07:54 AM EDT, 09/16/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Titan Mining ( TIMCF ) Tuesday said federal and state officials visited its graphite demonstration facility at the Empire State Mines in St. Lawrence County, New York, ahead of commissioning.

Commissioning is expected to begin in the coming weeks and wrap up in the fourth quarter, with customer qualification slated for Q1 2026, the company said.

Titan added that the facility, co-located with its operating zinc mill, is intended to validate downstream processing of natural flake graphite from its Kilbourne Graphite Project and support product qualification for U.S. industrial, defense and energy customers.

"We have fast-tracked the construction of the facility which represents a critical step toward establishing a secure, domestic supply of graphite in the United States," Titan chief executive officer Rita Adiani said.

"By leveraging the existing infrastructure at Empire State Mines, we are able to advance this project in a capital-efficient way while creating high-quality jobs in the longer term in New York's North Country."

Shares of the company closed up 2.8% to $1.45 on the Toronto Stock Exchange Monday.