<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001166074-16-000004.txt : 20160308
<SEC-HEADER>0001166074-16-000004.hdr.sgml : 20160308
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20160308171733
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001166074-16-000004
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20160308
FILED AS OF DATE:		20160308
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20160308

ISSUER:		

	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

	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

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BAKER PHILLIPS S JR
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001166074

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-08491
		FILM NUMBER:		161492422

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		6500 NORTH MINERAL DRIVE
		STREET 2:		SUITE 200
		CITY:			COEUR D 'ALENE
		STATE:			ID
		ZIP:			83815
</SEC-HEADER>
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<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
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<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
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<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-03-08</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000719413</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HECLA MINING CO/DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001166074</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BAKER PHILLIPS S JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>6500 NORTH MINERAL DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>COEUR D 'ALENE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>ID</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>83815</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
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        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President &amp; CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

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            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-03-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
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                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Performance Rights</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-03-08</value>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
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                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2015-12-31</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-12-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
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                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
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    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">See footnotes 4 and 5.  Shares received upon settlement of performance rights awarded in June 2013.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">50% of the 2015 Annual Incentive Plan and 2013-2015 Long-term Incentive Plan payments were paid in equity.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Consists of 1,862,459 shares held directly, 674,117 shares held in the Key Employee Deferred Compensation Plan, and 362,811 unvested restricted stock units.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">On June 21, 2013, Mr. Baker was awarded performance rights.  The performance rights represented a contingent right to receive between $250,000 and $1 million worth of Hecla Mining Company common stock based on Hecla's total shareholder return performance over the 3-year period relative to our peers using the average stock price of Hecla and our peers over the last 60 calendar days of 2012 compared to the average stock price of Hecla and our peers over the last 60 calendar days of 2015.  The potential grant of shares to Mr. Baker under this plan were as follows:  (1) 100th percentile rank among peers = maximum payout at 200% of target (i.e. $1 million worth of common stock); (2) 50th percentile rank among peers = target payout at grant value (i.e. $500,000 worth of common stock); or (3) 25th percentile rank among peers = threshold payout at 50% target (i.e. $250,000 worth of common stock).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">In reporting the number of performance rights at the time of the award, Mr. Baker assumed a target payout (i.e. $500,000 worth of common stock), with the common stock valued at the closing price on the day of the award ($2.93), and therefore reported an award of 170,648 rights.  Based on Hecla Mining Company's total shareholder return ranking, Mr. Baker's award value was $692,000, and he therefore received 236,177 shares in settlement of award (with the shares valued at the $2.93 closing price on June 21, 2013).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Consists of 356,433 outstanding performance rights.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Tami D. Whitman, Attorney-in-Fact for Phillips S. Baker, Jr.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-03-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
