Hecla Reports First Quarter 2012 Results

Hecla Mining Company ('Hecla?) ( today announced first quarter net income applicable to common
shareholders of $12.4 million, or $0.04 per basic share, and earnings
after adjustments applicable to common shareholders of $16.9 million, or
$0.06 per basic share. First quarter silver production was 1.3 million
ounces at a cash cost of $2.24 per ounce, net of by-products.

FIRST QUARTER 2012 HIGHLIGHTS

• 
  Sales of $91.2 million.
  
• 
  Net income applicable to common shareholders of $12.4 million, or
  $0.04 per basic share.
  
• 
  Earnings after adjustments applicable to common shareholders (a
  non-GAAP measure) of $16.9 million, or $0.06 per basic share.
  
• 
  Operating cash flow of $41.4 million.
  
• 
  Silver production of 1.3 million ounces at a total cash cost (a
  non-GAAP measure) of $2.24 per ounce, net of by-products.
  
• 
  Cash and cash equivalents of $279 million at March ?31, 2012.
  
• 
  Lucky Friday rehabilitation advanced approximately 1,500 feet.
  
• 
  Declaration of quarterly dividend of $0.0225 per share of common stock.
  
• 
  Announced a share repurchase program.
  

'During the first quarter of 2012 we continued to invest in Hecla's
strong and diversified assets, making excellent progress in the
rehabilitation of our Lucky Friday Silver Shaft and record investment in
our Greens Creek mine. We also advanced all three major pre-development
projects, with the goal of increasing our silver production and reserves
by moving into development quickly,' said Hecla's President and Chief
Executive Officer Phillips S. Baker, ?Jr.

'While our first quarter silver production at Greens Creek was impacted
by ground support work that diverted equipment and personnel, we expect
production to increase for the rest of the year,' Mr. Baker added. 'The
combination of Hecla's strong balance sheet, including a cash balance of
$279 million and substantially no debt, and its long-lived, low cost
mines which provide strong cash flow will allow us to deliver an
expected 50% growth in silver production while also allowing the company
to deliver value to shareholders through the Company's dividend and
share repurchase programs.'

FINANCIAL OVERVIEW

Net income applicable to common shareholders for the first quarter was
$12.4 million, or $0.04 per share, compared to $43.2 million, or $0.15
per share, for the same period a year ago and was impacted by the
following items:

• 
  Exploration and pre-development expense increased to $9.0 million in
  the first quarter from $3.3 million in the same period in 2011, for
  exploration work at Greens Creek, the Company's extensive land package
  in Durango, Mexico, at San Juan Silver project in Colorado, and the
  Star complex in North Idaho's Silver Valley near the Lucky Friday mine.
  
• 
  $6.2 million in suspension-related costs at the Lucky Friday mine.
  
• 
  A $5.2 million loss on base metal derivative contracts for the first
  quarter, compared to a $2.0 million loss for the same period in 2011.
  A summary of the quantities of base metals committed at March 31,
  2012, is included on page 3 of this release.
  
• 
  A $7.3 million tax provision compared to $23.5 million in the same
  period in 2011, as a result of higher pre-tax income in 2011. Our
  effective income tax rate is approximately 37% in 2012 compared to 33%
  in the same period in 2011.
  
• 
  Gains of $6.1 million on provisional price adjustments compared to
  $7.2 million in the same period of 2011.
  

Capital expenditures (including non-cash capital lease additions) at the
operations totaled $26.4 million for the first quarter ended March ?31,
2012. Expenditures at the Lucky Friday were $11.7 million and
expenditures at Greens Creek were $14.7 million. Capital expenditures
are expected to be $140.0 million for the year, primarily due to an
increase in projects at Greens Creek.

Pre-development expenditures totaled $3.4 million in the first quarter
of 2012. Pre-development expenditures in 2012 are expected to be
approximately $11.0 million for infrastructure at the Star mine in the
Silver Valley, San Juan Silver property in Creede Colorado, and the San
Sebastian property in Mexico.

Exploration expenditures for the first quarter of 2012 were $5.6
million. Exploration expenditures for 2012 are expected to be
approximately $28.0 million.

Metals Prices

Realized silver prices in the first quarter of 2012 were $36.59 per
ounce, consistent with average realized prices in the year ago period of
$36.49 per ounce.

Overall first quarter realized metals prices were higher than those in
the fourth quarter 2011, resulting in positive adjustments to
provisional settlements of $6.1 million compared to net positive price
adjustments to provisional settlements of $7.2 million in the same
period in 2011. The adjustment to provisional settlements is largely due
to an increase in prices in the time period between the shipment of
concentrate and the final settlement. The provisional price adjustment
related to zinc and lead contained in our concentrate shipments was
largely offset by net losses on forward contracts of $1.0 million for
those metals.

Base Metals Forward Sales Contracts

The following table summarizes the quantities of base metals committed
under financially settled forward sales contracts at March ?31, 2012:

OPERATIONS OVERVIEW

First quarter silver cash cost was $2.24 per ounce, net of by-products,
compared to $1.03 per ounce in the same period in 2011. The following
table provides the production summary on a consolidated basis for the
first quarter ended March ?31, 2012 and 2011:

Greens Creek Mine - Alaska

Silver production at Greens Creek was 1.3 million ounces in the first
quarter of 2012, compared to 1.7 million in the same period in 2011. The
decrease in silver production year-over-year was due primarily to ground
support rehabilitation work that diverted equipment and personnel away
from production.

Mining and milling costs per ton were up by 37% and 18%, respectively,
in the first quarter compared to the same period in 2011 due to lower
production, as mill throughput decreased by 13%. The mining costs
variance is also attributed to higher maintenance costs during the 2012
period.

The cash cost per ounce of silver increased by $2.97 for the first
quarter compared to the same period in 2011, mainly attributable to
lower silver ounces produced due to the decrease in mill throughput and
lower silver ore grades ($4.71 per ounce), treatment and freight costs
($2.68 per ounce), and mine license tax and other costs ($0.97 per
ounce). These factors were partially offset by higher by-product credits
of $5.39 per ounce due to higher average gold prices and higher zinc and
lead ore grades.

Lucky Friday Mine - Idaho

At the Lucky Friday mine, the $19.9 million decrease in gross profit in
the first quarter compared to the same period in 2011 resulted from the
temporary suspension of production at the mine during the 2012 period.
The mine's Silver Shaft is undergoing rehabilitation and extensive
improvements, with operations and silver production expected to resume
as planned in early 2013. Through the first quarter, all surface work
needed for the rehabilitation project was completed, including winches,
generators and revised shaft collar structure.

As of early May, approximately 1,500 feet of rehabilitation work on the
Silver Shaft had been completed, slightly ahead of plan. This work
involves the removal of cementitious material along the main shaft, as
well as installation of a metal brattice between the east and west
halves of the shaft, repairing shaft steel, and installation of a new
power cable, along with additional work, which is expected to improve
the shaft's functionality and possibly improve its hoisting capacity.
Work along the entire 6,100 foot Silver Shaft is expected to be
completed in December 2012.

According to the plan submitted and approved by MSHA, once restoration
work in the Silver Shaft is complete through the 4900 level, work crews
are expected to be brought back in for development work to prepare the
mine for resumption of production.

Care and maintenance costs incurred at the Lucky Friday totaled $6.2
million for the first quarter of 2012.

Exploration

Exploration expenditures for the first quarter were $5.6 million with
$1.8 million for exploration at San Juan Silver in Colorado, $1.5
million for San Sebastian in Mexico, $0.6 million at Greens Creek, $0.5
million at the Star and $0.4 million for the Silver Valley. Expenditures
for 2012 are expected to be approximately $28.0 million.

Drilling at Greens Creek continues to define ore-grade mineralization
along trend of the Gallagher and 9a Zones and South West Bench. Drilling
of the 9a Zone has likely extended the resource to the south and
drilling of the South West Bench has defined ore-grade material to the
north and the east of the existing reserve model. At the Gallagher,
drilling continues to define two discrete high-grade zones that are
strong to the south and to the east near the Gallagher Fault.

At the north end of the recently expanded Star Complex resource, there
are now two drills defining high-grade, northerly and down-dip
extensions to the Moffitt, North Star and Noonday veins. Drilling of the
Moffitt veins includes intersections of 8.0 opt silver, 26.9% lead, 6.7%
zinc over 5.3 feet; 5.0 opt silver, 16.9% lead, 0.7% zinc over 1.5 feet;
and 2.6 opt silver, 7.9% lead, 12.9% zinc over 4.3 feet. The North Star
is a 42-foot wide stringer zone that includes four separate veins
ranging from 1.0 to 2.2 opt silver and 6 to 20% lead-zinc across widths
of 1.5 to 5.8 feet.

Most of the exploration drilling in the first quarter occurred
underground in the Equity at the San Juan Silver property in Colorado.
Initial high-grade gold-silver results at the Equity mine were provided
in a press release on February 27, 2012. New drilling has extended the
strike length another 50 feet to 200 feet. The plunge of the mineralized
zone has now doubled to about 450 feet. Drilling continues to identify
strong breccia and vein mineralization that varies from 7 to 25 feet
wide with fine-grained sulfides and silver sulfosalts-rich intervals. A
second parallel mineralized structure appears in several drill holes.

Assay results from drilling since the February 27 press release include
several samples from the Equity vein; 0.17 opt gold and 16.8 opt silver
over 6.4 feet; 0.09 opt gold and 23.5 opt silver over 5.2 feet; 0.38 opt
gold and 40.2 opt silver over 6.8 feet; and 0.08 opt gold and 9.2 opt
silver over 6.4 feet. A second drill is being mobilized to test
additional targets.

In Mexico, two drills have been actively drilling extensions to the
Andrea vein resource and the Antonella, a parallel, subsidiary vein.
Drilling of the Andrea vein to the southeast continues to define a
strong vein and breccia varying in width from 4 feet to 16 feet with
bands of precious metal bearing sulfides. Step-out holes to the
southeast continue to intersect the wide-mineralized Andrea vein that
extends 500 meters beyond the 1.7 km strike resource.

Pre-Development

Pre-development expenditures for the first quarter of 2012 were $3.4
million with $2.2 million at the San Juan Silver property in Colorado,
$1.1 million at the Star property in Idaho and the remaining funds in
Mexico. Pre-development expenditures for 2012 are expected to total
approximately $11.0 million.

In Colorado at the Equity, crews are continuing to rehabilitate
underground workings, install utilities down the decline and develop
additional drill stations as drilling continues to intercept high-grade
mineralization. At the Bulldog, the design of the decline is being
finalized and steel sets for installation at the portal have been
received. In addition, surface maintenance facilities have been
completed at the Equity and Bulldog project sites.

In Idaho's Silver Valley, as the result of completing Star′s mineability
study, which has defined the mining method, a preliminary economic
analysis is being prepared which is expected in the third quarter.
Rehabilitation on the Star 2000 level continues around the shaft
stations, the Star #4 hoist room and the Star #5 shaft where a
connection to the Grouse 700 Level will provide secondary surface
access. In addition, surface maintenance facilities have been completed.

At the San Sebastian project in Mexico, options for accessing the
existing resources at the Hugh Zone and a new mine plan have been
completed. A preliminary economic analysis is expected to be completed
during the third quarter of this year.

A work plan and drill program to define the hydrology of the Andrea
area, which is located on the same property package as the Hugh Zone,
has been completed and preliminary mine designs have begun. Initial
metallurgical testing indicates the Andrea ores are amenable to
cyanidation and produce a high-grade gravity concentrate. Further
studies will optimize grind versus recovery, leach time, cyanide
concentration and consumption, gravity concentrations and carbon loading
for a potential CIL circuit.

NEW STAFF APPOINTMENTS

During the first quarter, the Company announced the appointments of Ed
Sutich as Vice President and General Manager of the Lucky Friday mine,
John Jordan as the new Vice President of Technical Services, and Michael
Wegleitner as Director of Health and Safety.

'These professionals have a combined 88 years of mining experience, and
we are confident in their ability to deliver on our continued and
relentless focus on the highest levels of mine safety, planned mine
development, and expected silver production increases,? said Hecla CEO
Phillips S. Baker, Jr.

CONFERENCE CALL AND WEBCAST

A conference call and webcast will be held Tuesday, May 8, at 1:00 p.m.
Eastern Time to discuss these results. You may join the conference call
by dialing toll-free 1-866-543-6407 or 1-617-213-8898 internationally.
The participant passcode is HECLA. Hecla's live and archived webcast can
be accessed at www.hecla-mining.com
under Investors or via Thomson StreetEvents Network.

ABOUT HECLA

Established in 1891, Hecla Mining Company has distinguished itself as
the largest and lowest cash cost silver producer in the U.S. The company
has two operating mines and exploration properties in four world-class
silver mining districts in the U.S. and Mexico. With a solid asset base,
a strong cash position and no debt, Hecla is poised for growth.

Cautionary Statements

Statements made which are not historical facts, such as anticipated
payments, litigation outcome (including settlement negotiations),
production, sales of assets, exploration results and plans, costs, and
prices or sales performance are 'forward-looking statements? within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words
such as 'may,? 'will,? 'should,? 'expects,? 'intends,? 'projects,?
'believes,? 'estimates,? 'targets,? 'anticipates? and similar
expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
projected, anticipated, expected or implied. These risks and
uncertainties include, but are not limited to, metals price volatility,
volatility of metals production and costs, litigation, regulatory and
environmental risks, operating risks, project development risks,
political risks, labor issues, ability to raise financing and
exploration risks and results. Refer to the company's Form 10-K and 10-Q
reports for a more detailed discussion of factors that may impact
expected future results. The company undertakes no obligation and has no
intention of updating forward-looking statements other than as may be
required by law.

Cautionary Statements to Investors on Reserves and Resources

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission permits mining
companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral
deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce.
We use certain terms on this release, such as 'resource,? 'other
resources,? and 'mineralized materials? that the SEC guidelines strictly
prohibit us from including in our filings with the SEC. U.S. investors
are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 10-K and Form
10-Q. You can review and obtain copies of these filings from the SEC's
website at www.sec.gov.

Non-GAAP Measures

(Unaudited)

This release contains references to a non-GAAP measure of cash costs per
ounce. Cash costs per ounce of silver represent non-U.S. Generally
Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) measurements that the Company
believes provide management and investors an indication of net cash
flow. Management also uses this measurement for the comparative
monitoring of performance of mining operations period-to-period from a
cash flow perspective. 'Total cash cost per ounce' is a measure
developed by gold companies in an effort to provide a comparable
standard; however, there can be no assurance that our reporting of this
non-GAAP measure is similar to that reported by other mining companies.
Cost of sales and other direct production costs and depreciation,
depletion and amortization was the most comparable financial measures
calculated in accordance with GAAP to total cash costs.

The following table calculates cash cost per ounce:

This release also refers to a non-GAAP measure of earnings after
adjustments. Earnings After Adjustments and Earnings After Adjustments
per share are non-GAAP measures which are indicators of our performance.
They exclude certain impacts which are of a nature which we believe are
not reflective of our underlying performance. Management believes that
earnings after adjustments per common share provides investors with the
ability to better evaluate our underlying operating performance. The
following table reconciles net income applicable to common shareholders
to earnings after adjustments applicable to common shareholders:

Assay Results - Q1 2012