WALLACE – The Galena Mine marked a major safety milestone Wednesday, surpassing one year without a lost‑time accident. 

Lost‑time accidents, or LTAs, are incidents that force an employee to miss the remainder of their shift or subsequent shifts because of an injury or accident. This is the first time in more than 15 years the mine has completed a full 365‑day cycle without an LTA. 

The achievement is even more notable given that the mine, which employs about 400 people, logged more than 500,000 hours without an accident resulting in lost time. 

Miranda Powell, communications manager for Americas Gold and Silver, which owns the Galena, said the mine had 10 LTAs the previous year. 

“Maintaining a strong safety record in this industry requires constant attention, discipline, and teamwork from everyone on site,” she said. 

During a brief ceremony, Americas Gold and Silver CEO Paul Huet emphasized the significance of the accomplishment for both himself and the company. 

“For any operation in the world, like what we have, to go 550,000 man-hours and not get an LTA is not luck,” Huet said. “There’s been so many changes at this operation, to go a full year with what we’ve accomplished is incredible.” 

Huet, along with Galena Safety Manager Lee Morrison, said they hope to see the streak continue, especially with major plans ahead, including millions of dollars worth of capital improvements and developing a new antimony plant. 

“I couldn’t be prouder to serve as CEO and chairman of this company,” Huet said. 

He also read a letter from Mine Safety and Health Administration Supervisor Steven Polgar, who praised the mine for its strong year. 

“To the team at Galena, congratulations to you and all the miners up there,” Huet read. “They say every journey begins with a single step. Feel good about the steps you have taken to get to this point and keep those feet moving in the direction of the next milestone you’re going to achieve.” 

Morrison further credited Huet’s leadership. 

“Safety comes from the top down,” Morrison said. “And without this man, we wouldn’t have what we have.” 

Located in the Silver Valley, the Galena Mine is one of the region’s longest‑running underground silver operations. Discovered in 1885 and producing since 1922, the mine extracts silver along with lead, copper, zinc and antimony from hydrothermal vein systems beneath the Coeur d’Alene Mountains. It has produced more than 240 million ounces of silver over its lifetime and remains a major contributor to the region’s mining industry. 

    Miners from the Galena Mine sign a special banner that the company made to celebrate the facility reaching 365-days with no lost-time accidents.