Exploration Drilling Expands Resource At Greens Creek

COEUR D’ALENE, ID - Hecla Mining Company reported Greens Creek exploration drilling continues to expand the resource along East Ore, Upper Plate, Deep 200 South and Deep Southwest mineralized trends. The drilling in the first quarter upgraded and expanded the East Ore, Deep 200 South, Gallagher, East and Upper Plate zone resources. Strong assay results were also received from previous drilling on the East Ore, Upper Plate, Deep 200 South and Deep Southwest zones. 

In the East Ore Zone intersections from definition drilling, including 47.2 oz/ton silver, 0.76 oz/ton gold, 23.1% zinc and 12.6% lead over 12.9 feet and 10.2 oz/ton silver, 0.09 oz/ton gold, 8.1% zinc and 4.3% lead over 31.5 feet, compare favorably to previously modeled resource estimates, particularly at higher elevations. Step-out drilling, including an intersection of 23.2 oz/ton silver, 0.02 oz/ton gold, 3.97% zinc and 1.68% lead over 10.4 feet, suggest strong mineralization continues beyond the resource to the south and at depth. Aggressive drilling of the East Ore Zone will continue throughout 2018 and into 2019 targeting the northern extent of the East Ore Zone.

Definition drilling of the southern portion of the Deep 200 South Zone, including 28.9 oz/ton silver, 0.05 oz/ton gold, 2.1% zinc and 1.2% lead over 16.4 feet, confirmed the high-grades and upgraded it to indicated resource. Exploration drilling south of the current resource has extended 200 South Bench mineralization another 400 feet with an intersection of 24.0 oz/ton silver, 0.02 oz/ton gold, 0.9% zinc and 0.5% lead over 31.9 feet. Recent exploration drilling further south suggests the bench mineralization remains robust.

Drilling of the Upper Plate Zone suggests the two, flat-lying ore zones, that are near the mine portal elevation, could be thicker than modeled and higher in elevation toward the west; drilling has also extended mineralization to the west and south. Recent definition drilling includes 32.1 oz/ton silver, 0.18 oz/ton gold, 4.8% zinc and 2.5% lead over 13.8 feet and step out drillholes intersected 15.9 oz/ton silver, 1.7% zinc and 0.9% lead over 4.1 feet over 100 feet south of the current resource. Drilling from underground and surface in the second quarter could expand this resource further.

At the end of the mine drilling targeting the Deep Southwest Zone (extension of the Southwest Zone and 200 South Zone) intersected 22.04 oz/ton silver, 10.18% zinc, and 5.14% lead over 2.49 feet. Drilling of the Gallagher Zone confirmed modeled thicknesses and may have increased the resource by defining mineralization further to the west beyond the current resource. Intersections from this program include 7.2 oz/ton silver, 0.12 oz/ton gold, 10.5% zinc and 5.6% lead over 4.6 feet. Exploration drilling also intersected ore lithologies west of the Gallagher Fault over 750 feet away but on trend. Future drilling is planned to further evaluate this area to see if the current precious metal-rich mineralization transitions into broader and higher-grade precious and base metal-rich mineralization.