Revett CEO: No new setbacks

Lincoln County commissioners anticipated hearing from Revett officials on Wednesday about progress on the Troy Mine, but they didn’t expect to get it from CEO and President John Shanahan.

“Imagine getting the top guy here,” Berget said as Shanahan, Troy Mine General Manager Doug Miller and Revett Publicist Monique Hayes took seats across from commissioners.

Shanahan said progress is being made at the mine, and he still hopes to resume full mining operations next month.

“We’re continuing to do the work,” Shanahan said. “We’re doing the best we can, working with (the Mine Safety and Health Administration). We’re mindful of this process, a slow process.”

Beyond stating that full mining would resume in April, Shanahan offered few details about the work being done at the mine or exactly how much longer it would be before operations resume.

“We’ll have a better idea in a week or 10 days,” he said. “However, we want to do this safely, properly. We’ve had no setbacks,” Shanahan told Berget.

Berget, as he did last month, praised Revett officials for not laying off workers during the cessation of full mining activities.

“We may be in the natural resource business, but our resource is in our people,” Shanahan replied to Berget.

Miller said the company, which last extracted ore in early December, has been doing a lot of training.

“We have a couple of employees who are CPR and first-aid trained,” Miller said. “We’re getting a lot of people trained in those skills.”

Miller also said the company is cross-training personnel in maintenance and hydraulics technology.

Shanahan told commissioners Revett is committed to the staff members who have invested years to reach the level of skill they have achieved. And, with the Rock Creek Mine in nearby Sanders County on the track toward approval, Revett is committed to keeping those skilled miners in the fold.

“Our intention is to keep our crews working,” Shanahan said. “It takes five, six to seven years to become a skilled miner.”

Of the 206 employees at the Troy Mine, Shanahan said an estimated 40 to 50 are from Sanders County. With the eventual permitting of the Rock Creek Mine, which has a high grade of silver and copper, Shanahan expects the Revett workforce to increase. The CEO has insisted the Troy mine still has years of reserves as the company transitions to Rock Creek. 

“I’m not going to say it will be a seamless transition, but we want to take what we’ve learned at the Troy Mine and apply it to Rock Creek,” Shanahan said. “Troy is a model of responsible mining, and we want to take that to Rock Creek.” 

Shanahan concluded by saying precious metals prices have remained high and Revett is committed to Montana.

“We’re not only looking at today, but the next 30 to 40 years,” Shanahan said.