Hecla keeping Lucky Friday on idle

A fire reported in August in the second egress of the No. 2 shaft at Hecla Mining’s Lucky Friday silver operation in Idaho has been extinguished, though the company has confirmed it will suspend production for the remainder of 2023. Hecla said in an update report that, post-fire, normal ventilation has been established, and the workforce has been recalled so…

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No injuries in Lucky Friday fire

Operations have halted at Hecla Mining’s Lucky Friday mine in Idaho after a fall-of-ground incident that resulted in a fire. In an August 21 statement, Hecla confirmed that no personnel were in the mine at the time of the failure in the mine’s #2 shaft, a secondary egress, an unused station under repair. “While a full inspection has not occurred,…

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EPA fines Hecla mine for hazardous waste mishandling

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it fined Hecla Mining’s Greens Creek mine $143,124 for violating hazardous waste management and disposal requirements under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.  “EPA continues to hold mining companies accountable for hazardous waste disposal practices,” said EPA Region 10 Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Director Ed Kowalski.  “The company operates in a relatively…

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