TUNGSTEN deposits at a new metal mine in Hemerdon are more than 20 per cent larger than expected, a new report has revealed.

Wolf Minerals, which is constructing the £130m tungsten and tin mine at Drakelands, said the drilling results suggest there is potential to increase the ore reserves by 15 to 23 per cent within the existing planning permission.

The drilling results indicate that an additional four to six million tonnes of ore may be available to be mined from the project as a result of steepening the open pit walls and broadening the open pit perimeter.

The drilling programme completed a total of 1,140 metres around the perimeter of the Hemerdon open pit and was designed to provide additional geotechnical information to optimise the slope angles for the open pit.

Wolf Minerals managing director, Russell Clark, said: 'Initial analysis suggests this could be the case, and we will now undertake detailed design work and reserve re-estimation.

'We expect this work to be completed in January 2015. In the meantime we continue to focus on the construction of the processing plant and remain on budget and on schedule to be producing in the third quarter of 2015.

He added: 'We are also examining the potential for mining the Southern Extension of the ore body, which currently lies outside the planning permission boundary, and see great potential to extend the mine life even further.'

Subject to a change in the planning permission's open pit boundary, there may also be the potential to increase the ore reserves further.

The mine is the first new metal mine to be opened in the UK for 45 years and when in full production will create about 200 direct jobs.