Titan Mining (NYSE-A:TII, TSX:TI), said Wednesday its wholly owned subsidiary, Empire State Mines, LLC has entered into a non-binding supply agreement with a U.S. manufacturer serving the aerospace, defense and advanced industrial sectors for the supply of natural graphite products from Titan’s planned commercial graphite facility in New York. 

Titan did not name the manufacturer, but said the customer has initiated product qualification testing using samples from Titan’s operating demonstration plant, with early positive results.  

In January, Titan commenced graphite concentrate production at its Kilbourne demonstration facility in New York state, marking the first US production of the material in decades. The pilot plant is located at the company’s Empire State Mine infrastructure in St. Lawrence County. 

Natural graphite has been designated a critical mineral by the US government and is essential to defense, energy storage and advanced manufacturing. With the majority of global graphite processing capacity located in China, Titan has said its Kilbourne graphite project is designed to establish a secure, traceable domestic source of natural graphite to support North American supply chains. 

“Landing early interest from a qualified U.S. manufacturer at the heart of the aerospace and defense supply chain is a powerful signal that our New York graphite measures up to the most demanding specifications in the market,” Titan CEO Rita Adiani said in a news release. 

“As Washington and industry double down on rebuilding domestic critical mineral supply chains, Titan is positioning itself to be a key American solution.” 

Titan said its commercial graphite facility is targeted for commissioning in 2028.