<PAGE> 1
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington D. C. 20549
------------
FORM 8-K
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report
(Date of earliest event reported): January 25, 1995
HECLA MINING COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
DELAWARE
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
1-8491 82-0126240
(Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification No.)
6500 MINERAL DRIVE
COEUR D'ALENE, IDAHO 83814-8788
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(208) 769-4100
(Registrant's Telephone Number)
<PAGE> 2
Item 5. Other Events.
On January 26, 1995, the Registrant issued the press release
attached hereto as Exhibit A, which is incorporated herein by this reference,
relating to an Order Granting Limited Stay of Preliminary Injunction in the
United States District Court for the District of Idaho, Civil Case No.
94-0159-S-HLR, dated January 25, 1995. The Order is attached hereto as Exhibit
B, which is incorporated herein by this reference.
Item 7. Financial Statements, Proforma Financial Information and
Exhibits.
Exhibit A - Press Release dated January 26, 1995.
Exhibit B - Order Granting Limited Stay of Preliminary
Injunction
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
HECLA MINING COMPANY
By /s/ Michael B. White
--------------------------------------
Name: Michael B. White
Title: Vice President - General
Counsel and Secretary
Dated: January 26, 1995
<PAGE> 3
EXHIBIT INDEX
-------------
Exhibit A - Press Release dated January 26, 1995.
Exhibit B - Order Granting Limited Stay of Preliminary
Injunction
<PAGE> 1
[HECLA LOGO] Exhibit A
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 26, 1995
COURT RULES GROUSE CREEK MINE
CAN CONTINUE OPERATIONS
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho -- Hecla Mining Company (HL & HL-B:NYSE) and
Great Lakes Minerals Inc. (GKE:TSE) of Toronto were informed yesterday that
their new Grouse Creek gold and silver mine in central Idaho can continue
operations while the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) completes its
required consultations on salmon habitat in the Challis National Forest.
Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge David Ezra of Hawaii ordered a
halt to certain mining, timber, grazing, and road building projects in six
national forests in Idaho to protect salmon habitat. The order was in response
to a lawsuit filed by two environmental groups who claimed the U.S. Forest
Service, in preparing its forest management plans, failed to properly consult
with NMFS regarding endangered salmon. It was never implemented in the case of
Grouse Creek.
Yesterday, the judge ruled that operations like the Grouse Creek mine,
which had previously been determined as "not likely to adversely affect" salmon
habitat, can continue to operate while consultations on the forest management
plans are completed. Additionally, Hecla and Great Lakes have learned that
NMFS has committed to work expeditiously to complete consultations on the
forest plans in the very near future.
Arthur Brown, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Hecla
Mining Company said, "Before we even began construction at Grouse Creek, the
project underwent years of environmental study and extensive environmental
review by federal, state and local regulatory agencies. We solicited input
from the public and the environmental groups. From the beginning design
stages, we placed a high emphasis on protecting, and even enhancing, nearby
salmon habitat."
John McBride, chairman and chief executive officer of Great Lakes
Minerals, noted that, "Both the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S.
Forest Service have concurred with biological assessments prepared in
conjunction with the Grouse Creek mine, that the project would result in
reduced river sedimentation and improved salmon habitat." Hecla is the operator
and owns 80 percent of Grouse Creek. Great Lakes owns 20 percent and has an
option to buy an additional 10 percent.
###
CONTACT:
April R. Boughton, director of public relations
208/769-4144
[HECLA LETTERHEAD]
<PAGE> 1
Exhibit B
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF IDAHO
- ----------------------------------------)
PACIFIC RIVERS COUNCIL; AND THE )
WILDERNESS SOCIETY, ) Civil No. 94-0159-S-HLR
)
Plaintiffs, )
)
v. ) ORDER GRANTING
) LIMITED STAY OF
JACK WARD THOMAS, in his official ) PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION
capacity as Chief of the United )
States Forest Service; and United )
States Forest Service, )
)
Defendants. )
- ----------------------------------------)
Plaintiffs and defendants have jointly requested a limited
stay of the injunction entered by this Court on January 12, 1995, for the
following reasons:
1. Consultation on the Land and Resource Management Plans,
which the Forest Service initiated on September 9, 1994, is expected to be
completed on or before March 15, 1995.
2. This period will allow the Forest Service and the
consulting agency, the National Marine Fisheries Service, to complete the
consultation process in an orderly fashion.
3. Approximately 50 of the 377 affected "ongoing and
announced activities" under the forest plans will be active during this winter
period. These include at least three timber sales, one grazing activity, and
several mining operations. Some of these activities already have completed the
consultation process as to that specific activity. This means that BOTH the
Forest Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service have concluded either
that the activity is not likely to adversely affect the species or
<PAGE> 2
is not likely to jeopardize the listed species. With respect to all of the
remaining projects, the Forest Service has made an initial determination that
the activity is not likely to adversely affect the species. The parties
consequently stipulate that this limited stay of the injunction is unlikely to
cause harm to the salmon during the period necessary to complete consultation.
4. The injunction prohibiting ongoing and announced activities
during this period is anticipated to cause severe economic hardship and
seriously to disrupt some local communities surrounding these forests. A
limited stay will maintain the status quo and avoid disruption of these
communities.
-2-
<PAGE> 3
ORDER
Based on the foregoing, and the court being fully advised in
the premises,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the joint motion filed by plaintiffs
and defendants should be and is hereby GRANTED. This Court's preliminary
injunction entered January 12, 1995, is stayed until 12:01 a.m., March 16,
1995, with respect to ongoing and announced activities in the Boise, Challis,
Nez Perce, Payette, Salmon, and Sawtooth National Forests.
DATED this 25th day of January, 1995.
/s/ DAVID ALAN EZRA
----------------------------------
DAVID ALAN EZRA
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT JUDGE
Pacific Rivers Council, et al., v. Jack Ward Thomas, et al., Civil
No. 94-0159-S-HLR, ORDER GRANTING LIMITED STAY OF PRELIMINARY
INJUNCTION
-3-
