STAFF REPORTNorth Country This Week

GOUVERNEUR — Titan Mining says its proposed graphite project at the Empire State Mine is moving ahead with federal and state permitting, with commercial production planned in 2028.

The Kilbourne Graphite Project is expected to produce about 40,000 metric tons of natural flake graphite each year if fully developed.

The project has received federal financial support and Titan officials said the Export-Import Bank of the United States has provided $5.5 million for feasibility work and issued a $120 million letter of interest for potential project financing.

If the project is built, Titan officials say it expects it to create construction work and hundreds of permanent jobs in the North Country.

In a Sept. 9 release to news outlets, Titan officials said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has largely completed the public comment period for a federal permit needed for the project. The application is now moving into additional federal agency review.

The company is also working through reviews involving archaeological and cultural resources and endangered species.

Officials said biological field work has been completed and that it is preparing a report for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. That consultation is expected to begin in October.

On the state side, Titan has submitted an application to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for approvals involving wetlands and water quality. Other environmental studies and permitting work are continuing.

The company said changes to the project design have reduced the amount of wetlands impacted  about 50% since April.

Titan said it has also selected a hybrid approach for managing mine tailings, which it expects will further reduce the project's footprint and its impact on wetlands.

"We're progressing through important federal and state permitting milestones," Titan President and CEO Rita Adiani said. "This work is keeping us on target for commercial production in 2028."

The project is being reviewed under the federal FAST-41 permitting program, which is designed to coordinate and speed up reviews of major infrastructure projects. Titan said it is targeting completion of all federal permitting by August 2027.

The company says the graphite would provide a domestic source of a mineral used in areas including batteries, advanced manufacturing and defense.

The 2028 production target remains dependent on completing the required environmental reviews and obtaining state and federal permits, as well as financing and construction.