STILLWATER COUNTY — Following Thursday's announcement from Sibanye Stillwater that the mine would be laying off nearly 700 employees, miners and their families began preparing for the worst.
The announcement came in the form of a letter from Sibanye-Stillwater Executive Vice President Kevin Robertson detailing what the cuts would look like and why they were being made. The main reason: the declining value of palladium — one of the mine's primary products.
"It's scary," said one miner's wife, Kimberli Peterson. "As a family of six, it becomes a huge stressor. It wouldn't be just us two we're worried about. We'd all be starting all the way over."
Peterson has plenty of reason for concern. The letter was sent out to employees who could potentially lose their jobs. One mine worker spoke with MTN about his frustrations but hadn't received a letter Thursday and asked to remain anonymous.
"That's our livelihood," the miner, who had worked at Stillwater for seven years, said. "It's really frustrating because you spend so much time working up there these people become your family."
The miner added that following the last round of layoffs, when the company cut 100 jobs in November, many employees were hoping the cuts would be done. He said Thursday's layoffs — which will begin Nov. 12 — will loom large in the minds of many.
"It's going to be very difficult knowing we have 60 days left to go up there and stay focused," the miner said. "It'll affect all the way down the valley, all the way to Billings."
The letter states that the total number of employees will decrease from 1,680 to less than 1,000. Those employees will all be eligible for unemployment benefits through Nov. 30.
The cuts will affect both management and union workers. On Thursday, representatives from the United Steelworker local in Columbus declined an interview with MTN News, saying they wanted to learn more about the company's plans.
In addition, Sibanye Stillwater will see a big impact on operations. The Nye mine will be put into care and maintenance mode, which is essentially shutting down all production, while the East Boulder mine and the recycling smelter in Columbus will both be significantly reduced.
"They may just shut their doors completely," Peterson said. "And then what? That's a lot of families because a lot of this county works up at that mine."
In the letter, Robertson states, "We have not had profitable operations since the third quarter of 2022. In 2023, our Montana operations lost over $265 million. We have lost an additional $87 million in the first half of 2024 – bringing the total to over $350 million in losses since the beginning of 2023."
In Columbus, the Zabransky family has witnessed the demise of the mine firsthand. In 2012, they moved to town to work for the mine because at that time it was lucrative.
"When we first got here it was really good money," said Hailey Zabransky. "Now it's just gotten harder and harder and it weighs on (her husband). We're just tired of struggling paycheck to paycheck."
Zabransky said the struggles at the mine led her husband to start searching for new jobs. Their home is already listed.
"We just wanted a change," Zabransky said. "My husband wanted out of the working conditions there. Nobody is happy."
Zabransky's concerns are felt by many — with concerning times ahead.
"The uncertainty makes it very difficult," Peterson said. "Nothing is guaranteed."
