Hecla Mining posted a 12% year-over-year increase in consolidated silver output for the third quarter, driven by strong performances at Greens Creek, Lucky Friday and Keno Hill. Greens Creek delivered 4.2 million ounces of silver, marking a 10% rise over the same period last year thanks to higher mill throughput and improved recovery rates. Lucky Friday contributed 1.8 million ounces, up 15% on optimized stope sequencing and reduced downtime, while Keno Hill added 2.5 million ounces, a 14% boost attributable to upgraded crushing circuits and enhanced flotation circuits at the processing plant.

Hecla’s ongoing expansion initiatives are set to add 3.5 million ounces of annual silver production by 2027. At Greens Creek, the Phase II mill expansion is 60% complete and on track to increase capacity from 2,300 to 2,800 tonnes per day, unlocking an expected 1.2 million ounces of incremental annual output. The Lucky Friday Shaft Project has reached key permitting milestones, with shaft sinking due to commence in Q1 next year, which will grant access to deeper ore bodies and deliver an additional 0.8 million ounces per year. Meanwhile, drilling at Keno Hill’s Flame and Moth deposits is targeting resource conversions that could underpin a standalone processing facility.

Hecla has allocated $45 million for exploration in the upcoming fiscal year, focusing on high-grade silver-rich veins across its three core districts. At Greens Creek, a 60,000-meter program will test extensional targets south of the 5,000-foot level, where recent intercepts averaged 600 grams per tonne silver over 2.1 meters. Lucky Friday’s deep-drilling campaign aims to expand the 1,400-foot level zone, with initial results showing 1,200 grams per tonne silver-equivalent over 1.5 meters. In Yukon’s Keno Hill district, 50,000 meters of drilling will evaluate near-surface Bulk Mineable targets at the Bermingham vein system, where historical intercepts included 450 grams per tonne over 4 meters.