Hecla Mining Company April 20 reported that its Greens Creek Mine produced 1.9 million ounces of silver and 14,022 oz of gold during the first quarter of this year. While this is down from the 2.5 million oz of silver and 15,891 oz of gold recovered at the Southeast Alaska operation during the first three months of 2016, it is higher than the company expected.

This drop in metals production is...