Stories from Cornwall · United Kingdom

Authorities conducted a controlled explosion of a gas cylinder device in Cornwall. More than 1,200 nearby properties were previously evacuated as a precaution. The device was surrounded by thousands of tonnes of sand before the blast.

The wreckage of the US Coast Guard Cutter Tampa has been discovered 50 miles offshore from Cornwall, UK. The vessel sank in 1918 after being torpedoed by a German submarine, resulting in 130 deaths. The Gasparados dive team identified the ship at a depth of more than 300 feet.

Cornwall-based company GEL has successfully drilled three miles into granite to access fluids heated to nearly 200 degrees. This geothermal resource is being used to generate electricity 24/7, marking a first for the United Kingdom. The technology utilizes fluids pumped from deep underground to drive turbines. This development follows existing UK practices of using shallow wells for ground source heat pumps to warm homes. A company in Cornwall is extracting fluids from five kilometers deep in the earth to generate geothermal energy. An extraction plant located next to the power station captures lithium from the water for sale to battery manufacturers. This method provides both renewable energy and critical mineral resources within the UK. The project aims to supply thousands of tonnes of lithium for battery manufacturers in the coming years.