DIVIDENDS - Hecla Mining Co. Feb. 19 said its board of directors has elected to declare the regular quarterly dividend of US87.5 cents per share on the outstanding Series B Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, for a total amount of about US$138,000. The cash dividend is payable April 1, 2010, to shareholders of record on March 15, 2010. There are a total of 157,816 shares of Preferred B Stock outstanding. Hecla’s board of directors also elected to declare the regular quarterly dividend on the outstanding 6.5 percent mandatory convertible preferred stock in the amount of US$1.625 per share and to pay the dividend in common stock of Hecla, for a total amount of about US$3.27 million in Hecla common stock (with cash for fractional shares). The value of the shares of common stock issued as dividends will be calculated at 97 percent of the average of the closing prices of Hecla’s common stock over the five consecutive trading day period ending on the second trading day immediately preceding the dividend payment date. There are a total of 2,012,500 shares of 6.5 percent mandatory convertible preferred stock outstanding.

FINANCE - Kiska Metals Corp. Feb. 22 said it has arranged a non-brokered private placement of up to 9 million units at a price of C66 cents per unit for gross proceeds of up to C$5.94-million. Each unit consists of one common share and one-half of one non-transferable share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase, for a period of one year from the closing of the private placement, one common share at a price of C92 cents per share. The warrants will contain a provision that will enable Kiska to force exercise of the warrants if, during the term of any unexercised warrant commencing four months after the closing, the common shares of the company trade on any exchange for a period of 20 consecutive trading days at a price of C$1.40 per share or greater. The units issued on the offering will be subject to a four-month hold. Kiska said the closing will occur on or about March 2.

PEBBLE - Alaska Public Offices Commission will hold a hearing Feb. 26 at 9 a.m. in Juneau regarding a proposed APOC consent decree for alleged campaign violations committed by the Renewable Resources Coalition, Alaskans for Clean Water, and Robert Gillam while campaigning for the approval of Ballot Measure 4 during the 2008 Alaska primary election. Gillam and the anti-Pebble groups contend that contesting the violations in court would result in a lengthy trial that would be expensive for the State of Alaska. They suggest that a payment to the State of Alaska of no more than $60,000 is appropriate. APOC staff said the sum should be $100,000. This proposed consent decree also states “no further proceedings against respondents will be brought by APOC with regard to these matters.”