General Manager
Reports To: Chief Operating Officer (COO)
MISSION: To provide overall leadership and accountability for the safe, compliant, efficient, and profitable operation of the Mine by directing underground mining, milling, maintenance, technical services, and site support functions in alignment with company objectives, regulatory requirements, and the long-term revitalization of this historic
SUMMARY: The General Manager is responsible for the overall performance of two mine properties and provides leadership across underground operations, processing, maintenance, engineering, geology, safety, environmental compliance, and administration. This position leads a high-grade underground silver operation producing silver with by-product lead, copper, and antimony, and is accountable for executing the site operating plan in support of production growth, cost discipline, and operational reliability. The role is responsible for advancing the company's recapitalization and performance improvement priorities, including safe mining execution, hoisting and infrastructure optimization, milling performance, backfill capability, development advancement, workforce capability, constructive labor relations, and effective coordination with corporate leadership and external stakeholders.
ESSENTIAL JOB RESULTS:
1. Leads site safety, health, and regulatory compliance by
• Championing a visible, proactive safety culture across underground mining, mobile equipment, shaft systems, mill operations, paste/backfill activities, and surface support functions.
• Ensuring compliance with MSHA standards, environmental permits, tailings and water management requirements, and other applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
• Reviewing incidents, audit findings, ground control risks, ventilation issues, and leading indicators to implement corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensuring emergency response readiness, required training, site inspections, and contractor safety management practices are current, effective, and consistently executed.
2. Directs underground and processing performance across the mines by
• Overseeing underground mining, hoisting, milling, maintenance, technical services, and support functions to achieve production, recovery, development, reliability, and cost objectives.
• Coordinating short-term and life-of-mine priorities with mine planning, geology, engineering, and exploration to support sustainable ore delivery and future production growth.
• Driving disciplined execution of underground mining methods appropriate to the orebody, including cut-and-fill and long-hole stoping where applicable, while controlling dilution, cycle time, and ground conditions.
• Monitoring key operating metrics such as tons mined, development advance, hoisting availability, mill throughput, recovery, dilution, equipment utilization, and cost per ton, and taking action to remove barriers to performance.
3. Leads site recapitalization, infrastructure, and reliability priorities
• Supporting the execution of critical infrastructure and productivity initiatives, including shaft and hoisting improvements, underground mobile equipment readiness, mill optimization, and backfill system capability.
• Ensuring maintenance, planning, and operations teams are aligned to improve reliability of critical assets and reduce downtime across underground and surface facilities.
• Evaluating capital projects, contractor utilization, and resource allocation to support safe ramp-up and long-term operational performance.
• Maintaining stewardship of company assets, materials, spare parts, and site infrastructure to support continuous operations.
4. Builds organizational capability and leadership effectiveness by
• Leading, coaching, and developing site leaders to create a high-performance, accountable, and respectful work environment.
• Supporting workforce planning, succession planning, training, and employee development to strengthen bench strength and improve operational execution.
• Promoting clear communication, consistent expectations, and fair application of company standards and performance management practices.
• Partnering with Human Resources and Site Leadership on employee relations, labor relations, staffing, engagement, and talent strategies appropriate for a growing underground mining operation.
• Working effectively within a unionized environment, including supporting positive labor-management relations, familiarity with collective bargaining agreements, and partnering with Human Resources on grievance handling, issue resolution, and contract compliance.
5. Drives continuous improvement, risk management, and growth readiness by
• Promoting disciplined problem-solving, root cause analysis, and standard work to improve safety, productivity, recovery, development performance, and asset reliability.
• Identifying operational, technical, environmental, and business risks and implementing mitigation plans to protect people, assets, and production continuity.
• Supporting readiness for future growth opportunities across the mines, including integration of nearby assets, exploration success, and increased processing or hoisting capacity as business plans evolve.
6. Represents the site with internal and external stakeholders by
• Maintaining effective relationships with corporate leadership, employees, contractors, vendors, regulators, and community stakeholders in the local area.
• Communicating site performance, priorities, risks, and resource needs clearly to executive leadership and other stakeholders.
• Supporting a culture aligned with company values, ethical conduct, responsible mining practices, and the strategic importance of domestic silver and antimony production.
• Completing other related duties and strategic initiatives as assigned.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required to perform this job successfully.
Education/Training Requirements:
• Bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering, Metallurgy, Geological Engineering, Geology, or a related discipline; an advanced degree is preferred.
• Ten (10) or more years of progressive mining experience, including substantial leadership responsibility in underground hard rock operations and crossfunctional site management.
• Demonstrated knowledge of MSHA regulations, underground mining methods, ventilation, ground control, hoisting systems, mill operations, operational risk management, and labor relations in a unionized setting.
• Experience leading operations that produce polymetallic concentrates, including silver-lead and/or silver-copper products; antimony-related experience is a plus.
• Strong verbal, written, and presentation skills with the ability to communicate effectively with frontline employees, union representatives, regulators, contractors, community stakeholders, and executive leadership.
Technological/Experience Requirements:
• Proven success leading safe, productive, and cost-effective underground hard rock mining operations.
• Broad knowledge of underground mining, milling, maintenance, engineering, geology, and technical services functions in a polymetallic mining environment.
• Experience improving operating performance in a turnaround, recapitalization, restart, or ramp-up environment is strongly preferred.
• Experience managing annual operating and capital budgets, forecasts, and key performance indicators such as development advance, throughput, recovery, and cost per ton.
• Strong leadership, decision-making, problem-solving, and change management skills with the ability to lead through operational change and infrastructure upgrades.
• Experience with contractor management, regulatory inspections, incident investigations, and corrective action planning.
• Experience working in a unionized environment, including familiarity with collective bargaining agreements, grievance response, labor-management communication, and support for positive employee and union relations.
• Proficiency with standard business software and the ability to interpret operational, financial, metallurgical, and technical data for decision-making.
Licenses/Certificates:
• Valid driver’s license with the ability to be insured by the Company.
• MSHA training credentials and/or certifications appropriate to the operation are preferred.
• Current first aid/CPR certification or the ability to obtain and maintain required site certifications.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The physical requirements described here are representative of those required to successfully perform essential job functions. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit and reach; use hands and fingers to handle or feel objects and to do data entry; talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to climb, balance, stoop and kneel. Vision requirements for the job include close vision to read paperwork, distance vision to drive on public roadways, and peripheral vision to note personnel and traffic and the ability to adjust focus to see uneven terrain or a CRT.