Hecla CEOs to Celebrate 40 Years on NYSE by Ringing Closing Bell October 12.

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho -- Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL) celebrates 40 years of trading its shares on the New York Stock Exchange with the current Chief Executive Officer and two former Chief Executive Officers ringing the closing bell on the Exchange on Tuesday, October 12. The company, now 113 years old, first traded publicly on the Curb Exchange in 1915, the precursor to the American Stock Exchange. Hecla listed on the NYSE 40 years ago in 1964. It is the oldest publicly traded precious metals mining company in North America.

Phillips S. Baker, Jr., Hecla's current President and CEO, will join current Hecla Chairman and former CEO Arthur Brown and former Chairman and CEO William Griffith in ringing the bell in New York to celebrate the historic event. The three men represent the last 25 years of Hecla's executive leadership. Baker said, "It is not often that a company rings the bell at the NYSE to celebrate four decades of trading. In this era of mergers and name changes, there are few companies that have been continuously listed for this long on the world's premier stock exchange. I am proud of Hecla's longevity and reputation, and pleased that three of the eleven CEOs in Hecla's history are able to attend this event."

In 1891, Hecla Mining Company was born in the richly mineralized Coeur d'Alene Mining District of northern Idaho. Now headquartered in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, it is the last of the pioneer mining companies incorporated in Idaho before 1900 to remain in business. A $150 hillside-mining claim was the beginning of what is now a diverse, multi-national gold and silver mining company that has a market cap of about $800 million.

Although its roots are in North Idaho, the past quarter-century has seen Hecla expand its horizons dramatically. Hecla is now mining silver and gold in Alaska, Idaho, Mexico and Venezuela, employing about 1,200 people across North and South America, with revenue last year of over $116 million.

In 2004, Hecla anticipates mining approximately 8 million ounces of silver at an average total cash cost of under $2.00 per ounce, and 215,000 ounces of gold at an average total cash cost of under $185 per ounce. The company is currently developing a new gold mine in Venezuela and expanding the Lucky Friday silver mine in northern Idaho. Both projects will be in full production in 2006.

Statements made which are not historical facts, such as anticipated payments, litigation outcome, production, sales of assets, exploration results and plans, costs, prices or sales performance are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, anticipated, expected or implied. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, metals price volatility, volatility of metals production, exploration risks and results, political risks, project development risks and ability to raise financing. Refer to the company's Form 10-Q and 10-K reports for a more detailed discussion of factors that may impact expected future results. The company undertakes no obligation and has no intention of updating forward-looking statements.

Hecla's Home Page can be accessed on the Internet at: http://www.hecla-mining.com.