Ouray Silver Mines had high hopes for 2022: After commissioning its mill in 2021, its plans were to be in full production this year. Instead, the company defaulted on a loan, went into receivership, and is now inactive while a new owner is being sought.

At the end of 2021, the company laid off more than 100 employees, more than half of its workforce, which it attributed to rockfall issues and instability in the mine led to slowdown of ore production. But the new year started with efforts to conti...