Hecla’s Lucky Friday mine recognized for environmental stewardship by Idaho DEQ

Hecla Mining Company’s Lucky Friday Mine has been named a “Pollution Prevention Champion” by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ) for their environmental stewardship practices. The Lucky Friday was among only four Idaho businesses chosen for this year’s prestigious award.

“Our Lucky Friday Mine’s commitment to responsible mining practices, to the community we work in, and to the environment is reaping real benefits to ecological systems, to our neighbors, and to Idaho,” said Hecla President and CEO Phillips S. Baker Jr. “We commend the workers at the Lucky Friday for their hard work and commitment to reducing our environmental footprint. It is an honor to be recognized by the DEQ.”

“The upgrades, process modifications, and recycling projects that have been implemented at Hecla’s Lucky Friday mine have resulted in significant reductions of waste, water, and energy used by the mine for the production of silver, zinc, and lead. With growing demand for these metals, eliminating waste and pollution from production is more important than ever,” Ben Jarvis, DEQ’s pollution prevention coordinator, said in a press release issued by the department.

Specifically, the Lucky Friday was recognized for:

• Investing in state-of-the art water treatment facilities that reduced the concentration of lead and zinc in the water released by over 95 percent.
• Creating a water recycling program that reduced the average freshwater use by 95 percent in the Concentrator Plant.
• Reducing waste generation by minimizing hazardous waste, improving recycling and repurposing.
• Partnering with the State Department of Transportation to repurpose approximately 120,000 cubic yards of waste highway material as part of our tailing’s impoundment reclamation project.

“Responsible mining is central to our social license to operate, “Baker said. “We always strive to minimize our environmental effects and to maintain a mutually beneficial partnership with our neighbors. We practice continuous improvement which means continuously evolving and adapting as we deploy new technologies and discover new best practices.”