Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Mark Board to the position of Vice President – Technology & Innovation effective immediately. Mr. Board was previously Hecla’s Corporate Director of Geotechnical Engineering.

“Mark is a thought leader in his field, and, having established solid rock mechanic engineering teams and industry-leading practices at our Lucky Friday, Greens Creek and Casa Berardi mines, will focus on long-term innovations for these long-lived mines. His knowledge, passion for mining excellence and industry contacts enhance Hecla’s hundred-year leadership in underground mining,” said Phillips S. Baker, Jr., Hecla’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

Prior to joining Hecla two years ago, Mr. Board worked at Itasca Consulting Group for 25 years as a mining and rock mechanics consultant to mining companies worldwide. He has a Ph.D. in Geological Engineering from the University of Minnesota and over 35 years of geotechnical engineering experience. Early in his career, Mr. Board worked at Hecla’s Star and Lakeshore mines.

Mr. Board was recently elected as a member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), one of the United States’ national academies that provides advice to the federal government. Mr. Board has also received the 2013 SME Rock Mechanics Award and the University of Minnesota Outstanding Achievement Award.

About Hecla

Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL) is a leading low-cost U.S. silver producer with operating mines in Alaska and Idaho, and is a growing gold producer with an operating mine in Quebec, Canada. The Company also has exploration and pre-development properties in five world-class silver and gold mining districts in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and an exploration office and investments in early-stage silver exploration projects in Canada.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Statements made or information provided in this news release that are not historical facts, such as anticipated payments, litigation outcome (including settlement negotiations), production, sales of assets, exploration results and plans, costs, and prices or sales performance are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “intends,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “targets,” “anticipates” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements 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 and costs, litigation, regulatory and environmental risks, operating risks, project development risks, political risks, labor issues, ability to raise financing and exploration risks and results. Refer to the company's Form 10-K and 10-Q 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 other than as may be required by law.