Silver production up 16 percent at Greens Creek Mine in 2013

Dry stacked tailings facility at Greens Creek Mine. (Photo courtesy Hecla Mining Company)
Dry stacked tailings facility at Greens Creek Mine. (Photo courtesy Hecla Mining Company)

Hecla Mining Company increased silver production by about 39 percent last year, according to preliminary results released by the company Wednesday.

That included a 16 percent increase at the Greens Creek Mine near Juneau. The company reports about 7.4 million ounces of silver produced at the Admiralty Island mine, one of Juneau’s largest private employers.

In a news release, President and CEO Phillips Baker, Jr. said, “Hecla achieved significant milestones with Greens Creek continuing its strong production.”

In September 2013, the U.S. Forest Service approved a limited expansion of Greens Creek’s tailings facility, allowing the company to extend the life of the mine.

Greens Creek is expected to produce 6.5-7 million ounces of silver in 2014.

Hecla also owns the Lucky Friday Mine in Idaho, which reopened last year after a yearlong closure prompted by three accidents that resulted in the deaths of two miners and injuries to seven others. Lucky Friday produced about 1.5 million ounces of silver in 2013, according to the company.

Hecla also owns the Casa Berardi Mine in western Quebec, Canada, which produced 62,532 ounces of gold last year.

Idaho-based Hecla plans to release full year end and fourth quarter 2013 financial results on February 19th.

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