Mining operations in North America are strictly regulated by a comprehensive set of federal, provincial and state laws that ensure air and water resources are protected, employees are properly trained and work in safe conditions, and the land we mine is reclaimed for future use. Hecla's mining operations in Mexico and South America are also regulated by laws of the respective countries in which we operate. In addition, North American mining companies voluntarily apply Canadian and U.S. environmental and workplace standards to their operations around the world. The industry is always looking for ways to improve its environmental and social performance. We learn from experience, our work with regulatory bodies, interaction with host communities and our customers.
These photos show the work done by Hecla at Yellow Pine (Idaho). On the left is the historic mining district prior to Hecla's involvement with the site. The photo on the right shows the same area after reclamation had been completed. Hecla reclaimed a mill/smelter site, waste dumps and tailings impoundment. Mobil Corporation was also involved with the tailings impoundment reclamation (large flat in upper part of valley).
Grouse Creek (Idaho) reclamation seeding and tree planting.
Wildlife on Admiralty Island near Juneau, Alaska
Much of Admiralty Island is contained within Tongass National Forest, the largest in the United States. Lush western hemlock and Sitka spruce old-growth forests, which hide dozens of salmon-laden creeks, teem with wildlife: Sitka black-tailed deer, beavers, foxes, otters, and an abundance of songbirds and waterfowl.
Admiralty island was originally given the name “Kootznoowoo” (which means “The Fortress of the Bears”) by the Tlingit natives, and is home to one of the greatest concentrations of brown bears in the world. An estimated 1,700 brownies occupy an area of 1,644 square miles. The island also boasts one of the highest densities of bald eagles in the world – more, in fact, than in the entire continental United States.
It’s a fertile and plentiful area, and Greens Creek Mine works hand in hand with local, state, and federal government agencies to ensure that the wilderness of Tongass stays that way – and is preserved for future generations.
