North of 60 Mining News - The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North

Hecla Mining Company Dec. 6 recognizes its miners, past and present, on National Miner's Day.

Established in 1891, Hecla has survived two World Wars, the Great Depression and numerous crests and troughs of the notoriously cyclical metals market.

"I want to thank the more than 10,000 hardworking men and women who have been part of the Hecla team over the past 125 years on National Miner's Day," said Hecla President and CEO Phillips Baker, Jr.

"Together, through good times and bad, we have built Hecla to become the largest primary silver producer and the third-largest producer of lead and zinc, in the USA. These achievements create jobs for our miners and value for our shareholders." The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration also saluted the some 366,000 American miners on Dec. 6.

MSHA said U.S. mines produce nearly 100 different kinds of minerals, including coal, gold, copper, silver, granite, limestone, granite, salt and gravel.

"They work in every one of the fifty states, and provide the raw materials for heat, electricity, roads and bridges, and countless consumer products, from electronics to cosmetics.

Even toothpaste is composed of minerals obtained by miners," MSHA inked in its Miner's Day salute.

Baker agrees.

"While it is easy to take mining for granted, it is important to take a moment and recognize that without mining, we would not enjoy the lives that we have today.

We have never forgotten the integral role our mines play in the fabric of the communities in which they operate.

And while the industry has experienced tremendous progress in safety, efficiency and environmental awareness at our mines, we always strive to do even better," said the Hecla CEO. Hecla's Greens Creek Mine in Southeast Alaska is one of the largest and lowest-cost primary silver mines on the planet.

Through the first nine months of 2016, Greens Creek produced 7 million oz. of silver, putting this underground mine on pace to reach nearly 9 million oz. this year.

The mine is also expected to produce 53,000 oz. of gold as well as healthy quantities of zinc and lead.

Author Bio

Shane Lasley, Publisher

Over his more than 16 years of covering mining and mineral exploration, Shane has become renowned for his ability to report on the sector in a way that is technically sound enough to inform industry insiders while being easy to understand by a wider audience.

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