The core of the investigation
The Questions We Are Asking
Twenty-five questions. Each is specific, each is answerable, and each has a body capable of answering it. None of them presumes an answer.
Theme 1
Operations
- 1
What explosives and munitions have actually been tested or destroyed underground during the operational period?
Who can answer · Operator; HSE; Environment Agency
- 2
What quantities were involved?
Who can answer · Operator; HSE
- 3
Where underground did each significant test occur?
Who can answer · Operator
- 4
What vibration levels were recorded?
Who can answer · Operator; independent monitoring
- 5
Where were vibration monitors positioned?
Who can answer · Operator
Theme 2
Geology
- 6
Do historic mine workings extend beneath or toward affected land?
Who can answer · Mine plan archives; engineering geologist
Theme 3
Water
- 7
Are mine workings hydraulically connected to local springs or streams?
Who can answer · Hydrogeologist; tracer testing
- 8
Have groundwater levels or flow paths changed?
Who can answer · Hydrogeologist; borehole monitoring
Theme 4
Contamination
- 9
Are energetic compounds or their degradation products detectable outside the operational site?
Who can answer · Accredited laboratory; environmental chemist
- 10
Are metals, sulphate or acidity elevated relative to genuine control locations?
Who can answer · Environmental geochemist
Theme 5
Ground
- 11
What caused the reported sinkholes?
Who can answer · Geotechnical engineer; Cornwall Council
- 12
Are those sinkholes associated with old shafts, stopes or shallow workings?
Who can answer · Mining engineer; mine plan analysis
Theme 6
Trees
- 13
What caused the concentrated X-area tree failure?
Who can answer · Consultant arboriculturalist
- 14
Is the X-area measurably depressed or subsiding?
Who can answer · Topographic and InSAR survey
- 15
Are root-zone soils chemically different from unaffected woodland?
Who can answer · Soil laboratory with matched controls
- 16
Are remaining trees showing chronic physiological stress?
Who can answer · Arboriculturalist; foliar analysis
Theme 7
Wildlife
- 17
Do protected species occupy mine workings, trees or habitats inside the measured disturbance envelope?
Who can answer · Licensed ecologist; Natural England
- 18
Have wildlife populations or habitat use changed over time?
Who can answer · ERCCIS; Cornwall Wildlife Trust; repeat survey
Theme 8
Air
- 19
Is there measurable post-event air contamination at external receptors?
Who can answer · Air quality specialist; Cornwall Council
Theme 9
Health
- 20
Is there a credible environmental exposure pathway capable of explaining reported health concerns?
Who can answer · Toxicologist; UK Health Security Agency
- 21
Do reported health events display meaningful spatial or temporal clustering?
Who can answer · Epidemiologist
Theme 10
Property
- 22
Have property values, insurability or mortgageability been affected?
Who can answer · Chartered surveyor; Land Registry analysis
Theme 11
Baseline
- 23
What environmental monitoring existed when operations began?
Who can answer · Environment Agency; Cornwall Council; operator
- 24
What has changed during approximately a decade of operations?
Who can answer · All of the above, compared against baseline
Theme 12
Governance
- 25
Who has regulatory responsibility for investigating each pathway?
Who can answer · EA, HSE, Natural England, Cornwall Council
Next
If you can answer any of these
Answers, documents and corrections are all welcome, including from the operator and from regulators. Anything supplied will be published with its source, and any factual correction will be made openly.