Hecla Closes Venezuelan Gold Property Sale

Hecla Mining Company is pleased to announce that it has completed the transaction to sell its subsidiaries engaged in mining and exploring for gold in Venezuela to Rusoro Mining Ltd. (Rusoro) for $25 million, consisting of $20 million in cash and 4,273,504 shares of Rusoro common stock. The sale agreement was previously announced on June 19, 2008. 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. Hecla's common shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol HL.