Wedoany.com Report-Oct. 15, Titan Mining Corporation, a Canada-based company, announced that it will begin production of graphite concentrate at its Empire State Mines in New York, marking an important step toward strengthening domestic graphite supply. The decision comes shortly after China expanded export restrictions on several rare earth minerals.
Empire State Mine in New York state.
The company stated that it plans to ramp up operations to achieve an annual production capacity of 40,000 tonnes of commercial graphite. Once operational, the facility is expected to meet about half of current U.S. natural graphite demand, positioning Titan as a key supplier in the North American market for this critical mineral.
“China’s decision to tighten graphite exports underscores the importance of having a secure domestic supply of natural graphite,” said Rita Adiani, Chief Executive Officer of Titan Mining. The statement reflects growing attention within the industry toward supply chain resilience and local production capabilities for strategic materials used in electric vehicles, batteries, and other advanced technologies.
China, a leading producer and refiner of rare earth minerals, recently expanded its export restrictions to include five additional elements, bringing the total number of controlled materials to twelve. The new measures also cover equipment and materials used in the mining and refining of rare earth elements, industries in which China maintains a dominant global position. These developments have intensified global efforts to diversify supply sources for key industrial inputs essential to clean energy and high-tech manufacturing.
In the United States, government efforts have focused on accelerating the development of critical mineral production to reduce import dependency. Earlier this year, U.S. President Donald Trump invoked emergency powers to promote the domestic extraction and processing of several essential resources, including aluminum, cobalt, lithium, graphite, neodymium, and dysprosium. These materials are vital for technologies ranging from renewable energy systems to electric vehicle batteries and defense applications.
Titan Mining stated that its graphite production will be based on natural flake graphite sourced from the company’s Kilbourne deposit, located near the Empire State Mines. The facility will produce micronized and high-purity graphite concentrates tailored for industrial and energy storage applications.
According to the company, the Empire State graphite project represents a major investment in expanding domestic mineral capacity and will help enhance the self-sufficiency of North America’s battery materials supply chain. The plant’s phased commissioning is expected to support both near-term production targets and longer-term growth in graphite-based technologies.
Through this initiative, Titan Mining aims to strengthen its position as a strategic contributor to the emerging U.S. critical minerals sector, ensuring stable and sustainable access to essential resources that support industrial innovation and clean energy development.
