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. It's 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 any lost-time accidents. 

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 in capital improvements and the development of 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. 

    Miners from the Galena Mine sign a special banner the company made to celebrate the facility reaching 365 days without lost-time accidents.