Mining News: Greens Creek mill operates at record pace in third quarter

Hecla Mining Company Oct. 12 reported that its Greens Creek Mine produced 2.3 million ounces of silver and 12,563 oz of gold during the third quarter of this year. This Southeast Alaska operation produced 6.2 million oz of silver through the first nine months of 2017, putting it on pace to produce around 8.5 oz for the year. Mill throughput at Greens Creek averaged 2,391 tons per day during the third quarter, the highest since the mine went into operation in 1989. Overall, Hecla’s four mines – Greens Creek, San Sebastian (Mexico), Casa Berardi (Quebec) and Lucky Friday (Idaho) – produced 3.3 million oz silver and 63,046 oz gold, along with 14,498 tons of zinc and 5,638 tons of lead, in the third quarter. “Operational performance was exceptional in the third quarter with record throughputs at Greens Creek and in September at Casa Berardi. San Sebastian continues to operate at the upper end of our expectations with the highest quarterly silver production of the year so far. The mines’ performance has led to substantial increases in production of all four metals over the second quarter and puts us well on our way to achieving their production guidance and improving per-ounce cost performance,” said Hecla President and CEO Phillips Baker, Jr. “With operating performance and substantially higher zinc and lead prices, our cash position is $7 million greater than at the end of the year.”

–SHANE LASLEY