Titan Mining Corporation (TSX:TI) (NYSE-A:TII), an existing zinc concentrate producer in upstate New York and an emerging natural flake graphite producer (a key component of the broader rare earths and critical minerals ecosystem), today announced positive results from its Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Kilbourne Graphite Project and expanded strategic support from the Export Import Bank of the United States under the Make More in America initiative.
The Kilbourne Project Study confirms robust economics for the project, with an after-tax NPV(7%) of $513 million, 37% IRR, and 2.7-year payback. In parallel, EXIM has approved an additional $5.5 million of non-dilutive MMIA funding, on similar terms as previously announced, to accelerate feasibility work at Kilbourne. EXIM has also issued a non-binding Letter of Interest for up to $120 million of project financing, expected to fund the majority of construction capital, subject to customary due diligence and approvals.
All dollar amounts are stated in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted.
Highlights
John Jovanovic, Export-Import Bank of the United States, said: “This investment demonstrates EXIM’s commitment to strengthening domestic supply chains for strategic minerals essential to our national security and economic prosperity. Titan’s innovative approach to developing America’s first integrated graphite capability in more than 70 years aligns directly with our mission to support U.S. jobs and reduce foreign dependencies in critical sectors.”
“The Kilbourne Project Study represents a pivotal milestone in advancing U.S. critical mineral independence,” said Rita Adiani, CEO and President of Titan Mining. “Backed by EXIM’s $120 million Letter of Interest and additional non-dilutive MMIA funding, Titan is poised to be able to supply nearly half of the nation’s natural graphite demand through a fully integrated operation in New York State.”
Adiani continued, “EXIM’s support is far more than capital—it is validation of Titan’s strategic role in establishing America’s graphite independence. By providing non-dilutive funding at the feasibility stage and confirming project-finance support for construction, EXIM is enabling Titan to move faster while preserving balance-sheet strength. Together with our established zinc operations generating cash flow, we are building a U.S.-anchored critical minerals platform with clear, long-term growth.”
Cautionary Note: The Kilbourne Project Study is preliminary in nature and includes Inferred Mineral Resources, considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as Mineral Reserves, and there is no certainty that the Preliminary Economic Assessment will be realized. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
Project Summary
The Kilbourne Project hosts a maiden Inferred Mineral Resource of 22.4 M tons grading 2.9% Cg, with significant expansion potential as only ~30% of the strike length has been drilled. Development is planned as a conventional open-pit mine with an average annual production of ~40,000 metric tonnes of graphite concentrate (at nameplate capacity). Processing will use a flotation-based concentrator, achieving 95% Cg at ~90% recovery, with downstream secondary transformation facilities to produce high-purity micronized and spherical graphite for battery applications. Co-located within Titan’s Empire State Mine complex in New York, the project benefits from established infrastructure, utilities, and a skilled workforce. Work completed to date includes drilling, metallurgical testing, and construction of a demonstration plant to begin customer qualification in 2026.
Based on the positive Kilbourne Project Study results, Titan will advance the project to feasibility, supported by additional drilling, expanded metallurgical testing, site-specific engineering, and environmental permitting programs. Pilot-scale purification and downstream test work will generate product samples to secure offtake agreements, further de-risking commercialization and positioning Kilbourne as a cornerstone of U.S. graphite supply.
Table 1: Operational Parameters of the Kilbourne Project Study
| Operational Parameters | Value |
| LOM (Life of Mine) | 13 years |
| Nominal annual processing rate | ~1.39 M tonnes |
| Stripping ratio (LOM) | 2.15:1 |
| Average grade (LOM) | 2.84% Cg |
| Average graphite recovery | ~90% |
| Average annual graphite concentrate & value-added production (LOM) | 37,438 tonnes |
Table 2: Economic Highlights of the Kilbourne Project Study
| Economic Highlights | Value | ||
| Pre-tax NPV (7% discount rate) | $581 M | ||
| After-tax NPV (7% discount rate) | $513 M | ||
| Pre-tax IRR | 38.9% | ||
| After-tax IRR | 37.0% | ||
| Pre-tax payback | 2.66 years | ||
| After-tax payback | 2.69 years | ||
| Initial CAPEX | $156 M | ||
| Expansion CAPEX | $176 M | ||
| Sustaining CAPEX | $100 M | ||
| LOM OPEX | $886 M | ||
| Annual OPEX | $68 M (avg.) | ||
| OPEX per tonne of salable products: | |||
| STD Purity Flake Concentrate | $990 | ||
| STD Purity Micronized Flake Grades | $1,197 | ||
| High Purity Micronized Flake Grades | $2,233 | ||
| CSPG Anode Grades | $3,612 | ||
| Avg. EBITDA | $125M | ||
The Project’s post-tax IRR includes the estimated effects of Advanced Manufacturing Tax Credits provided under U.S. Internal Revenue Code Section 45X for qualifying anode active material and critical mineral production.
Table 3: Commodity Input Pricing
| Products | Weighted Average Sale Price ($/tonne) |
| STD Purity Flake Concentrate (95.0% LOI MIN) | 1,575 |
| STD Purity Micronized Flake Grades (95.0% LOI MIN) | 3,770 |
| High Purity Micronized Flake Grades (99.9% LOI MIN) | 5,185 |
| CSPG Anode Grades (99.95% LOI MIN) – commencing year 5 | 11,193 |
Pricing assumptions for the Kilbourne Graphite Study are based on North American regional prices, which are higher than global average sales prices due to supply chain premiums for non-Chinese material. The Kilbourne Project Study takes into account these premiums for all planned upstream and downstream grades. The FOB Port pricing data is sourced from quarterly reports developed by Lone Star Tech Minerals-USA, based on data points from a wide range of contacts across various markets.
Table 4: Initial, expansion and sustaining capital costs
| Project Area | Total ($K) |
Initial costs ($K) |
Expansion Costs ($K) |
Sustaining Costs ($K) |
||||
| Open Pit Mine | 41,641 | – | – | 41,641 | ||||
| Site Infrastructure and TMF | 46,150 | 27,241 | – | 18,909 | ||||
| Concentrate Plant | 115,922 | 72,610 | – | 43,312 | ||||
| Micronization Plant | 22,362 | 11,497 | 10,865 | – | ||||
| Purification Plant | 13,311 | 5,291 | 8,020 | – | ||||
| CSPG Plant | 99,477 | – | 99,477 | – | ||||
| Closure and Salvage | (4,065 | ) | – | – | (4,065 | ) | ||
| Direct costs | 334,799 | 116,639 | 118,362 | 99,798 | ||||
| Owner’s Cost and indirects | 49,939 | 15,792 | 33,900 | 247 | ||||
| Contingency | 47,000 | 23,328 | 23,672 | – | ||||
| Total | 431,738 | 155,759 | 175,934 | 100,045 | ||||
The capital expenditure estimate for the Kilbourne Project Study is based on a scoping-level engineering assessment. Direct costs cover the supply and installation of equipment, including the associated direct installation workforce, as well as costs of buildings and site preparation. Indirect costs include expenses not directly involved in process operations, such as engineering, procurement and construction management services, development studies, legal fees, other temporary contractor services and fees. Sources on capital costs include vendor budget quotations, historical data, similar projects, and factors.
Assumptions: The estimate uses imperial units for mining, site infrastructure, and Concentrate Plant inputs (metric for downstream of the Concentrate Plant); assumes the mining mobile fleet is leased and all mechanical/process equipment is purchased new; bases equipment costs on information and test work available at the time of study; assumes local sourcing of earthworks materials (fill, sand, gravel, crushed rock) and year-round constructability; and notes that totals may vary slightly due to rounding.
Table 5: Project All-in Operating Costs
| Project area | LOM Total |
Remaining Concentrate |
NFG Micronized |
PMG |
CSPG |
|||||||
| ($K) |
($/t Concentrate) |
($/t Micronized NFG) |
($/t Saleable PMG) |
($/t Saleable CSPG) |
||||||||
| Open Pit | Kilbourne Pit Mining | 183,832 | 378 | 389 | 414 | 563 | ||||||
| Site infrastructure | G&A | 47,077 | 97 | 100 | 106 | 144 | ||||||
| TMF | 11,178 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 34 | |||||||
| Concentrate and Micronization Plants |
Concentrate Plant | 239,677 | 492 | 508 | 539 | 734 | ||||||
| Micronization Plant | 75,647 | – | 176 | 186 | 228 | |||||||
| Purification and CSPG Plants | Transport | 21,694 | – | – | 80 | 108 | ||||||
| Purification Plant | 107,222 | – | – | 883 | – | |||||||
| CSPG Plant | 199,610 | – | – | – | 1,801 | |||||||
| Operating Costs | 885,936 |
990 | 1,197 | 2,233 | 3,612 | |||||||
Assumptions: The operating cost estimate assumes a diesel price of $0.79/litre (with DEF at 3%), electricity at $0.07/kWh, and natural gas at $0.02/Nm³; mine operations staffed by two crews working two shifts per day, five days per week; and continuous operation of the Concentrate, Micronization, and Purification plants (including CSPG) with four shifts. No expatriates are assumed for key positions, and workforce rates (salaried and hourly) provided by Titan include bonuses, overtime, and full employment burden (e.g., benefits and insurance).
Table 6: Kilbourne Graphite Mineral Resource summary and in situ metal within pit shell
| Classification | Deposit | Cut-off Grade (% Cg) |
Tonnage (‘000 Ton) |
Grade (% Cg) |
Contained Graphite (‘000 Ton) |
| Inferred | Kilbourne | 1.50 | 22,423 | 2.91 | 653 |
Use of Proceeds from Expanded EXIM MMIA Support
The additional $5.5 million approved by EXIM under its MMIA initiative will fund critical-path activities to accelerate the Kilbourne Project, including:
This funding is non-dilutive to Titan shareholders and is on the same terms as previously announced MMIA support.
About Titan Mining Corporation
Titan is an Augusta Group company which produces zinc concentrate at its 100%-owned Empire State Mine located in New York state. Titan is also an emerging natural flake graphite producer and targeting to be the USA’s first end to end producer of natural flake graphite in 70 years. Titan’s goal is to deliver shareholder value through operational excellence, development and exploration. We have a strong commitment towards developing critical minerals assets which enhance the security of the domestic supply chain. For more information on the Company, please visit our website at www.titanminingcorp.com
Media & Investor Contact
Irina Kuznetsova
Director, Investor Relations
Phone: (778) 870-7735
Email: info@titanminingcorp.com
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