MINING firm Wolf Minerals has recruited more staff at it trials seven-day working of the primary crusher at Plymouth's £140million Drakelands Mine.
Adding the extra shift has led to 10 operator jobs being created at the process plant.
The number is expected to grow to 12 posts if Wolf is permitted to continue seven-day working on a permanent basis following the six-month trial.
It brings total directly employed at the tungsten mine to about 220.
The process plant and primary crusher have been operating through the night, Mondays to Fridays, since mid-August and Wolf recently extended this to begin the seven-day trial following approval from Devon County Council.
Jeff Harrison, Wolf Minerals UK operations manager, said crusher technology and design had improved significantly since planning approval was granted in 1986, allowing for quieter operation.
He said: "Seven-day operation brings significant benefits in terms of production capacity, more efficient continuous running of the process plant and the additional employment which we have been able to create during the trial and which we hope will become permanent.
"We are continuously monitoring noise levels during the trial to ensure we take necessary steps to meet our planning conditions.
"Our intention is we will be allowed to operate seven days a week on a permanent basis from early 2016."
Drakelands Mine was officially opened on September 17, 2015, becoming the first new British metal mine in 45 years.
With an estimated production of 5,000 tonnes per annum of tungsten concentrate and 1,000 tonnes of tin concentrate, Drakelands will be one of the world's most important tungsten mines, producing about 3.5 per cent of forecast global demand, providing a secure supply of tungsten – which is regarded as a critical mineral by the UK, US and EU – and pumping hundreds of millions of pounds into the South West and UK economies over the next decade.
The construction phase has already generated significant economic benefits with up to 500 people on site and an estimated 70 per cent of the £75million cost of the process plant was spent with UK companies, many in Devon and Cornwall..
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