On May 6th, 2025, Montserrat’s Premier Reuben Meade visited the Department of Earth Sciences at Oxford University, hosted by the Oxford Martin School’s Rethinking Natural Resources (ReSET) Programme. The Premier was accompanied by Harvey Edgecombe, a senior advisor to the Montserrat government.

The Premier’s visit was a chance for him to learn more about the ReSET programme and to gain a firsthand account on the progress of ReSET’s research. The visit also included a presentation of rare books and archives on Montserrat at Oxford’s Bodleian library.

Montserrat is one of thirteen volcanic islands in the Eastern Caribbean, and home of the Soufreire Hill Volcano. After devastating eruptions in 1995 that displaced most of its population and destroyed its capital, Plymouth, the island has focused on recovery by resettling in the north and investing in infrastructure and disaster preparedness.

Today, the island is exploring the potential of its volcanic environment not just as an environmental threat but as a valuable natural resource. Through a collaboration with the University of Oxford, Montserrat is investigating how to harness geothermal energy and extract critical metals from the volcano’s mineral-rich geofluids.

Volcanoes release vast amounts of critical metals like copper, lithium, and gold - metals that are vital for the Net Zero transition, the manufacturing of batteries and EV cars, and to the generation and transmission of renewable electricity. As demands grow for these metals, securing them sustainably remains a major global challenge. Geofluids beneath dormant volcanoes offer a promising solution - by extracting metals dissolved in these hot, saline fluids, while also generating geothermal power, there is potential to advance clean energy and critical mineral supply in a more sustainable and socially responsible way.

Jonathan Blundy, Director of the Oxford Martin Programme on Rethinking Natural Resources, said:

‘We are delighted to collaborate with Government of Montserrat to explore the economic potential of geothermal energy on the island. Our geophysical and social sciences research is ongoing. A critical next step is to flow the MON-1 and MON-2 wells to establish the chemical composition of the hot fluids that will be used for geothermal power production’.

The ReSET programme will work with the Governor and Premier of Montserrat, the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), and local communities to co-develop a resilient framework to make the most of Montserrat’s potential as a source of critical minerals.

Premier of Montserrat, Reuben Meade, said:

‘It was a pleasure meeting the ReSET team at Oxford University’s Earth Sciences Department and to experience first-hand their ground-breaking research into the Soufreire Hills Volcano. I’m also deeply grateful to the Oxford Martin School for their warm welcome and for supporting collaborative research that helps to bridge the gap between scientific exploration and practical solutions. This visit reaffirms the value of our partnership in preparing Caribbean communities for a sustainable future.’