One upstate Zinc mine that has been closed for more than a decade is now back in operation and running at 100%.

The mine is the former St. Lawrence Zinc Co. mine in the town of Fowler and was purchased in 2016 by Titan Mining Corp. The mine itself is called Empire State Mines and it's being operated as a subsidiary of Titan.

The mine is now operating around the clock, 7 days a week with crews working 10-hour shifts Chief Operating Officer Keith A. Boyle said Tuesday.

Since the start of the project in early November, the workforce, including contractors has grown from 24 to 162 people. About 83 percent of the employees reside locally. Throughout this year the workforce will continue to grow and is expected to increase to more than 190 people and output is expected to grow as well.

Titan has a three-phase growth strategy for the mine that includes extending the mines current eight-year life.

All of the action is being fueled by several zinc mines around the world closing and the demand continuing to rise.

Zinc is used in galvanized steel products as well as dietary supplements, sunscreen and other products.

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