HECLA MINING CO/DE/ false 0000719413 0000719413 2023-07-13 2023-07-13 0000719413 us-gaap:CommonStockMember 2023-07-13 2023-07-13 0000719413 hl:SeriesBCumulativePreferredStockMember 2023-07-13 2023-07-13

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 13, 2023

 

 

HECLA MINING COMPANY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   1-8491   77-0664171

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

  (IRS Employer
Identification No.)

6500 North Mineral Drive, Suite 200

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83815-9408

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

(208) 769-4100

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading
Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common Stock, par value $0.25 per share   HL   New York Stock Exchange
Series B Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.25 per share   HL-PB   New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company  

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

 

 

 


Item 2.02

Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

On July 13, 2023, Hecla Mining Company (the “Company”) issued a news release (“Release”) announcing certain preliminary production results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023. All measures of the Company’s second quarter 2023 production results contained in the Release are preliminary and reflect the Company’s expected results as of the date of the Release. Actual reported second quarter 2023 results are subject to management’s final review as well as review by the Company’s independent registered accounting firm and may vary significantly from current expectations because of a number of factors, including, without limitation, additional or revised information and changes in accounting standards or policies or in how those standards are applied. A copy of the Release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report and is incorporated herein by reference.

In accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the information in Item 2.02, including Exhibit 99.1, is being furnished and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, and shall not be incorporated by reference into any of the Company’s filings or other document filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

 

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

99.1    News Release dated July 13, 2023.*
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as inline XBRL).

*  Furnished herewith

 

2


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

HECLA MINING COMPANY
By  

        /s/ David C. Sienko

            David C. Sienko
            Vice President and General Counsel

Dated: July 13, 2023

 

3

Exhibit 99.1

 

LOGO

NEWS RELEASE

HECLA ANNOUNCES SECOND QUARTER PRODUCTION

Keno Hill begins ramp-up, Lucky Friday reports highest quarterly silver production in more than 20 years

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 13, 2023

COEUR D’ALENE, IDAHO — Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL) today announced its preliminary silver and gold production for the second quarter and first half of 2023.

HIGHLIGHTS

Year to Date (“YTD”) 2023 compared to YTD 2022 (“prior YTD”)

 

 

Keno Hill produced 184,264 ounces of silver, June throughput of 330 tons per day (tpd)

 

 

Silver production increased 13%

 

 

Gold production decreased 14%

 

 

Zinc production increased 3%; lead production increased 9%

“Hecla’s growing silver production was driven by Lucky Friday’s 21% increase compared to the first half of 2022 and a 6% increase at Greens Creek. In addition, Keno Hill, while still testing the mill, operated in its first month at 75% of the targeted 440 tpd throughput using “low-grade” ore to generate almost 200,000 ounces of silver,” said Phillips S. Baker, Jr., Hecla’s President, and CEO. “Greens Creek’s quarterly production was in line with the plan, and Lucky Friday’s silver production was the highest since I started at Hecla more than 20 years ago.”

Baker continued, “Our silver operations remain on track to produce about 17 million ounces this year, with Keno Hill expected to produce more than 2.5 million ounces. With expected silver production of about 20 million ounces in 2025, Hecla is the world’s fastest-growing established silver producer and the dominant producer of silver in the U.S. and soon Canada.”

OPERATIONS    

Greens Creek

The Greens Creek mine produced 2.4 million ounces of silver and 16,351 ounces of gold in the second quarter. Throughput for the quarter was 2,555 tpd, in line with the first quarter, with the mine expected to achieve 2,600 tpd by the fourth quarter of 2023. Silver production declined compared to the first quarter, due primarily to expected lower grades, with a 10% increase in gold production attributable to higher grades. The mine remains on track to achieve its production guidance of 9.0-9.5 million ounces of silver this year.

Lucky Friday

The Lucky Friday mine produced 1.29 million ounces of silver in the second quarter, an increase of 2% over the first quarter. This quarter’s silver production was the highest since the first quarter of 2000. The increase in silver production was primarily attributable to 3% higher grades, partially offset by lower mill throughput. Mill throughput was 1,033 tpd, 2% lower than in the first quarter, driven by the local utility’s unplanned replacement of the main electrical transformer. The mine remains on track to produce 4.5-5.0 million ounces of silver this year, as throughput is expected to increase to 1,160 tpd (425,000 tons annually) in the fourth quarter.

 

        Hecla Mining Company ● 1-800-432-5291 ● hmc-info@hecla.com    1


Keno Hill

The Keno Hill mine began ramping up to full production in the second quarter producing 184,264 ounces of silver. Throughput in June was 330 tpd using lower-grade stockpiled ore of 17 ounces per ton (“opt”). Ore mined in the quarter had silver grades averaging 29 opt. The mill is expected to ramp up to 440 tpd by the end of the year, with annual silver production forecasted at more than 2.5 million ounces.

Casa Berardi

The Casa Berardi mine produced 18,901 ounces of gold in the second quarter, a decline of 23% compared to the first quarter’s production of 24,686 ounces. Gold production declined over the prior quarter primarily due to wildfire-related road closures. The mill operated at an average of 4,600 tpd during the first two months of the quarter. Casa Berardi’s production and cost guidance is suspended and is expected to be updated in the second quarter earnings release.

PRODUCTION SUMMARY (1)

 

     Three Months Ended            Six Months Ended         
     June 30,      March 31,            June 30,      June 30,         
     2023      2023            2023      2022         

Production

                 Increase/
(Decrease)
                  Increase/
(Decrease)
 

Silver (oz)

     3,832,560        4,040,969        (5 )%      7,873,529        6,970,163        13

Gold (oz)

     35,251        39,571        (11 )%      74,822        87,360        (14 )% 

Lead (tons)

     13,071        13,236        (1 )%      26,307        24,194        9

Zinc (tons)

     16,939        15,795        7     32,734        31,713        3

Greens Creek - Silver (oz)

     2,355,674        2,772,860        (15 )%      5,128,533        4,840,381        6

Greens Creek - Gold (oz)

     16,351        14,885        10     31,235        23,815        31

Lucky Friday - Silver (oz)

     1,286,666        1,262,464        2     2,549,130        2,114,335        21

Keno Hill - Silver (oz)

     184,264        —          NA       184,264        —          NA  

Casa Berardi - Gold (oz)

     18,901        24,686        (23 )%      43,587        63,546        (31 )% 

 

(1)

See the cautionary statement regarding preliminary statements at the end of this release.

ABOUT HECLA

Founded in 1891, Hecla Mining Company (NYSE: HL) is the largest silver producer in the United States. In addition to operating mines in Alaska, Idaho, and Quebec, Canada, the Company is developing a mine in the Yukon, Canada, and owns a number of exploration and pre-development projects in world-class silver and gold mining districts throughout North America.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Estimates and Forward-Looking Statements

All measures of the Company’s second quarter 2023 operating results contained in this release are preliminary and reflect the Company’s expected results as of the date of this release. Actual reported second quarter 2023 results are subject to management’s final review as well as review by the Company’s independent registered accounting firm. They may vary significantly from current expectations because of a number of factors, including, without limitation, additional or revised information and changes in accounting standards or policies or in how those standards are applied.

 

        Hecla Mining Company ● 1-800-432-5291 ● hmc-info@hecla.com    2


Statements made or information provided in this news release that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created by such sections and other applicable laws, and “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. When a forward-looking statement expresses or implies an expectation or belief as to future events or results, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. However, such statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements often address our expected future business and financial performance and financial condition and often contain words such as “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “estimate,” “should,” “expect,” “believe,” “project,” “target,” “indicative,” “preliminary,” “potential” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release may include, without limitation: (i) Keno Hill is expected to produce more than 2.5 million ounces and achieve 440 tpd throughput by year-end; (ii) the Company is expected to produce 17 million ounces of silver in 2023, increasing to 20 million ounces by 2025; (iii) Greens Creek is expected to achieve throughput of 2,600 tpd by the fourth quarter; (iv) Lucky Friday’s throughput is expected to be 1,160 tpd in the fourth quarter; (v) Casa Berardi’s production and cost guidance is expected to be updated in the second quarter earnings release; and (vi) mine-specific 2023 estimates of future production. Estimates or expectations of future events or results are based upon certain assumptions, which may prove to be incorrect, which could cause actual results to differ from forward-looking statements. Such assumptions, include, but are not limited to: (i) there being no significant change to current geotechnical, metallurgical, hydrological and other physical conditions; (ii) permitting, development, operations and expansion of the Company’s projects being consistent with current expectations and mine plans; (iii) political/regulatory developments in any jurisdiction in which the Company operates being consistent with its current expectations; (iv) certain price assumptions for gold, silver, lead and zinc; (v) prices for key supplies being approximately consistent with current levels; (vi) the accuracy of our current mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates; (vii) the Company’s plans for development and production will proceed as expected and will not require revision as a result of risks or uncertainties, whether known, unknown or unanticipated; (viii) sufficient workforce is available and trained to perform assigned tasks; (ix) weather patterns and rain/snowfall within normal seasonal ranges so as not to impact operations; (x) relations with interested parties, including Native Americans, remain productive; and (xi) factors do not arise that reduce available cash balances.

In addition, material risks that could cause actual results to differ from forward-looking statements include but are not limited to: (i) gold, silver and other metals price volatility; (ii) operating risks; (iii) currency fluctuations; (iv) increased production costs and variances in ore grade or recovery rates from those assumed in mining plans; (v) community relations; and (vi) litigation, political, regulatory, labor and environmental risks. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors, see the Company’s 2022 Form 10-K filed on February 17, 2023 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.

For further information, please contact:

Anvita M. Patil

Vice President – Investor Relations and Treasurer

Cheryl Turner

Communications Coordinator

800-HECLA91 (800-432-5291)

Investor Relations

Email: hmc-info@hecla.com

Website: www.hecla.com

 

        Hecla Mining Company ● 1-800-432-5291 ● hmc-info@hecla.com    3
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