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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001437749-10-004564.txt : 20101227
<SEC-HEADER>0001437749-10-004564.hdr.sgml : 20101224
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20101227162911
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001437749-10-004564
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	8-K
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20101222
ITEM INFORMATION:		Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement
ITEM INFORMATION:		Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant
FILED AS OF DATE:		20101227
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20101227

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HECLA MINING CO/DE/
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000719413
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	MINING, QUARRYING OF NONMETALLIC MINERALS (NO FUELS) [1400]
		IRS NUMBER:				770664171
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		8-K
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-08491
		FILM NUMBER:		101274372

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		6500 N MINERAL DRIVE SUITE 200
		STREET 2:		NONE
		CITY:			COEUR D'ALENE
		STATE:			ID
		ZIP:			83815-9408
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2087694100

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		6500 N MINERAL DRIVE SUITE 200
		STREET 2:		NONE
		CITY:			COEUR D'ALENE
		STATE:			ID
		ZIP:			83815-9408
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Item 1.01.&#160;&#160;Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.</font></div>

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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Effective as of December 22, 2010, together with Hecla Alaska LLC, Hecla Greens Creek Mining Company, and Hecla Juneau Mining Company, our wholly owned subsidiaries, we entered into a Third Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (the &#8220;Third Amendment&#8221;) with The Bank of Nova Scotia and ING Capital LLC (the &#8220;Lenders&#8221;).&#160;&#160;The Third Amendment amends certain provisions of the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 14, 2009, as amended, which was filed as Exhibit 10.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 15, 2009.</font></div>

<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>

<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The Third Amendment, among other changes to our credit agreement, (1) extends the maturity date of our credit facility to January 31, 2014, (2) reduces the commitment fee payable to the lenders for our revolving credit facility to between 0.825 and 1.05% depending on our ratio of total debt to earnings before interest expense, tax expense, depreciation, amortization and other allowed add backs to earnings (&#8220;leverage ratio&#8221;), (3) allows us to issue secured and unsecured debt, and investments, to governmental authorities as payment of obligations owed to such authorities in connection with our ownership and operation of our properties, and (4) allows us to release liens and security interests granted to the lenders to secure our credit facility, other than the liens and security interests on our interests 
in, and the liens and security interests on substantially all of the non-real property assets of, the Greens Creek mine.&#160;&#160;The Third Amendment also decreases the rate of interest charged on outstanding loans to the London Interbank Offered Rate plus an applicable margin of between 2.75 and 3.50% depending upon our leverage ratio, or The Bank of Nova Scotia's base rate plus an applicable margin of between 1.75 and 2.50% depending on our leverage ratio.</font></div>

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