Hecla Extends Date for Closing on Venezuelan Gold Property Sale

Hecla Mining Company has approved a revision to its agreement with Rusoro Mining Ltd. (Rusoro) to extend the date to July 8, 2008, for closing the transaction to sell its subsidiaries engaged in mining and exploring for gold in Venezuela to Rusoro for $25 million. The sale agreement was previously announced on June 19, 2008, with a closing date originally targeted for today, June 27, 2008. The date was extended to allow additional time to receive regulatory approval on the transaction. Hecla Mining Company, headquartered in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, mines, processes and explores for silver and gold in the United States and Mexico. A 117-year-old company, Hecla has long been well known in the mining world and financial markets as a quality producer of silver and gold.