The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North
The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North
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Company expands Keno Hill and Lucky Friday reserves, readies Greens Creek for the next jump. Hecla Mining Company Jan. 13 reported that its 2023 exploration resulted in the second-highest silver reserves and the largest gold resource ever for the Idaho-based company. "Hecla's silver reserves are the second highest in our 133-year history at 238 million silver ounces and only 1% less than last year's all-time highest reserve, and gold resource is the highest in our history," sa... Full story
Zinc contributed most to state's mine production value during 2023; gold is poised to take the crown and make run toward 1 million ounces per year. At a value of $1.5 billion, zinc held onto its throne as the most valuable metal produced in Alaska during 2023. With production forecasts and price trends headed in opposite directions for zinc and gold, however, the gleaming precious metal that drew fortune-seekers North at the turn of the 20th century could soon regain the... Full story
Company tracks toward 17 million oz of silver in 2024 as the clean energy transition powers large increases in demand for precious industrial metal. With increased output at its mines in Alaska, Idaho, and Yukon, Hecla Mining Company produced 4.2 million ounces of silver during the first three months of 2024, a 43% jump over the 3.3 million oz produced during the previous quarter. "The 43% increase in silver production reflects the consistent, strong performance from Greens... Full story
Steadfast output at Greens Creek helps keep silver output steady as other Hecla mines overcome hurdles. Despite setbacks at its Lucky Friday and Keno Hill mines, Hecla Mining Company produced 14.3 million ounces of silver in 2023, which was slightly higher than the company's 2022 production of this precious technology metal, thanks in large part to the steadfast output at its Greens Creek operation in Southeast Alaska. "Hecla faced multiple challenges in 2023 with the fire at...
With Donlin Gold reentering the feasibility study stage, Ambler Metals waiting on the reevaluation of the permit needed for a road to the Ambler Mining District, and an overall lack of investment capital, mineral exploration spending in Alaska dropped during 2023. While the overall sector was down, there continued to be some bright spots – most notably, a growing interest in Alaska's critical minerals potential. In July, the U.S. Department of Defense awarded Graphite One I... Full story
Is it time for BC, Yukon, Alaska to forge an alliance to unlock critical mineral wealth, usher in new era of prosperity in the 21st century? The extremely mineral-rich geology that sweeps in a roughly 1,500-mile (2,600 kilometers) arc from the southern tip of British Columbia's Golden Triangle, through the Yukon, and onward to Alaska's west coast does not recognize the borders it spans. Likewise, the opportunities and challenges related to unlocking the precious, industrial, a... Full story
Following the acquisition of Alexco Resource Corp. at the end of 2022, Hecla Mining Company has continued to expand its portfolio of gold and silver properties in Canada's Yukon. With the Keno Hill Silver District mine project that came with the buyout of Alexco, Hecla's silver reserves soared to above 240 million ounces of silver, the highest in the company's 132-year history. "Hecla's silver reserves are at an all-time high," said Hecla Mining CEO Phillips Baker, Jr. This... Full story
From neighboring gold explorers merging to create a district-scale project that will likely be attractive to majors, to Glencore making an aggressive bid to buyout Teck Resources Ltd., 2023 was a year of North of 60 mergers, acquisitions, and attempts at takeovers. The multi-billion-dollar M&A frenzy across Alaska and Canada's North was underscored by B2Gold's roughly C$1.1 billion (US$820 million) acquisition of Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. and the Back River Gold Mine project... Full story
From Pentagon's $37.5M grant to Graphite One to emerging nickel deposits, critical minerals are a hot AK mining topic. With Washington investing billions of dollars into ensuring safe and secure critical mineral supply chains, many mining companies are focusing more sharply on unlocking Alaska's potential to be a domestic source of the 50 minerals and metals critical to America's economic well-being and national security. The growing list of critical minerals being sought... Full story
Despite shutdown of Lucky Friday in August, company remains on track to achieve silver production target. Even with an August fire shutting down operation at its Lucky Friday mine in Idaho for the rest of the year, Hecla Mining Company expects its operations in Alaska and the Yukon to help the company achieve the Idaho-based miner's silver production target for this year. "Despite less production at the Lucky Friday, Greens Creek's consistent performance and the ramp-up of...
For those in the know, Alaska's resources aren't just some surprise windfall for renewable energy technologies. While precious metals like gold and silver have been the primary focus of more than a century of mining up north, the 49th State is home to 49 of the 50 materials on the United States' critical minerals list and has a history of stepping up to the plate to provide America with critical minerals when they are needed the most. Looking ahead over the next two to three...
Silver production hits 7.9 million oz during first half of 2023; a 2.5M oz boost expected from Keno Hill to close out the year. Hecla Mining Company July 13 announced that the startup of its Keno Hill mine in the Yukon and a more than 20-year production record at Lucky Friday in Idaho has helped to offset some of the lower second quarter silver production at the Greens Creek mine in Southeast Alaska. With the ramp-up to full production getting underway, Hecla's newly acquired...
Starts 2023 strong with 4M oz from Greens Creek and Lucky Friday; 2.5M oz boost expected from Keno Hill to close out the year. Hecla Mining Company April 14 reported that record mill throughput at its Greens Creek Mine in Alaska helped to launch a strong start to 2023 silver production, and the slated third quarter start of production at its Keno Hill Mine in the Yukon is expected to culminate in a spectacular finish to the year. The Greens Creek Mine produced 2.8 million...
More gold, strong zinc prices helped push value higher; critical minerals could add a boost moving forward. Alaska mines produced approximately $4.51 billion worth of nonfuel minerals last year, a 16% increase over the $3.89 billion in 2021, and an impressive 42.7% jump over the $3.16 billion of mined products during 2020, according to the U.S. Geological Survey's Mineral Commodity Summaries 2023 report. The rise in Alaska mine production value is largely due to increased...
With 50M oz from Keno Hill, Hecla's silver reserves top 240M oz in 2023. With the addition of the Keno Hill Mine in the Yukon, Hecla Mining Company now has more than 240 million ounces of silver in reserves, the highest in the company's 131-year history. "Hecla's silver reserves are an all-time high," said Hecla Mining CEO Phillips Baker, Jr. For more than a decade, it has become customary for Hecla's exploration team to find enough new ore at its operations to more than repla...
Keeping stride as the largest silver producer in North America, Hecla Mining Company not only reported its second-largest silver reserves in its 130-year history but also added a highly prospective mine that brings it to the Yukon for the first time. Going into 2022, Hecla's three operating mines – Greens Creek, Lucky Friday (Idaho), and Casa Berardi (Quebec) – hosted a combined 37.3 million tons of reserves containing 200 million ounces of silver, 2.73 million oz of gold, 1.8... Full story
Gold dominates Alaska mineral exploration, but a critical shift arises. Since the discovery of gold in what is now the Alaska capital city of Juneau, prospectors, geologists, and fortune seekers have spent more than 140 consecutive summer seasons exploring The Last Frontier's golden potential. With these endeavors turning up rich aurum lodes in every corner of the state, except for the oil-rich North Slope, the nearly century-and-a-half tradition of seeking and discovering wor... Full story
Though effects of the COVID-19 pandemic lingered, mineral explorers rushed to the Yukon like moths to a flame during 2022. Mining's most daring sector rallied to generate the busiest field season seen in Canada's westernmost territory in years. In June, Natural Resources Canada projected mineral exploration and deposit appraisal spending in Yukon during 2022 to total C$157.9 million, up 14.5% from C$135.1 million estimated for 2021 and nearly double C$83.6 million in 2020.... Full story
Could top 17M oz during 2023 with contribution from Keno Hill Mine. With consistently strong production at its Greens Creek Mine in Alaska and a surge at its Lucky Friday Mine in Idaho, Hecla Mining Company shot through the top of its 2022 silver production guidance to 14.2 million ounces of this precious metal that is in high demand for clean energy technologies. "Hecla is the fastest growing silver producer with a 40% increase in production since 2018. This sustainable...
With the Greens Creek Mine in Alaska exceeding expectations, along with continued strong output from the Lucky Friday silver mine in Idaho and Casa Berardi gold mine in Quebec, Hecla Mining Company has raised its outlook for the production of both silver and gold during 2022. "Hecla reported another strong quarter of operational performance from all three mines as Greens Creek achieved record throughput for the quarter, Lucky Friday's quarterly production continued to exceed...
Hecla Mining Company July 12 reported that its Greens Creek Mine in Southeast Alaska produced 2.4 million ounces of silver and 12,413 oz of gold during the second quarter of 2022. The second quarter silver output at the underground operation near Juneau, Alaska, is roughly 8% lower than the 2.6 million oz produced during the same period of 2021 and roughly equivalent to the first quarter of this year. The second quarter gold production, however, is only around 3% lower than...
Gains ownership of historic Keno Hill Silver Mine in Canada's Yukon With the Sept. 7 purchase of Alexco Resource Corp., Hecla Mining Company is poised to become Canada's largest silver producer by unlocking the enormous high-grade potential of its new Keno Hill Silver District project in the Yukon. The 242-square-kilometer (93 square miles) Keno Hill property covers one of the highest-grade silver districts in the world. Between 1913 and 1989, more than 200 million ounces of...
Already the largest silver producer in the United States, Hecla Mining Company is poised to become the largest silver producer in Canada with the purchase of Alexco Resource Corp., owner of the Keno Hill Silver District project, Yukon. Alexco's 242-square-kilometer (93 square miles) Keno Hill property covers one of the highest-grade silver districts in the world. Between 1913 and 1989, more than 200 million ounces of silver from ore averaging 44 oz per ton, making this Yukon...
Since World War II there may not be a more urgent time to produce Alaska's rich mineral resources. Our nation's immediate defense needs and commitment to clean energy all require a healthy, vibrant mining industry to give our country the security of domestic critical mineral production and the bridge to future clean energy technologies. Crisis brings clarity, and quickly subordinates ideology to real-world practicality. Today we see our globe reeling under the actions of...
Hecla Mining Company April 12 reported that its Greens Creek Mine produced 2.4 million ounces of silver and 10,299 oz of gold during the first three months of 2022. The Southeast Alaska operation's first-quarter silver output is down nearly 8% from the 2.6 million oz produced during the same period last year but up by about 4% from the previous quarter. Likewise, first-quarter gold production is about 22% lower than the first three months of 2021 but more than 11% higher than...
