Life of Troy Mine Extended to 12 years

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Revett Minerals Inc. says it has found enough silver and copper reserves to extend the life of a northwestern Montana mine to 12 years.

Work at the Troy Mine came to a halt in December 2012 after a series of rock falls and cave-ins. The mine laid off 100 workers in May, leaving about 65 employees.

Currently, 56 employees are working to construct a new tunnel. The route was approved by the Mine Safety Health Administration in November.

Revett spokeswoman Monique Hayes told the Missoulian (http://bit.ly/1fuEBF2 ) on Tuesday that the company expects to resume limited mining operations later this year, with full production resuming in the first half of 2015.

Hayes says the number of employees could double by the end of the year as production resumes.