by Rachel Hunter
The Gouverneur Area Development Corporation (GADC) were treated to surface and underground tours of the operations at the Titan Mining Corp.’s Empire State Mines in Fowler on April 16. The GADC was warmly welcomed by Vice President of Operations Joel Rheault, Human Resources Director Clara Cummings, Production Manager Ryan Schermerhorn, Mill Manager Jaime Hance, Health/Safety Lead Nictoria Bates, among others.
Those in attendance included: GADC President Alex MacKinnon, GADC Vice President Rick Newvine (Town of Fowler Supervisor), Secretary Greta Schrader (Cargill), Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall, Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr., SLCIDA CEO Patrick Kelly, Gouverneur CSD Superintendent of Schools Jackie Kelly, Gouverneur Chamber Director Claressa and Joe Fitzgerald, Bart Kidwell (CIVES), Michelle Blackburn (Community Bank N.A.), Jeff Butzer (Kinney Drugs) and Gretchen E. Tessmer, Esq. Also, DANC Board of Directors Member Mark Hall of Star Lake, Next Move NY Program Manager Eric Lo and Regional Business Liaison Sarah Wilder, and DANC Director of Regional Development Michelle Capone, etc.
Faithful readers of the Gouverneur Tribune Press will recall that ESM was the special guest of the GADC on Feb. 19, and provided a business update, including future exploration and ESM’s graphite discovery.
ESM’s has secured a $750,000 loan from the St. Lawrence County IDA-LDC, and a $750,000 loan from the St. Lawrence River Valley Redevelopment Agency (administered by the IDA-LDC) for the “Kilbourne Graphite Project.”
The adopted resolution is written as follows: “Whereas, the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency Local Development Corporation (the “SLCIDA-LDC”) was formed by the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency to relieve and reduce unemployment, to promote and to provide for additional and maximum employment, to better and maintain job opportunities, to instruct or train individuals to improve or to develop their capabilities for jobs, to carry on scientific research for the purpose of aiding the community of St. Lawrence County, New York by attracting industry to the community and by encouraging the development of, or retention of, an industry in the community, and to lessen the burdens of government and to act in the public interest, thus performing an essential governmental function, and
“Whereas, Empire State Mines, LLC (the “Company”) has applied for financial assistance to assist with implementation of a demonstration project to mine flake graphite at its plant, and
“Whereas, the project is expected to assist in the retention of 135 full-time equivalent jobs over and the creation of 5 full-time equivalent jobs over the next three years.
“Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved that the SLCIDA-LDC agrees to lend up to $1,500,000 to the Company for the project, and
“Be It Further Resolved that said loan of up to $1,500,000 may include the participation of the St. Lawrence River Valley Redevelopment Agency and shall be subject to the following terms and conditions – Principal (up to $1.5M), Interest Rate (1⁄2 of the US Prime Rate +1 fixed at the date of the loan closing), Term (3 months interest-only, followed by 120-month repayment period), Security (Co-proportional first lien with North Country Economic Development Fund administered by the Development Authority of the North Country on equipment to be purchased with loan proceeds), and Other (The Company agrees to retain 135 FTE jobs and create 5 FTE jobs at its facility in Fowler, New York within the next three years/ Satisfactory proof of owner cash contribution of $3,009,089. NCEDF loan of $500,000. Necessary permits and approvals. Evidence of corporation borrowing authorization). The resolution was unanimously approved by the SLCIDA-LDC on March 25, 2025.
The Gouverneur Tribune Press was also informed that ESM has secured a $500,000 loan from the North Country Economic Development Fund (administered by DANC) for the graphite project, and that the company has agreed to a $3 million investment. The news comes a couple months after VP of Operations Rheault told the GADC that ESM was looking for special financing to take the graphite project to the next step.
There are currently no domestic producers of graphite in the U.S., and there is great excitement about ESM’s discovery of a significant graphite resource in Fowler. In the coming year (2025-26), ESM plans to conduct a preliminary economic assessment, and then will start looking at product qualification. More details will be reported as information is made available to the Gouverneur Tribune Press.
Empire State Mines plans to provide a business update for Town of Fowler residents soon. More information will be reported as details are released to the Gouverneur Tribune Press.