GOUVERNEUR -- The New York Power Authority (NYPA) Board of Trustees approved $330,000 in funding as part of a $1.2 million program by Empire State Mine in Gouverneur, St. Lawrence County, to train up to 60 local workers as certified underground miners.

“The Power Authority has been making an active effort to revitalize the North Country and grow its economy,” said Judge Eugene L. Nicandri, NYPA trustee and resident of Massena. “The reopening of this zinc mine and the job training program is big news for the region.”

The funding award applies net earnings from unutilized hydropower from Massena's St. Lawrence-Franklin D. Roosevelt Power Project to county businesses and institutions. The Northern New York Power Proceeds Act, which was authorized by the Governor in December 2014, allowed for NYPA to deposit the net earnings from the market sale of unutilized electricity from the 20 megawatt St. Lawrence County Economic Development Power program into a fund, which can then be used to support economic development projects in St. Lawrence County.

The Workforce Development Institute also provided $50,000 toward the job training program.

The zinc mine is in the process of reopening after the completion of a comprehensive $33 million capital project by Titan Mining. Titan’s Empire State Mine is directly supported by a four-megawatt (MW) allocation of low-cost hydropower from the Power Authority’s St. Lawrence-Franklin D. Roosevelt Power Project.

“We are currently ramping up production at the Empire State Mine, and have started our 2018 exploration program,” said Keith Boyle, Chief Operating Officer of Titan. “We see potential for multiple new discoveries on the 80,000-acre land position that we control. Our goal is to produce approximately 100 million pounds of zinc in concentrate per year, and eventually expand throughput and annual zinc production to 225 million pounds or more.”

The primary uses of zinc are for galvanizing steel, die-casting alloys and brass castings for automobiles, transportation, and industrial machinery in the construction industry.

The Empire State Mine is part of a mining district that first began production more than 100 years ago and produced more than 4 million tons of zinc contained in concentrate. The 2,700-acre zinc mine ceased operation in 2008 due to low zinc prices, but is now starting to produce again. The Empire State Mine is expected to hold its grand reopening and ribbon-cutting ceremony this summer.

Patrick J. Kelly, CEO, St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency, said, “This project is creating a significant number of high quality jobs and is bringing substantial positive economic impact to the region. The support we’ve received from the Governor and NYPA has been absolutely essential to make the project a reality and we are appreciative of their efforts.”

NYPA’s hydropower allocations from the St. Lawrence-FDR power plant are provided to manufacturers under seven-year contracts and are reserved for businesses in Franklin, Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties. The NYPA Board of Trustees approved the hydropower allocation to facilitate the reopening of the zinc mine in December 2014.

There is more than 235 MW of low-cost NYPA hydropower still available for allocation to businesses looking to create jobs and invest in the North Country through NYPA’s Preservation Power program. Interested businesses looking to apply can reach out to NYPA at Hydro.Programs@nypa.gov.

"The reopening of the mine is great news for St. Lawrence County. We're ready to go to work,” St. Lawrence County Legislature Chair Kevin Acres said.

“The mine is providing good-paying jobs that have been a tremendous boost to the local economy. I am pleased to see this economic development funding is helping to support a business that will provide opportunities for our local residents,” Gouverneur Town Supervisor David Spilman said.