High Divide Minerals Announces $13 Million Investment in Dillon, Montana Facility Upgrades

Dillon, MT – July 3, 2025 – High Divide Minerals is pleased to announce a major capital investment of approximately $13 million to upgrade process equipment at its Dillon, Montana facility. This investment is part of the company’s ongoing strategy to strengthen operational capabilities and support a diverse customer base across a broad range of industrial applications.

“These upgrades reflect our deep commitment to serving our industrial customers with high-quality, consistent talc products tailored to their evolving needs,” said Shea Dawson, Chief Financial Officer of High Divide Minerals. “From plastics and coatings to ceramics and agriculture, this investment ensures we’re well-positioned to meet growing demand with the reliability and efficiency our customers count on.”

The modernization project is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2026, enabling improved production flexibility, greater throughput, and enhanced sustainability performance.

©High Divide Minerals 2025

Shea Dawson

Vice President, Finance

Shea brings diverse financial leadership with a background spanning energy, manufacturing, and entrepreneurial venture. Prior to joining High Divide, Shea spent several years as the General Manager for Thirsty Street Brewing Company, a successful craft brewery and concert venue he co-founded and helped grow into a regional staple. His earlier experience includes over a decade in finance and public affairs roles with Phillips 66 and ConocoPhillips, where he managed refinery budgeting, capital project evaluation, joint venture accounting, and internal audits across domestic and international operations.

Shea earned his MBA from Oklahoma State University and a bachelor’s degree in finance from New Mexico State University.

Josh Regan

General Manager

Josh is a seasoned business leader with over 20 years of experience in mineral processing. Throughout his career, Josh has built a strong track record of success in operations management. With a wide range background from engineering, operations, marketing and environmental and safety, he has developed expertise in manufacturing and mineral processing. Before his eight-year tenure at High Divide Minerals, Josh worked in the chemical processing and agricultural sector for Agrium Inc. Josh holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, and a minor in Mathematics from Montana Technological University

Cody Haagenson

Operations Manager

As Operations Manager at High Divide Minerals, Cody Haagenson drives operational excellence through strategic planning, process optimization, and interdepartmental collaboration. With 10 years of experience at High Divide Minerals spanning Mine to Mill Operations, he specializes in inventory management, ore coordination, and safety compliance while leading teams with a strong focus on efficiency and continuous improvement. His expertise in problem-solving and root cause analysis helps identify and implement solutions that enhance production. Cody holds a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering from Montana Tech and is committed to fostering a productive, safety-driven work environment while ensuring high-quality mineral processing.

Lance Spencer

Plant Manager

Lance Spencer is the Plant Manager at High Divide Minerals. With over a decade of experience in industrial operations and engineering, he brings a deep understanding of process optimization, team leadership, and strategic planning to his role. Known for his hands-on leadership style and commitment to operational excellence, Lance is passionate about building strong teams and delivering sustainable results. He holds a degree in Environmental Engineering from Montana Technological University and a degree in Biology from the University of Montana.

Chad Walby

Exploration Manager

Chad is an Exploration Manager with 20 years of experience in project management and support work across earth science disciplines including geologic mapping and modeling, geotechnical analysis, hydrogeologic analysis, and resource modeling. His experience spans the full range of tasks involved in proposing, analyzing, modeling, and developing a resource. In the Mine Exploration Manager role Chad directs exploration activities and contributes to development projects, and ore extraction and process improvements. Chad has a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from Lawrence University.

Joel Henley

Chief Commercial Officer

Joel brings a wealth of experience in global mineral and industrial sales, having successfully led commercial teams across multiple organizations. Before joining High Divide Minerals, he spearheaded the commercial operations at Active Minerals, LLC, driving worldwide sales of kaolin and attapulgite clays for diverse industrial applications. His leadership extended to Minerals Technologies, where he managed the global sales of precipitated calcium carbonates, overseeing teams in North America, Asia, India, and Europe. Prior to that, he held key commercial leadership roles at Tate & Lyle and Ingredion, navigating the complexities of the starch processing and modification industry. Joel has a bachelor’s degree in engineering from West Point and an MBA from Boston University.

Mark Gillespie

Vice President, Sales

Mark serves as the Vice President of Sales with over 30 years of minerals experience. Prior to High Divide, Mark was the executive VP of Sales and Marketing at Cimbar Performance Minerals, Inc., where he spearheaded the delivery of performance mineral-based additive solutions—such as barium sulfate, calcium carbonate, and ATH—across a wide range of markets and industries. Before joining Cimbar, he founded and led MG Minerals, a consultancy offering commercial services to global manufacturers and distributors. Prior to that, Mark was Vice President of Commercial at KaMin LLC, and Director of Sales & Technical Service for the Americas at Omya. Mark holds a B.S. in Chemistry and a MBA from the University of Evansville and is based in Atlanta, GA.

Brad Watkins

Technical Services Manager

Brad is a tested Technical Services Manager with over 24 years of progressive experience in the construction, mining and mineral processing industry. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated expertise in operational permitting, complex engineering solutions, process improvement, project management, and strategic technical leadership across diverse operations. He has played a pivotal role in developing and executing technical strategies aligned with business goals. He is known for his collaborative leadership style, commitment to safety and sustainability, and his ability to bridge the gap between technical teams and executive leadership.

Brad holds a bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering with a Business Finance and Administration minor from Montana Technological University.

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