Lucky Friday Continues To Exceed 1.2M Ounces Of Silver Per Quarter
COEUR D'ALENE, ID — “As we continue our growth in silver production, silver revenues are now exceeding gold revenues for the second consecutive quarter,” said Phillips S. Baker Jr., President and CEO of Hecla Mining Company. “Greens Creek had excellent operational performance achieving record throughput and very strong silver and record gold production, and Lucky Friday exceeded 1.2 million ounces of silver production for third time out of the last four quarters.
Greens Creek and Lucky Friday generated $69 million in free cash flow with both mines exceeding $31 million. Our first priority in capital allocation of this free cash flow is investing it in our mines – particularly Keno Hill, which remains on track to produce more than 2.5 million ounces of silver this year, Casa Berardi, where we are beginning the transition to a primarily open pit operation, and Lucky Friday, where we are completing the ore bunker and service hoist.”
Hecla produced 45% of United States silver in 2022, making us the nation’s largest silver producer. With almost 17 million ounces of silver production expected in 2023 and potentially increasing to 20 million ounces by 2025, Hecla is expected to become Canada’s largest silver producer as well. Our production growth provides shareholders more exposure to silver from long-lived, low-cost mines that will help provide silver needed for solar power, the fastest growing renewable energy source.”
Greens Creek produced 2.8 million ounces of silver in the first quarter, an increase of 14% over the prior quarter due to higher throughput and grades. Gold production for the quarter was 14,885 ounces, a record in the mine's history and a 15% increase over the prior quarter. The mine achieved yet another quarterly throughput record of 2,591 tpd. Lucky Friday produced 1.3 million ounces of silver, an increase of 3% over the prior quarter attributable to higher throughput.
Casa Berardi produced 24,686 ounces of gold in the first quarter, a decrease of 20% over the prior quarter due to a 22% decline in overall gold grades primarily attributable to lower underground grades, partially offset by a 4% increase in mill recoveries. The mill continued to perform well, achieving a record quarterly throughput of 4,768 tpd. Underground grade at the mine has declined by approximately 30% since 2018 in accordance with the mine plan. Smaller stopes and higher relative development have contributed to cost increases, which have been further exacerbated by inflationary pressures over the past year. The Company remains focused on underground exploration, but the mine is beginning the transition from an underground to an open pit operation. The F160 pit acts as a bridge between mining at the underground mines and mining higher grade open pit material, which is in the permitting pipeline. The higher grade open pit ore has reserve grades approximately 70% higher than the F160 pit. The mine is undergoing a period of transition and investment over the next few years and remains a key operation in the Company's portfolio.
At Keno Hill, ramp-up and development activities continued through the first quarter as the mine remains on track to commence production in the third quarter. As of the end of April, approximately 75% of the development required for production was complete. Capital spending for the first quarter was $17.1 million and included mine development, equipment purchases, and critical infrastructure projects including plant – reconfiguring the secondary crushing circuit and installing underground infrastructure. The workforce is about 290 people, in line with the plan. Ore from Flame & Moth and Bermingham deposit is being stockpiled. 2023 silver production is expected to exceed 2.5 million ounces with full throughput achieved by the end of the year.
Exploration and definition drilling activities primarily focused on targets at Casa Berardi, Greens Creek, and Keno Hill. In addition to drilling activities, surface, and underground targets were advanced through ongoing 3D detailed geological modeling at San Sebastian, Republic, and all our operating properties. At San Sebastian, geophysical surveys are ongoing and are planned to begin at Republic during the second quarter.