergence is all the more striking as both territories face comparable economic problems, not to mention the same housing crisis for locals.

Cornwall has become a major tourist destination. For four months of the year, Moon explains, its population doubles. Second homes contribute to rising property prices, and many young Cornish people can no longer afford to live in their own country.

Moon denounces an economy that is too dependent on low-paid, unskilled seasonal tourism jobs. He wants to restore a more balanced economy, particularly based on the subsoil, renewable energies, industry, and skilled trades.

On the issue of mining, the two Celtic peninsulas thus seem to be taking divergent paths. Yet, let us not forget: the Breton subsoil is also extraordinarily rich.