<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001166074-17-000001.txt : 20170322
<SEC-HEADER>0001166074-17-000001.hdr.sgml : 20170322
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20170322154148
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001166074-17-000001
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20170320
FILED AS OF DATE:		20170322
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20170322

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:		17706641

	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
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
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    <periodOfReport>2017-03-20</periodOfReport>

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    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000719413</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HECLA MINING CO/DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HL</issuerTradingSymbol>
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    <reportingOwner>
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            <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>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President &amp; CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
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            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-03-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>276136</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
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                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By 401(k) Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Performance Rights</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
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            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-03-20</value>
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                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
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            <exerciseDate>
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            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2016-12-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
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                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
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            </underlyingSecurity>
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                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">See footnotes 4 and 5.  Shares received upon settlement of performance rights awarded in June 2014.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">25% of the 2016 Annual Incentive Plan and 2014-2016 Long-term Incentive Plan payments were paid in equity.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Consists of 1,469,596 shares held directly, 1,273,834 shares held in the Key Employee Deferred Compensation Plan, and 300,753 unvested restricted stock units.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">On June 25, 2014, 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 2013 compared to the average stock price of Hecla and our peers over the last 60 calendar days of 2016.  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) 60th percentile rank among peers = target payout at grant value (i.e. $500,000 worth of common stock); or (3) 50th 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 ($3.30), and therefore reported an award of 151,515 rights.  Based on Hecla Mining Company's total shareholder return ranking, Mr. Baker's award value was $911,250, and he therefore received 276,136 shares in settlement of award (with the shares valued at the $3.30 closing price on June 25, 2014).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Consists of 318,554 outstanding performance rights.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">Held as 1,404.702 units in Mr. Baker's 401(k) account under Hecla Mining Company's Capital Accumulation Plan, and estimated to be 16,998 shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Tami D. Whitman, Attorney-in-Fact for Phillips S. Baker, Jr.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-03-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
