US zinc producer Titan Mining has announced district-scale exploration plans, an updated mineral resource estimate, and an extended mine life for its 100%-owned Empire State Mines (ESM) zinc operations, which produce zinc concentrate in New York state.

The regional and near-mine exploration plans cover ESM’s 32 375 ha of controlled mineral rights in upstate New York. These plans target multiple high-quality, near-mine and district-scale targets with the potential to increase near-term production and further extend mine life, the company says.

Titan reports a 22% increase in measured and indicated contained pounds of zinc compared to its 2020 zinc mineral resource estimate, net of depletion.

Further, the company has issued an updated base-case life-of-mine (LoM) plan, extending the mine’s operational life until 2033.

The updated zinc LoM plan outlines total recoverable zinc of 636-million pounds and payable zinc production of 541-million pounds.

“We are pleased with the results of the most recent zinc LoM plan demonstrating an increased mine life and a strong base case production. As we ramp up exploration plans in 2025, we aim for increased production and a significantly enhanced mine-life,” says Titan CEO Don Taylor.

“We see a bright future for ESM in 2025 and beyond, as the team continues to focus on lowering unit costs, expanding the mineral resource, growing zinc production while we continue our evaluation of the Kilbourne graphite project,” he adds.

Targets for exploration drilling include near-mine zones, the Balmat-Pierrepont trend, and the broader district.

In addition to the near-mine targets, the exploration drilling program includes 15 drill-ready targets, of which 11 are within the historic Balmat (ESM)–Pierrepont trend.

Titan is assessing near-term production increase opportunities at N2D and Turnpike. Accelerating mining at N2D and initiating openpit mining at Turnpike could boost near-term production, cash flows, and the net present value of the project over the life of these zones.

Near-mine exploration targets offer opportunities for resource expansion, potentially extending the mine’s operational life.

Total near-mine targets are estimated to contain between 4.8-million tons and 5.3-million tons of mineralised material at average zinc grades of 10% to 14%, representing 935-million pounds to 1 470-million pounds of contained zinc. This provides significant potential for mine life extension, the company says.

“Our zinc business demonstrates a robust growth profile and significant volumes of contained zinc in near-mine exploration targets. Our existing infrastructure and 5 000 t a day mill provide the unique opportunity to translate exploration into production in the near term at a low capital cost. Our management team remains focused on delivering value growth for shareholders as we assess and deliver on the district-scale potential in a Tier 1 jurisdiction,” says Titan president Rita Adiani.

The total zinc production in the updated zinc LoM plan has increased by 35% compared to the 2021 plan. The LoM throughput rate has risen by 37% to 1 775 t/d, with total tons processed increasing by 35% to 4.5-million tons over the LoM, Titan says.

In addition to the 71 000 ft planned for the 2025 drill programmes, the company plans to collect more than 2 000 soil samples annually from its current and future mineral tenure.

This program will target historically productive stratigraphic units within the trend and historic geochemical samples, including rock and soil with elevated zinc levels.

Titan’s 2022 soil programme led to the development of the Pork Creek and Moss Ridge drill targets, the company notes.