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Montana Mine Company Lays Off Workers, Could Hire Again

Golden Sunlight laid off 28 out of its 49 remaining workers

By Tristan Scott

BUTTE — A Montana mine company has laid off dozens of workers, but could hire again as it aims to prevent acid rock drainage.

The Montana Standard reported that Golden Sunlight laid off 28 out of its 49 remaining workers Monday following a 2015 layoff after stopping open pit mining.

Company officials say Toronto, Canada-based owner Barrick Gold Corporation authorized the search for an engineering firm to get details on what it would take to turn the mine’s mill into a tailings reprocessing operation.

Officials say reprocessing the old mine waste could remove 99.5% of the sulfides causing the acid drainage.

Officials say if Golden Sunlight does become a tailings reprocessor, the mine would start hiring again.

Officials say it is too early to determine how many could be hired.