Copper could be mined on Anglesey again
ITV Wales' Rob Shelley reports
There could be a gold rush on Anglesey - well, copper rush, to be more accurate.
Plans have been announced to restart uncovering precious metals at Parys Mountain, just south of Amlwch.
It has been 120 years since the last miners left, but its history goes back even further.
"It actually goes back to the bronze age, there's traces of bronze age mining here," said Don McCallum, site manager.
He says there is plenty more material left available in the mine, due to developments in techniques since the 1900s.
"The techniques that they used then were limited, it was all done by hand or by horse or by sticks of dynamite," he said.
Anglesey Mining hope that over a decade or so, a billion pounds' worth of copper, gold, and silver, along with other metals, could be mined at the site.
Rob Marsden, chief executive of Anglesey Mining, said the mine also contained deposits of silver and lead.
He said: “Parys Mountain is demonstrably the largest and most advanced project for mining copper, gold, silver, lead and zinc in the UK.
"The project is favourably located on a previously permitted development site with significant existing infrastructure already in place."
He said the new application was aimed at reassuring local people that any new mining would be carried out with minimal impact on the environment.
However, it would involve significant surface works, including a processing plant to extract metals from the rock, ventilation shafts and storage areas for the tailings and other waste.
Mr Marsden added: "Copper, zinc, silver and lead are essential metals for the UK’s energy transition towards electricity and away from fossil fuels. This mine would give the UK its own supplies."
Before that can begin, though, it'll have to pass a number of surveys to check local wildlife like bats, birds and plants.
If the project is approved, it would be the UK’s only domestic source of copper. The country uses around 15,000 tonnes a year, all of which is currently imported.
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