A North Country project is part of an effort to bring graphite mining back to the United States.
Graphite has become an increasingly valuable mineral because it’s used in things like smartphones and advanced manufacturing, and even defense systems.
Empire State Mines in St. Lawrence County plans to meet 40% of current U.S. demand when the graphite mine is fully up and running.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is currently accepting public comment on a wetlands permit for the site, where a small test operation is underway.
The project will mean hundreds of jobs for the North County region, according to Joel Rheault, vice president of operations for Titan Mining Corp.
“It's not just a matter of local and state economic benefits; it is also a matter of national security in that … graphite has been defined as a critical material,” Rheault said.
Projects in other parts of the country, including Alabama, have drawn concerns about water quality and other impacts.
Titan Mining is examining all of the potential environmental impacts of its operations, Rheault said.
A zinc mine currently operates at the North Country site. The region once was a hotbed of graphite mining but like many areas across the country, mines shut down as production moved overseas.
But with a push by the Trump administration and concerns about supply chain stability, there’s renewed interest in bringing graphite mining back to the states. A study from the University of Michigan and the Ford Motor Co. found the New York project and others across the country would be able to meet demand, but there could be challenges.
“Certainly, the grade and tonnage are the primary features, but location, proximity to employment, location with respect to the electrical grid, environmental regulations, and/or problems related to operation all have an impact on whether a specific deposit is going to be economically attractive,” said Stephen Kesler, a researcher and the study’s co-author.
Kesler said the Empire State Mines site will likely produce high-quality graphite, but overseas production might still make more economic sense at this point.
“If we want to have some sort of domestic production, we have to make it work, and making it work would require probably some sort of price support system, perhaps tariffs,” he said.
Titan Mining has already received interest in its graphite, including from the U.S. Army. It hopes to begin commercial production in 2028.
