Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL) is pleased to announce that it has fully repaid its outstanding term loan that was used to acquire the remaining 70% of the Greens Creek mine in April 2008. Hecla’s payment of $38.3 million was made from the company’s available cash resources, which, at quarter-end, were over $80 million.

In addition, Hecla has entered into a three year, $60 million senior-secured revolving credit facility. Hecla plans to use the facility for general corporate purposes and, based on the company’s current cash position and business plan, does not currently contemplate drawing on the facility in the near term. Scotia Capital and ING Capital LLC are the lenders for the credit facility.

Hecla Mining Company President and Chief Executive Officer Phillips S. Baker, Jr., said, “We set a course in early 2009 to optimize our operations and eliminate our debt. We have accomplished that. Our two US operations generated strong cash flow allowing full payment of the remaining portion of our term debt nearly one year ahead of the required schedule. The Greens Creek acquisition is driving Hecla’s production and financial performance and should result in record annual operating cash flow, remarkable given our 100-year history. With this cash flow and the new revolving credit facility, we plan to increase exploration, capital investment programs and acquisition activities.”

Hecla Mining Company, headquartered in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, mines, processes and explores for silver and gold in the United States and Mexico. A 118-year-old company, Hecla has long been well known in the mining world and financial markets as a quality producer of silver and gold. Hecla's common and preferred shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols “HL,” “HL-PrB” and “HL-PrC.”

Statements made which are not historical facts, such as anticipated payments, litigation outcome, 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, and 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, exploration risks and results, political risks, project development risks, labor issues and ability to raise financing. Refer to the company's Form 10-Q and 10-K 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.

Cautionary Note to Investors - 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 in this news release, such as "resource," "reserve," and "inferred resource" that the SEC guidelines strictly prohibit us from including in our filing with the SEC. U.S. investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our 10Q’s and Form 10-K. You can review and obtain copies of these filings from the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml.

Hecla Mining Company news releases can be accessed on the Internet at http://www.hecla-mining.com.

Hecla's Home Page can be accessed on the Internet at www.hecla-mining.com.