Table of Contents

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

 

 

QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended March 31,June 30, 2022

 

or

 

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from to .

 

Commission file number 

1-8491

 

HECLA MINING COMPANY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its Charter)

 

 

Delaware

 

77-0664171

 
 

State or Other Jurisdiction of

 

I.R.S. Employer

 
 

Incorporation or Organization

 

Identification No.

 
     
 

6500 N. Mineral Drive, Suite 200

   
 

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

 

83815-9408

 
 

Address of Principal Executive Offices

 

Zip Code

 
     

208-769-4100

Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class

Trading Symbol(s)

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common Stock, par value $0.25 per share

HL

New York Stock Exchange

Series B Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.25 per share

HL-PB

New York Stock Exchange

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Yes ☒     No ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).

Yes ☒    No ☐

 


Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act:Act.

 

Large accelerated filer ☒

Accelerated filer ☐

Non-accelerated filer ☐

Smaller reporting company ☐

Emerging growth company ☐

 

           

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

Yes ☐    No ☒

 

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.

 

Class

 

Shares Outstanding May 5,August 1, 2022

Common stock, par value

$0.25 per share

 539,049,637541,599,504

 

 

 
 

Hecla Mining Company and Subsidiaries

 

Form 10-Q

 

For the Quarter Ended March 31,June 30, 2022

 

INDEX*

 

 

Page

PART I - Financial Information 

 
  

Item 1 – Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

3
  

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive (Loss) Income - Three Months Ended March 31,and Six Months Ended – June 30, 2022 and 20212021

3

  

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - ThreeSix Months Ended March 31,June 30, 2022 and 2021

4

  

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets - March 31,June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021

5

  

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity - Three Months Ended March 31,and Six Months Ended – June 30, 2022 and 2021

6

  

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

78

  

Forward-Looking Statements

20
 

Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

2123

  

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

4762

  

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

4963

  

PART II - Other Information

 
  

Item 1 – Legal Proceedings

4964

  

Item 1A – Risk Factors

4964

  

Item 4 – Mine Safety Disclosures

4966

  

Item 6 – Exhibits

4967

  

Signatures

5168

 

 

*Items 2, 3 and 5 of Part II are omitted as they are not applicable.

 

2

 

 

Part I - Financial Information

 

Item 1. Financial Statements

 

Hecla Mining Company and Subsidiaries

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) Income (Unaudited)

(Dollars and shares in thousands, except for per-share amounts)

 

 

Three Months Ended

  

Three Months Ended

  

Six Months Ended

 
 

March 31, 2022

  

March 31, 2021

  

June 30, 2022

  

June 30, 2021

  

June 30, 2022

  

June 30, 2021

 

Sales of products

 $186,499  $210,852 

Sales

 $191,242  $217,983  $377,741  $428,835 

Cost of sales and other direct production costs

 105,772  96,382  115,907  110,320  221,679  207,029 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

  35,298   47,069   38,072   45,732   73,370   92,474 

Total cost of sales

  141,070   143,451   153,979   156,052   295,049   299,503 

Gross profit

  45,429   67,401   37,263   61,931   82,692   129,332 

Other operating expenses:

          

General and administrative

 8,294  8,007  9,692  11,104  17,986  19,111 

Exploration and pre-development

 12,808  6,690  11,200  11,241  24,008  17,931 

Care and maintenance

 6,205  4,318 

Provision for closed operations and reclamation

 901  3,709 

Care and maintenance costs

 5,242  5,786  11,447  10,104 

Provision for closed operations and environmental matters

 1,472  1,024  2,373  4,733 

Other operating expense

  2,463   3,648   1,945   3,634   4,408   7,282 

Total other operating expense

  30,671   26,372 

Total other operating expenses

  29,551   32,789   60,222   59,161 

Income from operations

  14,758   41,029   7,712   29,142   22,470   70,171 

Other income (expense):

          

Interest expense

 (10,406) (10,744) (10,505) (10,271) (20,911) (21,015)

Fair value adjustments, net

 5,965  (1,875) (16,428) (18,063) (10,463) (19,938)

Net foreign exchange loss

 (2,038) (2,064)

Other non-operating income (expense)

  1,505   (152)

Net foreign exchange gain (loss)

 4,482  (1,907) 2,444  (3,971)

Other income (expense)

  1,470   (287)  2,975   (439)

Total other expense

  (4,974)  (14,835)  (20,981)  (30,528)  (25,955)  (45,363)

Income before income and mining taxes

 9,784  26,194 

Income and mining tax provision

  (5,631)  (4,743)

Net income

 4,153  21,451 

(Loss) income before income and mining taxes

 (13,269) (1,386) (3,485) 24,808 

Income and mining tax (provision) benefit

  (254)  4,134   (5,885)  (609)

Net (loss) income

 (13,523) 2,748  (9,370) 24,199 

Preferred stock dividends

  (138)  (138)  (138)  (138)  (276)  (276)

Income applicable to common stockholders

 $4,015  $21,313 

Comprehensive income:

 

Net income

 $4,153  $21,451 

(Loss) income applicable to common shareholders

 $(13,661) $2,610  $(9,646) $23,923 

Comprehensive income (loss):

         

Net (loss) income

 $(13,523) $2,748  $(9,370) $24,199 

Change in fair value of derivative contracts designated as hedge transactions

  (33,165)  1,832   65,348   1,620   32,183   3,452 

Comprehensive (loss) income

 $(29,012) $23,283 

Basic income per common share after preferred dividends

 $0.01  $0.04 

Diluted income per common share after preferred dividends

 $0.01  $0.04 

Comprehensive income

 $51,825  $4,368  $22,813  $27,651 

Basic (loss) income per common share after preferred dividends

 $(0.03) $0.01  $(0.02) $0.04 

Diluted (loss) income per common share after preferred dividends

 $(0.03) $0.01  $(0.02) $0.04 

Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - basic

  538,490   534,101   539,401   535,531   538,943   534,819 

Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - diluted

  544,061   540,527   539,401   542,262   538,943   541,468 

Cash dividends per common share

 $0.00625  $0.00875 

Cash dividends declared per common share

 $0.00625  $0.01  $0.01225  $0.02 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the interim condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

3

 

 

Hecla Mining Company and Subsidiaries

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)

(In thousands)

 

 

Three Months Ended

  

Six Months Ended

 
 

March 31, 2022

  

March 31, 2021

  

June 30, 2022

  

June 30, 2021

 

Operating activities:

  

Net income

 $4,153  $21,451 

Non-cash elements included in net income:

 

Net (loss) income

 $(9,370) $24,199 

Non-cash elements included in net (loss) income:

 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

 35,456  46,957  73,656  92,861 

Write-down of inventory

 754  6,431 

Fair value adjustments, net

 (14,185) 5,214 

Provision for reclamation and closure costs

 1,643  4,529  3,271  6,183 

Stock-based compensation expense

 1,271  500 

Deferred taxes

 2,234  141 

Fair value adjustments, net

 (2,245) (8,623)

Stock compensation

 2,525  3,302 

Deferred income taxes

 (1,290) (7,745)

Foreign exchange loss

 2,280  1,755  (3,442) 4,455 

Other non-cash items, net

 483  556  982  1,071 

Change in assets and liabilities:

  

Accounts receivable

 2,779  (2,664) 19,199  (9,432)

Inventories

 (5,081) 2,120  (8,352) 5,719 

Other current and non-current assets

 1,696  1,528  (894) 4,125 

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 (13,907) (24,545) 17,119  (6,489)

Accrued payroll and related benefits

 6,909  (7,995) 278  (5,351)

Accrued taxes

 3,754  2,031  (5,683) (999)

Accrued reclamation and closure costs and other non-current liabilities

  (3,516)  195   3,524   696 

Cash provided by operating activities

  37,909   37,936  78,092  124,240 

Investing activities:

  

Additions to properties, plants, equipment and mineral interests

 (21,478) (21,413) (55,807) (53,311)

Proceeds from sale of investments

 2,487  0 

Proceeds from disposition of properties, plants and equipment

 617  19  730  131 

Purchases of investments

  (10,868)  0  (21,899) 0 

Proceeds from sale of investments

  2,487   0 

Net cash used in investing activities

  (29,242)  (21,394) (74,489) (53,180)

Financing activities:

  

Acquisition of treasury shares

 (1,921) 0  (3,677) (4,525)

Dividends paid to common and preferred stockholders

 (3,509) (4,826) (7,027) (10,991)

Credit facility fees paid

 (54) (82) (74) (82)

Repayments of finance leases

  (1,695)  (1,881)  (3,333)  (3,770)

Net cash used in financing activities

  (7,179)  (6,789) (14,111) (19,368)

Effect of exchange rates on cash

 519  167  (1,321) (28)

Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents

 2,007  9,920 

Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents

 (11,829) 51,664 

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

  211,063   130,883   211,063   130,883 

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents at end of period

 $213,070  $140,803  $199,234  $182,547 

Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:

  

Cash paid for interest

 $18,603  $18,406  $18,749  $18,499 

Cash paid for income and mining taxes

 $679  $1,980  $11,888  $9,469 

Significant non-cash investing and financing activities:

  

Addition of finance lease obligations and right-of-use assets

 $2,864  $3,120  $5,051  $3,120 

Accounts receivable for proceeds on exchange of investments

 $0  $1,832  $0  $1,832 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the interim condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

4

 

 

Hecla Mining Company and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)

(In thousands, except shares)

 

 

March 31,
2022

  

December 31,

2021

  

June 30, 2022

  

December 31, 2021

 

ASSETS

ASSETS

 

ASSETS

 

Current assets:

  

Cash and cash equivalents

 $212,029  $210,010  $198,193  $210,010 

Accounts receivable:

  

Trade

 33,324  36,437  17,828  36,437 

Other, net

 8,586  8,149  7,696  8,149 

Inventories:

  

Concentrates, doré, and stockpiled ore

 29,852  25,906  30,167  25,906 

Materials and supplies

 43,238  41,859  45,200  41,859 

Derivatives assets

 9,923  2,709 

Other current assets

  16,927   19,266   13,389   16,557 

Total current assets

 343,956  341,627  322,396  341,627 

Investments

 29,204  10,844  23,931  10,844 

Restricted cash and investments

 1,041  1,053 

Restricted cash

 1,041  1,053 

Properties, plants, equipment and mineral interests, net

 2,298,858  2,310,810  2,295,962  2,310,810 

Operating lease right-of-use assets

 12,342  12,435  11,649  12,435 

Deferred taxes

 45,562  45,562 

Deferred income taxes

 45,562  45,562 

Derivatives assets

 12,897  2,503 

Other non-current assets

  7,936   6,477   3,665   3,974 

Total assets

 $2,738,899  $2,728,808  $2,717,103  $2,728,808 

LIABILITIES

LIABILITIES

 

LIABILITIES

 

Current liabilities:

  

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 $73,786  $68,100  $84,997  $68,100 

Accrued payroll and related benefits

 34,864  28,714  26,945  28,714 

Accrued taxes

 16,128  12,306  8,341  12,306 

Finance and operating leases

 8,535  8,098  8,580  8,098 

Accrued reclamation and closure costs

 10,594  9,259 

Accrued interest

 5,232  14,454  14,435  14,454 

Derivatives liabilities

 38,992  19,353  4,228  19,353 

Other current liabilities

  109   99  109  99 

Accrued reclamation and closure costs

  10,594   9,259 

Total current liabilities

 188,240  160,383  158,229  160,383 

Finance and operating leases

 18,385  17,726  18,154  17,726 

Accrued reclamation and closure costs

 103,612  103,972  103,747  103,972 

Long-term debt

 508,852  508,095  507,841  508,095 

Deferred tax liability

 140,810  149,706  143,213  149,706 

Derivatives liabilities

 43,402  18,528  522  18,528 

Other non-current liabilities

  7,055   9,611   2,515   9,611 

Total liabilities

  1,010,356   968,021   934,221   968,021 

Commitments and contingencies (Notes 4, 7, 8, and 10)

       

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

Commitments and contingencies (Notes 4, 7, 8, and 10)

          

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

 

Preferred stock, 5,000,000 shares authorized:

  

Series B preferred stock, $0.25 par value, 157,816 shares issued and outstanding, liquidation preference — $7,891

 39  39 

Common stock, $0.25 par value, 750,000,000 authorized shares; issued March 31, 2022 — 546,635,233 shares and December 31, 2021 — 545,534,760 shares

 136,657  136,391 

Series B preferred stock, 25 cent par value, 157,816 shares issued and outstanding, liquidation preference — $7,891

 39  39 

Common stock, 25 cent par value, 750,000,000 authorized shares; issued June 30, 2022 — 548,037,253 shares and December 31, 2021 — 545,534,760 shares

 137,241  136,391 

Capital surplus

 2,036,417  2,034,485  2,043,621  2,034,485 

Accumulated deficit

 (353,007) (353,651) (370,048) (353,651)

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

 (61,621) (28,456)

Less treasury stock, at cost; March 31, 2022 — 7,728,800 shares and December 31, 2021 - 7,395,295 shares issued and held in treasury

  (29,942)  (28,021)

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

 3,727  (28,456)

Less treasury stock, at cost; June 30, 2022 — 8,132,553 shares and December 31, 2021 — 7,395,295 shares issued and held in treasury

  (31,698)  (28,021)

Total stockholders’ equity

  1,728,543   1,760,787   1,782,882   1,760,787 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

 $2,738,899  $2,728,808  $2,717,103  $2,728,808 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the interim condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

5

 

 

Hecla Mining Company and Subsidiaries

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity (Unaudited)

(Dollars are in thousands, except for share and per share amounts)

 

  

Three Months Ended March 31, 2022

 
  

Series B

Preferred

Stock

  

Common

Stock

  

Additional

Paid-In

Capital

  

Accumulated

Deficit

  

Accumulated

Other

Comprehensive

Loss, net

  

Treasury

Stock

  

Total

 

Balances, January 1, 2022

 $39  $136,391  $2,034,485  $(353,651) $(28,456) $(28,021) $1,760,787 

Net income

  0   0   0   4,153   0   0   4,153 

Stock-based compensation expense

  0   0   1,271   0   0   0   1,271 

Incentive compensation units distributed (888,000 shares)

  0   222   (222)  0   0   (1,921)  (1,921)

Common stock ($0.00625 per share) and Series B Preferred Stock ($0.875 per share) dividends declared

  0   0   0   (3,509)  0   0   (3,509)

Common stock issued for 401(k) match (180,000 shares)

  0   44   883   0   0   0   927 

Other comprehensive income

  0   0   0   0   (33,165)  0   (33,165)

Balances, March 31, 2022

 $39  $136,657  $2,036,417  $(353,007) $(61,621) $(29,942) $1,728,543 
  

Three Months Ended June 30, 2022

 
  

Series B

Preferred

Stock

  

Common

Stock

  

Capital Surplus

  

Accumulated

Deficit

  

Accumulated

Other

Comprehensive

Income

(Loss), net

  

Treasury

Stock

  

Total

 

Balances, April 1, 2022

 $39  $136,657  $2,036,417  $(353,007) $(61,621) $(29,942) $1,728,543 

Net loss

  0   0   0   (13,523)  0   0   (13,523)

Restricted stock units granted

  0   0   837   0   0   0   837 

Restricted stock units distributed (901,215 shares)

  0   225   (225)  0   0   (1,756)  (1,756)

Common stock dividends declared (0.0625 cents per common share)

  0   0   0   (3,380)  0   0   (3,380)

Series B Preferred Stock dividends declared (87.5 cents per share)

  0   0   0   (138)  0   0   (138)

Common stock issued for 401(k) match (143,200 shares)

  0   36   928   0   0   0   964 

Common stock issued to directors (98,310 shares)

  0   25   392   0   0   0   417 

Common stock issued to pension plans (1,190,000 shares)

  0   298   5,272   0   0   0   5,570 

Other comprehensive income

  0   0   0   0   65,348   0   65,348 

Balances, June 30, 2022

 $39  $137,241  $2,043,621  $(370,048) $3,727  $(31,698) $1,782,882 

 

  

Three Months Ended March 31, 2021

 
  

Series B

Preferred

Stock

  

Common

Stock

  

Additional

Paid-In

Capital

  

Accumulated

Deficit

  

Accumulated

Other

Comprehensive

Loss, net

  

Treasury

Stock

  

Total

 

Balances, January 1, 2021

 $39  $134,629  $2,003,576  $(368,074) $(32,889) $(23,496) $1,713,785 

Net income

  0   0   0   21,451   0   0   21,451 

Stock-based compensation expense

  0   0   483   0   0   0   483 

Common stock ($0.00875 per share) and Series B Preferred Stock ($0.875 per share) dividends declared

  0   0   0   (4,826)  0   0   (4,826)

Common stock issued for 401(k) match (165,000 shares)

  0   42   1,088   0   0   0   1,130 

Shares issued to pension plans (3,500,000 shares)

  0   875   15,925   0   0   0   16,800 

Other comprehensive income

  0   0   0   0   1,832   0   1,832 

Balances, March 31, 2021

 $39  $135,546  $2,021,072  $(351,449) $(31,057) $(23,496) $1,750,655 
  

Three Months Ended June 30, 2021

 
  

Series B

Preferred

Stock

  

Common

Stock

  

Capital Surplus

  

Accumulated

Deficit

  

Accumulated

Other

Comprehensive

Income

(Loss), net

  

Treasury

Stock

  

Total

 

Balances, April 1, 2021

 $39  $135,546  $2,021,072  $(351,449) $(31,057) $(23,496) $1,750,655 

Net income

  0   0   0   2,748   0   0   2,748 

Restricted stock units granted

  0   0   959   0   0   0   959 

Restricted stock units distributed (1,653,000 shares)

  0   413   (413)  0   0   (4,525)  (4,525)

Common stock dividends declared (1.125 cents per common share)

  0   0   0   (6,027)  0   0   (6,027)

Series B Preferred Stock dividends declared (87.5 cents per share)

  0   0   0   (138)  0   0   (138)

Common stock issued for 401(k) match (217,000 shares)

  0   54   1,235   0   0   0   1,289 

Common stock issued to pension plans (3,500,000 shares)

  0   0   0   0   0   0   0 

Common stock issued to directors (207,000 shares)

  0   52   1,792   0   0   0   1,844 

Other comprehensive income

  0   0   0   0   1,620   0   1,620 

Balances, June 30, 2021

 $39  $136,065  $2,024,645  $(354,866) $(29,437) $(28,021) $1,748,425 

6

  

Six Months Ended June 30, 2022

 
  

Series B

Preferred

Stock

  

Common

Stock

  

Capital
Surplus

  

Accumulated

Deficit

  

Accumulated

Other

Comprehensive

Income

(Loss), net

  

Treasury

Stock

  

Total

 

Balances, January 1, 2022

 $39  $136,391  $2,034,485  $(353,651) $(28,456) $(28,021) $1,760,787 

Net loss

  0   0   0   (9,370)  0   0   (9,370)

Restricted stock units granted

  0   0   2,108   0   0   0   2,108 

Restricted stock units and performance stock units distributed (1,789,042 shares)

  0   447   (447)  0   0   (3,677)  (3,677)

Common stock dividends declared (1.25 cents per common share)

  0   0   0   (6,751)  0   0   (6,751)

Series B Preferred Stock dividends declared ($1.75 per share)

  0   0   0   (276)  0   0   (276)

Common stock issued for 401(k) match (321,110 shares)

  0   80   1,811   0   0   0   1,891 

Common stock issued to pension plans (1,190,000 shares)

  0   298   5,272   0   0   0   5,570 

Common stock issued to directors (98,310 shares)

  0   25   392   0   0   0   417 

Other comprehensive loss

  0   0   0   0   32,183   0   32,183 

Balances, June 30, 2022

 $39  $137,241  $2,043,621  $(370,048) $3,727  $(31,698) $1,782,882 

  

Six Months Ended June 30, 2021

 
  

Series B

Preferred

Stock

  

Common

Stock

  

Capital
Surplus

  

Accumulated

Deficit

  

Accumulated

Other

Comprehensive

Income

(Loss), net

  

Treasury

Stock

  

Total

 

Balances, January 1, 2021

 $39  $134,629  $2,003,576  $(368,074) $(32,889) $(23,496) $1,713,785 

Net income

  0   0   0   24,199   0   0   24,199 

Restricted stock units granted

  0   0   1,459   0   0   0   1,459 

Restricted stock units distributed (1,653,000 shares)

  0   413   (413)  0   0   (4,525)  (4,525)

Common stock dividends declared (2 cents per common share)

  0   0   0   (10,715)  0   0   (10,715)

Series B Preferred Stock dividends declared ($1.75 per share)

  0   0   0   (276)  0   0   (276)

Common stock issued for 401(k) match (382,000 shares)

  0   96   2,306   0   0   0   2,402 

Common stock issued to pension plans (3,500,000 shares)

  0   875   15,925   0   0   0   16,800 

Common stock issued to directors (207,000 shares)

  0   52   1,792   0   0   0   1,844 

Other comprehensive loss

  0   0   0   0   3,452   0   3,452 

Balances, June 30, 2021

 $39  $136,065  $2,024,645  $(354,866) $(29,437) $(28,021) $1,748,425 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the interim condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

67

 

 

Note 1.    Basis of Preparation of Financial Statements

 

The accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements of Hecla Mining Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Hecla,” “the Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us,” except where the context requires otherwise) have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and do not include all information and disclosures required annually by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). Therefore, this information should be read in conjunction with Hecla’sHecla Mining Company’s consolidated financial statements and notes contained in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 (“2021 Form 10-K”). The consolidated December 31, 2021 balance sheet data was derived from our audited consolidated financial statements. The information furnished herein reflects all adjustments that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair statement of the results for the interim periods reported. All such adjustments are, in the opinion of management, of a normal recurring nature. Operating results for the three- and six-month periodperiods ended MarchJune 31,30, 2022 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2022.

 

The 2019 novel strain of coronavirus (“COVID-19”) was characterized as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. We continue to take precautionary measures to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, including implementing operational plans and practices. As long as they are required, the operational practices implemented could continue to have an adverse impact on our operating results due to deferred production and revenues or additional costs. We incurred $0.4$0.1 million and $1.6$0.4 million in COVID-19 mitigation costs during the three and sixmonths ended March 31,June 30, 2022 compared to $1.4 million and $3.0 million during the threeand 2021,six months ended June 30, 2021, respectively. We continue to monitor the rapidly evolving situation and guidance from federal, state, local and foreign governments and public health authorities and may take additional actions based on their recommendations. The extent of the impact of COVID-19 on our business and financial results will also depend on future developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak and the success of the current vaccination programs and the related impact on prices, demand, creditworthiness and other market conditions and governmental reactions, all of which are highly uncertain.

Certain amounts in the prior year have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.

 

 

Note 2.    Business Segments and Sales of Products

 

We discover, acquire and develop mines and other mineral interests and produce and market (i) concentrates, containing silver, gold, lead and zinc, (ii) carbon material containing silver and gold, and (iii) doré containing silver and gold. We are currently organized and managed in four segments: Greens Creek, Lucky Friday, Casa Berardi and Nevada Operations.

 

General corporate activities not associated with operating mines and their various exploration activities, as well as discontinued operations and idle properties, are presented as “other.”  Interest expense, interest income and income and mining taxes are considered general corporate items, and are not allocated to our segments.

 

78

 

The following tables present information about our reportable segments for the three and sixmonths ended MarchJune 31,30, 2022 and 2021 (in thousands):

 

 

Three Months Ended
March 31,

  

Three Months Ended

June 30,

  

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 
 

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 

Sales of products:

 

Net sales to unaffiliated customers:

         

Greens Creek

 $86,090  $98,409  $92,723  $113,763  $178,813  $212,172 

Lucky Friday

 38,040  29,122  35,880  39,645  73,920  68,767 

Casa Berardi

 62,101  72,911  62,639  56,122  124,740  129,033 

Nevada Operations

 268  10,237  0  8,450  268  18,687 

Other

  0   173   0   3   0   176 
 $186,499  $210,852  $191,242  $217,983  $377,741  $428,835 

Income (loss) from operations:

          

Greens Creek

 $34,586  $44,600  $27,803  $56,433  $62,389  $101,033 

Lucky Friday

 8,771  6,323  5,528  11,737  14,299  18,060 

Casa Berardi

 (2,699) 11,706  (572) (529) (3,271) 11,177 

Nevada Operations

 (12,231) (3,140) (9,728) (20,341) (21,963) (23,481)

Other

  (13,669)  (18,460)  (15,319)  (18,158)  (28,984)  (36,618)
 $14,758  $41,029  $7,712  $29,142  $22,470  $70,171 

 

The following table presents identifiable assets by reportable segment as of MarchJune 31,30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 (in thousands):

 

 

March 31,

2022

  

December 31,

2021

  

June 30, 2022

  

December 31, 2021

 

Identifiable assets:

      

Greens Creek

 $578,565  $589,944  $580,692  $589,944 

Lucky Friday

 526,971  516,545  524,734  516,545 

Casa Berardi

 710,374  701,868  699,134  701,868 

Nevada Operations

 467,092  468,985  468,901  468,985 

Other

  455,897   451,466   443,642   451,466 
 $2,738,899  $2,728,808  $2,717,103  $2,728,808 

 

Sales of products by metal for the three- and six-month periods ended MarchJune 31,30, 2022 and 2021 were as follows (in thousands):

 

 

Three Months Ended

March 31,

  

Three Months Ended June 30,

 

Six Months Ended June 30,

 
 

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 
  

Silver

 $66,332  $77,760  $70,050  $92,765  $136,382  $170,525 

Gold

 77,168  101,408  82,018  86,078  159,186  187,487 

Lead

 19,564  15,893  21,314  22,223  40,878  38,116 

Zinc

 35,638  29,191  31,176  30,037  66,814  59,228 

Less: Smelter and refining charges

  (12,203)  (13,400)  (13,316)  (13,120)  (25,519)  (26,521)

Sales of products

 $186,499  $210,852 
 $191,242  $217,983  $377,741  $428,835 

 

Sales included net gains of products$11.3 million and $6.6 million for the second quarter and first three monthshalf of 2022, and 2021 included a net loss of $4.8 million and net gain of $2.8 million, respectively, on financially-settled forward option contracts for silver, gold, lead and zinc contained in our sales. Sales included net losses of $3.3 million and $0.5 million for the second quarter and first half of 2021, respectively, on such contracts. See Note 8 for more information.

 

89

 

 

Note 3.   Income and Mining Taxes

 

Major components of our income and mining tax benefit (provision) benefit for the three and sixmonths ended March 31,June 30, 2022 and 2021 are as follows (in thousands):

 

 

Three Months Ended

  

Three Months Ended

 

Six Months Ended

 
 

March 31,

  

June 30,

  

June 30,

 
 

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 

Current:

          

Domestic

 $(2,103) $(2,277) $(446) $(3,036) $(2,549) $(5,313)

Foreign

  (1,741)  (2,286)  (1,346)  (826)  (3,087)  (3,112)

Total current income and mining tax provision

 (3,844) (4,563) (1,792) (3,862) (5,636) (8,425)
  

Deferred:

  

Domestic

 (5,091) 896  (2,150) 4,117  (7,241) 4,436 

Foreign

  3,304   (1,076)  3,688   3,879   6,992   3,380 

Total deferred income and mining tax provision

  (1,787)  (180)

Total income and mining tax provision

 $(5,631) $(4,743)

Total deferred income and mining tax benefit

  1,538   7,996   (249)  7,816 

Total income and mining tax benefit (provision)

 $(254) $4,134  $(5,885) $(609)

 

The income and mining tax provisionbenefit (provision) for the three-month periods and six months ended MarchJune 31,30, 2022 and 2021 varies from the amounts that would have resulted from applying the statutory tax rates to pre-tax income due primarily to the impact of taxation in foreign jurisdictions and non-recognition of net operating losses and foreign exchange gains and losses in certain jurisdictions.

 

For the three-month periodand six-month periods ended March 31,June 30, 2022, we used the annual effective tax rate method to calculate the tax provision, a change from the discrete method used for the three- and six-month periodperiods ended March 31,June 30, 2021, due to reversal of valuation allowance in the fourth quarter of 2021. Valuation allowances on Nevada, Mexico and certain Canadian net operating losses were treated as discrete adjustments to the annual effective tax rate method calculation, partially causing the increase in the income tax rate for the three-month period and six months ended March 31,June 30, 2022, as compared to the March 31,three and six months ended June 30, 2021.

 

 

Note 4.   Employee Benefit Plans

 

We sponsor defined benefit pension plans covering substantially all U.S. employees.  Net periodic pension cost for the plans consisted of the following for the three-month periods and six months ended MarchJune 31,30, 2022 and 2021 (in thousands):

 

 

Three Months Ended

March 31,

  

Three Months Ended

June 30,

  

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 
 

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 

Service cost

 $1,566  $1,455  $1,566  $1,455  $3,131  $2,910 

Interest cost

 1,369  1,248  1,369  1,248  2,738  2,496 

Expected return on plan assets

 (3,363) (2,313) (3,363) (2,313) (6,726) (4,626)

Amortization of prior service cost

 128  99  128  99  256  198 

Amortization of net loss

  512   1,125   512   1,125   1,024   2,250 

Net periodic pension cost

 $212  $1,614  $212  $1,614  $423  $3,228 

 

For the 9three


The- and six-month periods ended June 30,2022 and 2021, the service cost component of net periodic pension cost is included in the same line items of our condensed consolidated financial statements as other employee compensation costs, and thecosts. The net gain of $1.4 million and net expense of $0.2 million for the three-month periods ended March 31,2022 and 2021, respectively, related to all other components of net periodic pension cost of $1.4 million and $2.7 million, respectively, for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30,2022, and $0.2 million and $0.3 million for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30,2021, respectively, is included in other (expense) income on our condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss) income..

 

10

During May 2022, we contributed $5.6 million in shares of our common stock to two of our defined benefit plans. In January 2021, we contributed $16.8 million in shares of our common stock to our supplemental executive retirement plan. We do not expect to be required to contributemake additional contributions to our defined benefit pension plans in 2022, but may elect to do so.

 

 

Note 5.    (Loss) Income Per Common Share

 

We calculate basic (loss) income per common share on the basis of the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Diluted income per share is calculated using the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period plus the effect of potential dilutive common shares during the period using the treasury stock and if-converted methods.

 

Potential dilutive shares of common stock include outstanding unvested restricted stock awards, performance-based share awards, stock units, warrants and convertible preferred stock for periods in which we have reported net income. For periods in which we report net losses, potential dilutive shares of common stock are excluded, as their conversion and exercise would be anti-dilutive.

 

The following table represents net (loss) income per common share – basic and diluted (in thousands, except income (loss) per share): 

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31,

  

Three Months Ended June 30,

  

Six Months Ended June 30,

 
 

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 

Numerator

            

Net income

 $4,153  $21,451 

Net (loss) income

 $(13,523) $2,748  $(9,370) $24,199 

Preferred stock dividends

  (138)  (138)  (138)  (138)  (276)  (276)

Net income applicable to common shares

 $4,015  $21,313 

Net (loss) income applicable to common shares

 $(13,661) $2,610  $(9,646) $23,923 
  

Denominator

            

Basic weighted average common shares

 538,490  534,101  539,401  535,531  538,943  534,819 

Dilutive incentive compensation units, warrants and deferred shares

  5,571   6,426 

Dilutive restricted stock units, warrants and deferred shares

  0   6,731   0   6,649 

Diluted weighted average common shares

  544,061   540,527   539,401   542,262   538,943   541,468 
  

Basic income per common share

 $0.01  $0.04 

Diluted income per common share

 $0.01  $0.04 

Basic (loss) income per common share

 $(0.03) $0.01  $(0.02) $0.04 

Diluted (loss) income per common share

 $(0.03) $0.01  $(0.02) $0.04 

 

Diluted income per common share forFor the three-month and six months ended June 30, 2022, all outstanding restricted stock units, warrants and deferred shares were excluded from the computation of diluted loss per share, as our reported net losses for those periods ended March 31,2022 and 2021 excludes the potential effects of outstanding shares of our convertible preferred stock, aswould cause their conversion wouldand exercise to have no effect on the calculation of dilutive shares.

loss per share. For the three months ended MarchJune 30, 2021, 31,2022,the calculation of diluted income per common share included (i) 1,954,773 incentive compensation2,960,950 restricted stock units, that were unvested during the period, (ii) 1,506,9501,635,675 warrants to purchase one share of common stock and (iii) 2,109,0562,134,009 deferred shares of common stock that were dilutive. For the threesix months ended MarchJune 30, 2021, 31,2021,the calculation of diluted income per common share included (i) 2,863,038 incentive compensation2,923,515 restricted stock units, that were unvested during the period, (ii) 1,536,6151,591,935 warrants to purchase one share of common stock and (iii) 2,026,4402,134,009 deferred shares that were dilutive.

 

1011

 

 

Note 6.    Stockholders Equity

 

Stock-based Compensation Plans

 

The Company has stock incentive plans for executives, directors and eligible employees. Stock awards include performance shares, restricted stock and stock options. Stock-based compensation expense for restricted stock unit and performance-based grants (collectively "incentive compensation") to employees and shares issued to non-employee directors totaled $1.3 million and $0.5$2.5 million for the three and six months ended June 30,2022, respectively, and $2.8 million and $3.3 million for the three and six months ended June 30,2021, respectively. At June 30, 2022, there was $9.1 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation cost which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average remaining vesting period of 2.4 years.

The following table summarizes the grants awarded during the six months ended June 30, 2022:

Grant date

Award type

 

Number granted

  

Grant date fair value

 

June 21, 2022

Restricted stock

  1,103,801   $4.43 

June 21, 2022

Performance based

  322,799   $3.78 

June 28, 2022

Directors retainer

  98,310   $4.24 

In connection with the vesting of incentive compensation, employees have in the past, at their election and when permitted by us, chosen to satisfy their minimum tax withholding obligations through net share settlement, pursuant to which the Company withholds the number of shares necessary to satisfy such withholding obligations and pays the obligations in cash.  As a result, in the first threesix months of 2022 andwe withheld 737,258 shares valued at approximately $3.7 million, or approximately $4.99 per share. In the firstsix months of 2021 respectively.we withheld 574,251 shares valued at approximately $4.5 million, or approximately $7.88 per share.

 

Common Stock Dividends

 

On February 21,May 5, 2022, our Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.00625 per share of common stock, consisting of $0.00375 per share for the minimum dividend component of our common stock dividend policy and $0.0025 per share for the silver-linked dividend component of the policy, for a total dividend of $3.4 million paid in MarchJune 2022. The realized silver price of $23.49$24.68 in the fourthfirst quarter of 20212022 satisfied the criterion for the silver-linked dividend component of our common stock dividend policy.

 

 

Note 7.    Debt, Credit Facility and Leases

 

Our debt as of MarchJune 31,30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 consisted of our 7.25% Senior Notes due February 15, 2028 (“Senior Notes”) and our Series 2020-A Senior Notes due July 9, 2025 (the “IQ Notes”). The following tables summarize our long-term debt balances, excluding interest, as of MarchJune 31,30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 (in thousands):

 

 

March 31, 2022

  

June 30, 2022

 
 

Senior Notes

  

IQ Notes

  

Total

  

Senior Notes

  

IQ Notes

  

Total

 

Principal

 $475,000  $38,605  $513,605  $475,000  $37,433  $512,433 

Unamortized discount/premium and issuance costs

  (5,324)  571   (4,753)  (5,096)  504   (4,592)

Long-term debt balance

 $469,676  $39,176  $508,852  $469,904  $37,937  $507,841 

 

12

  

December 31, 2021

 
  

Senior Notes

  

IQ Notes

  

Total

 

Principal

 $475,000  $38,051  $513,051 

Unamortized discount/premium and issuance costs

  (5,552)  596   (4,956)

Long-term debt balance

 $469,448  $38,647  $508,095 

 

The following table summarizes the scheduled annual future payments, including interest, for our Senior Notes, IQ Notes, and finance and operating leases as of MarchJune 31,30, 2022 (in thousands). The amounts for the IQ Notes are stated in U.S. dollars (“USD”) based on the USD/Canadian dollar (“CAD”) exchange rate as of MarchJune 31,30, 2022.

 

Twelve-month period ending March 31,

 

Senior Notes

  

IQ Notes

  

Finance Leases

  

Operating Leases

 

Twelve-month
period ending
June 30,

 

Senior Notes

  

IQ Notes

  

Finance Leases

  

Operating Leases

 

2023

 $34,438  $2,515  $6,365  $3,057  $34,438  $2,441  $6,424  $3,011 

2024

 34,438  2,515  4,881  2,528  34,438  2,441  5,220  2,041 

2025

 34,438  2,515  3,313  1,079  34,438  2,441  3,070  1,072 

2026

 34,438  39,295  943  1,059  34,438  37,528  1,213  1,059 

2027

 34,438  0  0  1,041  34,438  0  0  1,010 

Thereafter

  505,130   0   0   6,174   496,521   0   0   6,043 

Total

 $677,320  $46,840  $15,502  $14,938  $668,711  $44,851  $15,927  $14,236 

 

Credit Facility

 

In July 2018, we entered into a $250 million senior secured revolving credit facility which has a term ending on February 7, 2023. As of MarchJune 31,30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, 0 borrowingsamounts were outstanding under the facility.

 

11

We are also able to obtain letters of credit under the facility, and for any such letters we are required to pay a participation fee of between 2.25% and 4.00% of the amount of the letters of credit based on our total leverage ratio, as well as a fronting fee to each issuing bank of 0.20% annually on the average daily dollar amount of any outstanding letters of credit. There were $17.3$14.9 million in letters of credit outstanding as of MarchJune 31,30, 2022. Letters of credit that are outstanding reduce availability under the revolving credit facility. See Note 12regarding the termination of this Credit Facility and entry into a new facility.

 

We believe we were in compliance with all covenants under the credit agreement as of MarchJune 31,30, 2022.

 

 

 

Note 8.    Derivative Instruments

 

General

 

Our current risk management policy provides that up to 75% of:

our future foreign currency-related operating cost exposure forof five years into the future may be hedged;

our planned lead and zinc metals price exposure for five years into the future, with certain other limitations, to be covered under derivatives programs that would establish a ceiling for prices to be realized on future metals sales; and

our planned silver and gold metals price exposure for five years into the future, with certain other limitations, may be covered under derivatives programs that would establish a floor, but not a ceiling, for prices to be realized on future metals sales. We currently do not utilize this program.

In addition, our risk management policy provides for (i) potential additional programs to manage other foreign currency, exposures and (ii) that price exposure between the time of shipment and final settlement on silver, gold, lead and zinc contained in our concentrate shipmentsmetals price and silver and gold price exposure may be covered under a derivatives programs that wouldprogram with certain other limitations. The silver and gold price program can only establish pricesa floor (puts). We are currently do not have a silver and gold program. Our program also utilizes derivatives to be realized on those sales.manage price risk exposure created from when revenue is recognized from a shipment of concentrate until final settlement.

 

These instruments expose us to (i) credit risk in the form of non-performance by counterparties for contracts in which the contract price exceeds the spot price of the hedged commodity or foreign currency and (ii) price risk to the extent that the spot price exceeds the contract price for quantities of our production and/or forecasted costs covered under contract positions.

 

13

Foreign Currency

 

Our wholly-owned subsidiariessubsidiary owning the Casa Berardi and San Sebastian operations areoperation is a USD-functional entitiesentity which routinely incurincurs expenses denominated in CAD and Mexican pesos (“MXN”), respectively.CAD.  Such expenses expose us to exchange rate fluctuations between the USD and CAD and MXN.CAD.  We utilizehave a program to manage our exposure to fluctuations in the exchange rate between the USD and CAD and the impact on ourfor this subsidiary's future operating costs denominated in CAD.  In November 2021, we initiated a similarThe program related to future development costs denominated in CAD, and have used a similar program, on a limited basis, related to interest payments on our IQ Notes (see Note 7). The programs utilizeutilizes forward contracts to buy CAD. EachCAD, and each contract related to operating costs is designated as a cash flow hedge, while contracts related to development and interest costs have not been designated as hedges as of March 31,2022.hedge.  As of MarchJune 31,30, 2022, we have 146161 forward contracts outstanding to buy a total of CAD$276.7321.8 million having a notional amount of USD$213.3247.9 million.  The CAD contracts are related to forecasted cash operating and development costs at Casa Berardi to be incurred from 20222021 through 20252024 and have CAD-to-USD exchange rates ranging between 1.2702 and 1.3333.

 

12

As of MarchJune 31,30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, we recorded the following balances for the fair value of the contracts (in millions):

 

  

March 31,

  

December 31,

 

Balance sheet line item:

 

2022

  

2021

 

Other current assets

 $3.9  $2.7 

Other non-current assets

  3.9   2.5 
  

June 30,

  

December 31,

 

 

 

2022

  

2021

 
Balance sheet line item:      

Current derivatives assets

 $1.1  $2.7 

Non-current derivatives assets

  1.3   2.5 

Current derivative liabilities

  0.3   0 

Non-current derivative liabilities

  0.2   0 

 

Net unrealized gains of approximately $7.8$2.0 million related to the effective portion of the hedges were included in accumulated other comprehensive lossincome (loss) as of MarchJune 31,30, 2022.  Unrealized gains and losses will be transferred from accumulated other comprehensive lossincome (loss) to current earnings as the underlying operating expenses are recognized.  We estimate approximately $3.70.8 million in net unrealized gains included in accumulated other comprehensive lossincome (loss) as of MarchJune 31,30, 2022, will be reclassified to current earnings in the next twelve months.  Net realized gains of approximately $1.1$0.8 million and $1.8 million on contracts related to underlying operating expenses which have been recognized were transferred from accumulated other comprehensive lossincome (loss) and included in cost of sales and other direct production costs for the three and sixmonths ended MarchJune 31,30, 2022.2022, Net gains of approximately $0.4 million related to contracts not designated as hedges and 0respectively.  NaN net unrealized gains or losses related to ineffectiveness of the hedges were included in current earnings for the six months ended June 30,2022. Net gains of approximately $0.3 million and $0.7 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, related to contracts not designated as hedges were included in fair value adjustments, net on our consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income for the three and sixmonths ended March 31,June 30, 2022.

 

Metals Prices

 

We are currently using financially-settled forward contracts to manage the exposure to:

 

changes in prices of silver, gold, zinc and lead contained in our concentrate shipments between the time of shipment and final settlement; and

 

changes in prices of zinc and lead (but not silver and gold) contained in our forecasted future concentrate shipments.

 

14

The following tables summarize the quantities of metals committed under forward sales contracts at MarchJune 31,30, 2022 and December 31, 2021:

 

March 31, 2022

 

Ounces/pounds under contract (in 000's)

  

Average price per ounce/pound

 

June 30, 2022

 

Ounces/pounds under contract (in 000's)

  

Average price per ounce/pound

 
 

Silver

 

Gold

 

Zinc

 

Lead

 

Silver

 

Gold

 

Zinc

 

Lead

  

Silver

 

Gold

 

Zinc

 

Lead

 

Silver

 

Gold

 

Zinc

 

Lead

 
 

(ounces)

  

(ounces)

  

(pounds)

  

(pounds)

  

(ounces)

  

(ounces)

  

(pounds)

  

(pounds)

  

(ounces)

  

(ounces)

  

(pounds)

  

(pounds)

  

(ounces)

  

(ounces)

  

(pounds)

  

(pounds)

 

Contracts on provisional sales

                                

2022 settlements

 1,573  5  16,976  5,732  $24.73  $1,912  $1.27  $0.97  1,729  3  6,504  3,638  $22.19  $1,836  $1.58  $0.90 

Contracts on forecasted sales

                                

2022 settlements

 0  0  37,644  46,517  N/A  N/A  $1.31  $0.98  0  0  38,030  34,778  N/A  N/A  $1.31  $0.98 

2023 settlements

 0  0  78,264  75,618  N/A  N/A  $1.30  $1.00  0  0  78,264  75,618  N/A  N/A  $1.30  $1.00 

2024 settlements

 0  0  64,650  23,149  N/A  N/A  $1.32  $1.01  0  0  78,760  31,526  N/A  N/A  $1.34  $1.01 

2025 settlements

 0  0  1,157  0  N/A  N/A  $1.37  N/A 

 

December 31, 2021

 

Ounces/pounds under contract (in 000's)

  

Average price per ounce/pound

 
  

Silver

  

Gold

  

Zinc

  

Lead

  

Silver

  

Gold

  

Zinc

  

Lead

 
  

(ounces)

  

(ounces)

  

(pounds)

  

(pounds)

  

(ounces)

  

(ounces)

  

(pounds)

  

(pounds)

 

Contracts on provisional sales

                                

2022 settlements

  1,814   6   13,371   4,575  $23.02  $1,812  $1.39  $0.96 

Contracts on forecasted sales

                                

2022 settlements

  0   0   57,706   59,194   N/A   N/A  $1.28  $0.98 

2023 settlements

  0   0   76,280   71,650   N/A   N/A  $1.29  $1.00 

 

Effective November 1, 2021, we designated the contracts for lead and zinc contained in our forecasted future shipments as hedges for accounting purposes, with gains and losses deferred to accumulated other comprehensive loss until the hedged product ships. Prior to November 1, 2021, these contracts had not been designated as hedges for hedge accounting and were therefore marked-to-market through earnings each period. The forward contracts for silver and gold contained in our concentrate shipments have not been designated as hedges and are marked-to-market through earnings each period. 

 

13

We recorded the following balances for the fair value of the forward contracts as of MarchJune 31,30, 2022 and forward and put option contracts as of December 31, 2021 (in millions):

 

  

March 31, 2022

  

December 31, 2021

 

Balance sheet line item:

 

Contracts in an

asset position

  

Contracts in

a liability

position

  

Net asset

(liability)

  

Contracts in

an asset

position

  

Contracts in a

liability

position

  

Net asset

(liability)

 

Other current assets

 $0.3  $(0.2) $0.1  $0  $0  $0 

Current derivatives liability

  0.5   (39.5)  (39.0)  0.7   (20.1)  (19.4)

Other non-current liabilities

  0.1   (43.5)  (43.4)  0.4   (18.9)  (18.5)
  

June 30, 2022

  

December 31, 2021

 

 

 

Contracts in an
asset position

  

Contracts in
a liability
position

  

Net asset
(liability)

  

Contracts in
an asset
position

  

Contracts in a
liability
position

  

Net asset
(liability)

 
Balance sheet line item:                  

Current derivatives assets

 $8.8  $0  $8.8  $0  $0  $0 

Non-current derivative assets

 $11.6  $0   11.6  $0  $0  $0 

Current derivatives liabilities

  0   (3.9)  (3.9)  0.7   (20.1)  (19.4)

Non-current derivatives liabilities

  0   (0.4)  (0.4)  0.4   (18.9)  (18.5)

 

Net unrealized lossesgains of approximately $63.0$15.6 million related to the effective portion of the contracts designated as hedges were included in accumulated other comprehensive lossincome (loss) as of MarchJune 30, 2022. 31,2022, and are net of related deferred taxes. Unrealized gains and losses will be transferred from accumulated other comprehensive lossincome (loss) to current earnings as the underlying operating expensessales are recognized. We estimate approximately $28.0$6.0 million in net unrealized lossesgains included in accumulated other comprehensive lossincome (loss) as of MarchJune 30, 2022 31,2022would be reclassified to current earnings in the next twelve months. We recognized a net lossgain of $4.8$11.3 million, including a $0.3$4.2 million gainloss transferred from accumulated other comprehensive loss, andincome (loss), during the three months ended June 30, 2022. For the six months ended June 30, 2022, we recognized a net gain of $2.8$6.6 million, during the first quarters of 2022 and 2021, respectively,including a $3.8 million loss transferred from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). These losses were recognized on the contracts utilized to manage exposure to prices of metals in our concentrate shipments, which is included in sales of products.sales.  The net losses and gains recognized on the contracts offset gains and losses related to price adjustments on our provisional concentrate sales due to changes to silver, gold, lead and zinc prices between the time of sale and final settlement.

 

15

We recognized $0.6 million in net losses of  $17.3 million and $0.5$16.8 million in net gains during the second quarter and first quartershalf of2022 and  2021, respectively, on the contracts utilized to manage exposure to prices for forecasted future sales.sales, which were not designated as hedges. The net losses and gains on these contracts are included as a separate line item under other income (expense), as they relate to forecasted future sales, as opposed to sales that have already taken place but are subject to final pricing as discussed in the preceding paragraph. Increases in zinc and lead prices resulted in the net loss for the first quarter of 2022.

 

Credit-risk-related Contingent Features

 

Certain of our derivative contracts contain cross default provisions which provide that a default under our revolving credit agreement would cause a default under the derivative contract. As of MarchJune 31,30, 2022, we have not posted any separate collateral related to these contracts. The fair value of derivatives in a net liability position related to these agreements was $83.2$12.2 million as of MarchJune 31,30, 2022, which includes accrued interest but excludes any adjustment for nonperformance risk. If we were in breach of any of the cross defaultthese provisions at MarchJune 31,30, 2022, we could have been required to settle our obligations under the agreements at their termination value of $83.2$12.2 million.

14

 

 

Note 9.    Fair Value Measurement

 

Fair value adjustments, net is comprised of the following:

 

 

Three Months Ended

March 31,

  

Three Months Ended June 30,

  

Six Months Ended June 30,

 
 

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 

(Loss) gain on derivative contracts

 $(201) $473  $(689) $(17,313) $(893) $(16,840)

Unrealized gain (loss) on investments in equity securities

 6,100  (3,506) (15,739) (750) (9,639) (4,256)

Gain on disposition or exchange of investments

  66   1,158   0   0   69   1,158 

Total fair value adjustments, net

 $5,965  $(1,875) $(16,428) $(18,063) $(10,463) $(19,938)

 

Accounting guidance has established a hierarchy for inputs used to measure assets and liabilities at fair value on a recurring basis. The three levels included in the hierarchy are:

 

Level 1: quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;

 

Level 2: significant other observable inputs; and

 

Level 3: significant unobservable inputs.

 

16

The table below sets forth our assets and liabilities that were accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis and the fair value calculation input hierarchy level that we have determined applies to each asset and liability category (in thousands).  

 

Description

 

Balance at

March 31, 2022

  

Balance at

December 31, 2021

 

Input

Hierarchy Level

 

Balance at

June 30, 2022

  

Balance at

December 31, 2021

 

Input

Hierarchy Level

Assets:

            

Cash and cash equivalents:

            

Money market funds and other bank deposits

 $212,029  $210,010 

Level 1

 $198,193  $210,010 

Level 1

Current and non-current investments:

      

Equity securities – mining industry

 29,204  14,470 

Level 1

Current and non-current investments

      

Equity securities

 23,931  14,470 

Level 1

Trade accounts receivable:

            

Receivables from provisional concentrate sales

 33,324  36,437 

Level 2

 17,828  36,437 

Level 2

Restricted cash balances:

            

Certificates of deposit and other bank deposits

 1,041  1,053 

Level 1

Derivative contracts - other current assets and other non-current assets:

      

Metal forward contracts

 74  0 

Level 2

Certificates of deposit and other deposits

 1,041  1,053 

Level 1

Derivative contracts - current and non-current derivatives assets:

      

Foreign exchange contracts

  7,829   5,207 

Level 2

 2,414  5,207 

Level 2

Metal forward and put option contracts

  20,406   0 

Level 2

Total assets

 $283,501  $267,177   $263,813  $267,177  
            

Liabilities:

            

Derivative contracts - current and non-current derivatives liabilities:

      

Metal forward contracts

 $82,394  $37,873 

Level 2

Derivative contracts - current derivatives liabilities and other non-current liabilities:

      

Foreign exchange contracts

  0   8 

Level 2

 $529  $8 

Level 2

Total Liabilities

 $82,394  $37,881  

Metal forward and put option contracts

  4,221   37,873 

Level 2

Total liabilities

 $4,750  $37,881  

 

Cash and cash equivalents consist primarily of money market funds and are valued at cost, which approximates fair value, and a small portion consists of municipal bonds having maturities of less than 90 days, which are recorded at fair value.

 

Current and non-current restricted cash balances consist primarily of certificates of deposit, U.S. Treasury securities, and other deposits and are valued at cost, which approximates fair value.

 

15

Non-current investmentsOur non-current available for sale securities consist of marketable equity securities of companies in the mining companiesindustry which are valued using quoted market prices for each security. During the first quarter of 2022, we acquired equity securities of various mining companies for a total cost of $10.9 million, and disposed of mining company equity securities acquired for $2.4 million for proceeds of $2.5 million. NaN such activity occurred during the first quarter of 2021.

 

Trade accounts receivable from provisional concentrate sales are subject to final pricing and valued using quoted prices based on forward curves for the particular metal.  metals.  The embedded derivative contained in our concentrate sales is adjusted to fair market value through earnings each period prior to final settlement.

 

We use financially-settled forward contracts to manage exposure to changes in the exchange rate between USD and CAD, and the impact on CAD-denominated operating and capital costs incurred at our Casa Berardi unit (see Note 8 for more information). The fair value of each contract represents the present value of the difference between the forward exchange rate for the contract settlement period as of the measurement date and the contract settlement exchange rate.

 

We use financially-settled forward contracts to manage the exposure to changes in prices of silver, gold, zinc and lead contained in our concentrate shipments that have not reached final settlementsettlement.  We also use financially-settled forward contracts to manage the exposure to changes in prices of silver, gold, zinc and lead contained in our forecasted future sales (see Note 8 for more information).  The fair value of each forward contract represents the present value of the difference between the forward metal price for the contract settlement period as of the measurement date and the contract settlement metal price.

 

At MarchJune 31,30, 2022, our Senior Notes and IQ Notes were recorded at their carrying value of $469.7$469.9 million and $39.2$37.9 million, respectively, net of unamortized initial purchaser discount/premium and issuance costs. The estimated fair values of our Senior Notes and IQ Notes were $498.5$453.3 million and $40.5$35.8 million, respectively, at MarchJune 30, 2022. 31,2022.Quoted market prices, which we consider to be Level 1 inputs, are utilized to estimate fair values of the Senior Notes. Unobservable inputs which we consider to be Level 3, including an assumed current annual yield of 6%8.2%, are utilized to estimate the fair value of the IQ Notes. See Note 7 for more information.

 

17

 

 

Note 10.    Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations

 

General

 

We follow GAAP guidance in determining our accruals and disclosures with respect to loss contingencies, and evaluate such accruals and contingencies for each reporting period. Accordingly, estimated losses from loss contingencies are accrued by a charge to income when information available prior to issuance of the financial statements indicates that it is probable that a liability could be incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Legal expenses associated with the contingency are expensed as incurred. If a loss contingency is not probable or reasonably estimable, disclosure of the loss contingency is made in the financial statements when it is at least reasonably possible that a material loss could be incurred.

 

Johnny M Mine Area near San Mateo, McKinley County and San Mateo Creek Basin, New Mexico

 

In August 2012, Hecla Limited and the EPA entered into a Settlement Agreement and Administrative Order on Consent for Removal Action (“Consent Order”) regarding the Johnny M Mine Area near San Mateo, McKinley County, New Mexico. Mining at the Johnny M Mine was conducted for a limited period of time by a predecessor of Hecla Limited, and the EPA had previously asserted that Hecla Limited may be responsible under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA”) for environmental remediation and past costs incurred by the EPA at the site. Under the Consent Order, Hecla Limited agreed to pay (i) $1.1 million to the EPA for its past response costs at the site and (ii) any future response costs at the site under the Consent Order, in exchange for a covenant not to sue by the EPA. In December 2014, Hecla Limited submitted to the EPA the Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis (“EE/CA”) for the site which recommended on-site disposal of mine-related material. In January 2021, the parties began negotiating a new consent order to design and implement the on-site disposal response action recommended in the EE/CA. Based on the foregoing, we believe it is probable that Hecla Limited will incur a liability for the CERCLA removal action and we increased our accrual by $2.9 million to $9.0 million in the first quarter of 2021, primarily representing estimated costs to begin design and implementation of the remedy. It is possible that Hecla Limited’s liability will be more than $9.0 million, and any increase in liability could have a material adverse effect on Hecla Limited’s or our results of operations or financial position.

 

16

The Johnny M Mine is in an area known as the San Mateo Creek Basin (“SMCB”), which is an approximately 321 square mile area in New Mexico that contains numerous legacy uranium mines and mills. In addition to Johnny M, Hecla Limited’s predecessor was involved at other mining sites within the SMCB. The EPA appears to have deferred consideration of listing the SMCB site on CERCLA’s National Priorities List (“Superfund”) by removing the site from its emphasis list, and is working with various potentially responsible parties (“PRPs”) at the site in order to study and potentially address perceived groundwater issues within the SMCB. The EE/CA discussed above relates primarily to contaminated rock and soil at the Johnny M site, not groundwater and not elsewhere within the SMCB site. It is possible that Hecla Limited’s liability at the Johnny M Site, and for any other mine site within the SMCB at which Hecla Limited’s predecessor may have operated, will be greater than our current accrual of $9.0 million due to the increased scope of required remediation.

 

In July 2018, the EPA informed Hecla Limited that it and several other PRPs may be liable for cleanup of the SMCB site or for costs incurred by the EPA in cleaning up the site. The EPA stated it has incurred approximately $9.6 million in response costs to date. On May 2, 2022, Hecla Limited received a letter from an attorney representing a PRP notifying Hecla Limited that three PRPs will seek cost recovery and contribution from Hecla Limited under CERCLA for certain investigatory work performed by the PRPs at the SMCB site. Hecla Limited cannot with reasonable certainty estimate the amount or range of liability, if any, relating to this matter because of, among other reasons, the lack of information concerning the site, including the relative contributions of contamination by the various PRPs.

 

18

Carpenter Snow Creek and Barker-Hughesville Sites in Montana

 

In July 2010, the EPA made a formal request to Hecla for information regarding the Carpenter Snow Creek Superfund site located in Cascade County, Montana. The Carpenter Snow Creek site is located in a historic mining district, and in the early 1980s Hecla Limited leased 6 mining claims and performed limited exploration activities at the site. Hecla Limited terminated the mining lease in 1988.

 

In June 2011, the EPA informed Hecla Limited that it believes Hecla Limited, and several other PRPs, may be liable for cleanup of the site or for costs incurred by the EPA in cleaning up the site. The EPA stated in the letter that it has incurred approximately $4.5 million in response costs and estimated that total remediation costs may exceed $100 million. Hecla Limited cannot with reasonable certainty estimate the amount or range of liability, if any, relating to this matter because of, among other reasons, the lack of information concerning the site, including the relative contributions of contamination by various other PRPs.

 

In February 2017, the EPA made a formal request to Hecla for information regarding the Barker-Hughesville Mining District Superfund site located in Judith Basin and Cascade Counties, Montana. Hecla Limited submitted a response in April 2017. The Barker-Hughesville site is located in a historic mining district, and between approximately June and December 1983, Hecla Limited was party to an agreement with another mining company under which limited exploration activities occurred at or near the site.

 

In August 2018, the EPA informed Hecla Limited that it and several other PRPs may be liable for cleanup of the site or for costs incurred by the EPA in cleaning up the site. The EPA did not include an amount of its alleged response costs to date. Hecla Limited cannot with reasonable certainty estimate the amount or range of liability, if any, relating to this matter because of, among other reasons, the lack of information concerning past or anticipated future costs at the site and the relative contributions of contamination by various other PRPs.

 

Greens Creek and Lucky Friday Environmental Issues

On June 30, 2022, our Greens Creek mine received a Notice of Violation ( “NOV”) from the EPA alleging that the mine treated, stored, and disposed of certain hazardous waste without a permit in violation of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”), relating to the alleged presence of lead outside the concentrate storage building and the alleged improper reuse/recycling of certain materials produced from the on-site laboratories. The NOV contained two other less significant alleged violations. We disagree with several of EPA’s allegations on a factual and legal basis.

Currently, the EPA has not initiated any formal enforcement proceeding against our Greens Creek subsidiary. In civil judicial cases, EPA can seek statutory penalties up to $81,540 per day per violation and, in administrative settlements, EPA can seek administrative penalties up to $47,423 per day per violation plus the economic benefit of noncompliance. EPA typically pursues administrative penalties and assesses lower penalties on a per day basis. At this time, we cannot reasonably assess the amount of penalties EPA may seek, or predict the terms of any potential settlement with the EPA.

On July 12, 2022, our Lucky Friday mine received a NOV from the EPA alleging violations of the Clean Water Act (“CWA”) between 2018 and 2021 relating primarily to concentration levels of zinc and lead in the mine’s permitted water discharges.  Currently, the EPA has not initiated any formal enforcement proceeding against our Lucky Friday subsidiary.  In civil judicial cases, EPA can seek statutory penalties up to $59,973 per day per violation and, in administrative actions, EPA can seek administrative penalties up to $23,989 per day per violation with a maximum administrative penalty of $299,989 for all alleged violations.  EPA typically pursues administrative penalties.  At this time, we cannot reasonably assess the amount of penalties EPA may seek, or predict the terms of any potential settlement with the EPA.

1719

 

Litigation Related to Klondex Acquisition

 

On May 24, 2019, a purported Hecla stockholder filed a putative class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against Hecla and certain of our executive officers, one of whom is also a director. The complaint, purportedly brought on behalf of all purchasers of Hecla common stock from March 19, 2018 through and including May 8, 2019, asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder and seeks, among other things, damages and costs and expenses. Specifically, the complaint alleges that Hecla, under the authority and control of the individual defendants, made certain material false and misleading statements and omitted certain material information regarding Hecla’s Nevada Operations. The complaint alleges that these misstatements and omissions artificially inflated the market price of Hecla common stock during the class period, thus purportedly harming investors. Filings with the court regarding our motion to dismiss the lawsuit were completed in the first quarter of 2021. We cannot predict the outcome of this lawsuit or estimate damages if plaintiffs were to prevail. We believe that these claims are without merit and intend to defend them vigorously.

 

Related to this class action lawsuit, Hecla has been named as a nominal defendant in a shareholder derivative lawsuit which also names as defendants certain current and past (i) members of Hecla’s board of directors and (ii) officers of Hecla. The case was filed on May 4, 2022 in the Delaware Chancery Court. In general terms, the suit alleges breaches of fiduciary duties by the individual defendants, waste of corporate assets and unjust enrichment, and seeks damages, purportedly on behalf of Hecla.

 

Debt

 

See Note 7 for information on the commitments related to our debt arrangements as of MarchJune 31,30, 2022.

 

Other Commitments

 

Our contractual obligations as of MarchJune 30, 2022 31,2022included open purchase orders and commitments of approximately $7.7$8.1 million, $10.1$19.1 million, $0.2$1.3 million and $4.6$3.4 million for various capital and non-capital items at Greens Creek, Lucky Friday, Casa Berardi and Nevada Operations, respectively. We also have total commitments of approximately $15.5$15.9 million relating to scheduled payments on finance leases, including interest, primarily for equipment at our Greens Creek, Lucky Friday, Casa Berardi and Nevada Operations units, and total commitments of approximately $14.9$14.2 million relating to payments on operating leases (see Note 7 for more information). As part of our ongoing business and operations, we are required to provide surety bonds, bank letters of credit, and restricted deposits for various purposes, including financial support for environmental reclamation obligations and workers compensation programs. As of MarchJune 31,30, 2022, we had surety bonds totaling $183.5$181.8 million and letters of credit totaling $17.3$14.9 million in place as financial support for future reclamation and closure costs, self-insurance, and employee benefit plans. The obligations associated with these instruments are generally related to performance requirements that we address through ongoing operations. As the requirements are met, the beneficiary of the associated instruments cancels or returns the instrument to the issuing entity. Certain of these instruments are associated with operating sites with long-lived assets and will remain outstanding until closure of the sites. We believe we are in compliance with all applicable bonding requirements and will be able to satisfy future bonding requirements as they arise.

 

Other Contingencies

 

We also have certain other contingencies resulting from litigation, claims, EPA investigations, and other commitments and are subject to a variety of environmental and safety laws and regulations incident to the ordinary course of business. We currently have no basis to conclude that any or all of such contingencies will materially affect our financial position, results of operations or cash flows. However, in the future, there may be changes to these contingencies, or additional contingencies may occur, any of which might result in an accrual or a change in current accruals recorded by us, and there can be no assurance that their ultimate disposition will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

 

20

 

 

Note 11.    Developments in Accounting Pronouncements

 

Accounting Standards Updates Adopted

 

In August 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("(“FASB") issued ASU No. 2020-06 Debt - Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity. The update is to address issues identified as a result of the complexity associated with applying generally accepted accounting principles to certain financial instruments with characteristics of liabilities and equity. The update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, including interim periods within those fiscal years and with early adoption permitted. We adopted the update as of January 1, 2022, which did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements or disclosures.

 

18

In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-08, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers, which requires entities to recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination in accordance with ASC 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). The update will generally result in an entity recognizing contract assets and contract liabilities at amounts consistent with those recorded by the acquiree immediately before the acquisition date rather than at fair value. The update is effective on a prospective basis for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, with early adoption permitted. We adopted the new standard effective January 1, 2022, which did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements or disclosures.

 

Accounting Standards Updates to Become Effective in Future Periods

 

In 2017, the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA") announced that after 2021 it would no longer compel banks to submit the rates required to calculate the London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR"), which have been widely used as reference rates for various securities and financial contracts, including loans, debt and derivatives. This announcement indicated that the continuation of LIBOR on the current basis would not be guaranteed after 2021. Subsequently in March 2021, the FCA announced some USD LIBOR tenors (overnight, 1 month, 3 month, 6 month and 12 month) will continue to be published until June 30, 2023. Regulators in the U.S. and other jurisdictions have been working to replace these rates with alternative reference interest rates that are supported by transactions in liquid and observable markets, such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR"). Currently, our credit facility and certain of our derivative instruments reference LIBOR-based rates. Our credit facility contains provisions specifying alternative interest rate calculations to be employed when LIBOR ceases to be available as a benchmark and we have adhered to the ISDA 2020 IBOR Fallbacks Protocol, which will govern our derivatives upon the final cessation of USD LIBOR. ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting, as amended, helps limit the accounting impact from contract modifications, including hedging relationships, due to the transition from LIBOR to alternative reference rates that are completed by December 31, 2022. We do not expect a significant impact to our financial results, financial position or cash flows from the transition from LIBOR to alternative reference interest rates, but we will continue to monitor the impact of this transition until it is completed.

 

 

Note 12.Subsequent Events

 

DuringOn AprilJuly 5, 2022, we invested approximately $10and Alexco Resource Corp. ("Alexco") a Canadian publicly traded company, announced a definitive agreement for one of our subsidiaries to acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Alexco that Hecla does not already own. Each outstanding common share of Alexco will be exchanged for 0.116 of a share of our common stock implying consideration of US$0.47 per Alexco common share. In addition, we will (i) provide interim financing to provide working capital and support the continued advancement of the development and exploration at Alexco's, Keno Hill mine, of which $20 million was advanced on July 19, 2022 and (ii) subscribe for additional common shares bringing Hecla's ownership stake to 9.9%, which also closed on July 19, 2022.

The Company has also entered into an agreement with Wheaton Precious Metals Corporation to terminate its silver streaming interest at Alexco’s Keno Hill property in mining company securities.exchange for US$135 million of Company common stock, conditional upon the completion of the Alexco acquisition.

21

On July 21, 2022, we entered into a Credit Agreement (“New Credit Agreement”) with the various financial institutions (the “Lenders”), Bank of Montreal and Bank of America, N.A. as letters of credit issuers, and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent for the Lenders and as swingline lender, to replace our Prior Credit Agreement, see Note 7for additional information on this credit agreement. The New Credit Agreement is a $150 million senior secured revolving facility, with an option to be increased in an aggregate amount not to exceed $75 million. The revolving loans under the New Credit Agreement will have a maturity date of July 21, 2026. Proceeds of the revolving loans under the New Credit Agreement may be used to refinance the Prior Credit Agreement and for general corporate purposes. The interest rate on outstanding loans under the New Credit Agreement is, at the option of the Borrowers, one month, three months or six months Term SOFR plus (x) 0.10% for an interest period of one-month’s duration, (y) 0.15% for an interest period of 3-month’s duration and (z) 0.25% for an interest period of six-month’s duration plus the Applicable Margin or Base Rate (which is the highest of (i) the Bank of America prime rate, (ii) the Federal Funds rate plus .50% and (iii) Term SOFR plus 1.00%, subject to the interest rate floors) plus the Applicable Margin. The “Applicable Margin” means (a) for the first fiscal quarter ending after the closing date, in the case of Term SOFR loans, 2.25% per annum, and, in the case of Base Rate loans, 1.25% per annum, and (b) thereafter, between 2.00% and 3.50% for Term SOFR loans or between 1.00% and 2.50% for Base Rate loans depending on our total leverage ratio. We are also required to pay quarterly in arrears a commitment fee of between 0.45000% to 0.78750%, depending on our total leverage ratio, of the actual daily amount by which the Aggregate Revolving Commitments exceed the sum of the Outstanding Amount of Revolving Loan and the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations. We are also required to pay a participation fee for letters of credit issued under the New Credit Agreement in an amount between 2.00% and 3.50% based on our total leverage ratio, as well as a fronting fee to each issuing bank at an agreed upon rate per annum on the average daily dollar amount of our letter of credit exposure.

Hecla Mining Company and certain of its subsidiaries are the borrowers under the New Credit Agreement, while certain of its other subsidiaries are guarantors of the borrowers’ obligations under the New Credit Agreement. As further security, the credit facility is collateralized by a mortgage on the Greens Creek mine, the equity interests of subsidiaries that own the Greens Creek mine or are part of the Greens Creek Joint Venture and our subsidiary Hecla Admiralty Company (the “Greens Creek Group”), and by all of the Green Creek Group’s rights and interests in the Greens Creek Joint Venture Agreement, and in all assets of the joint venture and of any member of the Greens Creek Group.

In connection with entry into the New Credit Agreement, the Company’s Prior credit agreement was terminated on July 21, 2022.

 

1922

 

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

Certain statements contained in this Form 10-Q, including in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk, are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provided for under Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.  Our forward-looking statements include our current expectations and projections about future results, performance, results of litigation, prospects and opportunities, including reserves and other mineralization. We have tried to identify these forward-looking statements by using words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “intend,” “feel,” “plan,” “estimate,” “project,” “forecast” and similar expressions.  These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to us and are expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis.  However, our forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause our actual results, performance, prospects or opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements.

 

These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, those set forth under Part I, Item 1A1A. Risk Factors in our annual report filed on2021 Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 (“2021and in Part II, Item 1.A. - Risk Factors in this Form 10-K”).10-Q. Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements.  All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to Hecla Mining Company or to persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements.  Except as required by federal securities laws, we do not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

20

 

Item 2.    Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

 

In this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”), “Hecla,” “the Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Hecla Mining Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, except where the context requires otherwise. You should read this discussion in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements, the related MD&A and the discussion of our Business and Properties in our 2021 Form 10-K filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The results of operations reported and summarized below are not necessarily indicative of future operating results (refer to “Forward-Looking Statements” above for further discussion). References to “Notes” are Notes included in our Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited). Throughout MD&A, all references to losses or income per share are on a diluted basis.

 

Overview

 

Established in 1891, we believe we are the oldest operating precious metals mining company in the United States. We are the largest silver producer in the United States, producing over 40% of the United States silver production at our Greens Creek and Lucky Friday operations. We produce gold at our Casa Berardi operation in Quebec, Canada, and Greens Creek, and produced gold at our Nevada Operations segment prior to suspension of operations during 2021. Based upon our operational footprint, we believe we have low political and economic risk compared to other mines located in other parts of the world. Our exploration interests are located in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Our operating and strategic framework is based on expanding our production and locating and developing new resource potential in a safe and responsible manner.

 

FirstSecond Quarter 2022 Highlights

 

Operational:

 

 

Produced 3.33.6 million ounces of silver and 41,64245,719 ounces of gold. See Consolidated Results of Operations below for information on total cost of sales and cash costs and AISC, after by-product credits, per silver and gold ounce for the three-month periods ended March 31,June 30, 2022 and 2021.

Continued mitigation of the impacts of COVID-19 through refinement of our operational plans and procedures to protect our workforce, operations and communities while maintaining liquidity.

Financial:

Reported sales of $191.2 million.

Generated $40.2 million in net cash provided by operating activities. See the Financial Liquidity and Capital Resources section below for further discussion.

Made capital expenditures (excluding lease additions and other non-cash items) of approximately $34.7 million, including $14.7 million at Greens Creek, $11.5 million at Lucky Friday, $8.1 million at Casa Berardi and $0.3 million at the Nevada Operations.

23

Generated $5.9 million in free cash flow. A reconciliation of the non-GAAP measure free cash flow to net cash provided by operating activities, the nearest GAAP measure, is included in the Reconciliation of Cash Flows From Operating Activities (GAAP) to Free Cash Flow (Non-GAAP) section below.

Returned $3.5 million, or 60% of free cash flows, to our shareholders through payment of dividends.

Spent $11.2 million on exploration and pre-development activities.

During April made an $11.0 million strategic investment in Alexco. Subsequent to June 30, 2022, we increased our investment in Alexco. See Note 12, of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited) regarding our proposed acquisition of Alexco.

Year to date 2022 Highlights

Operational:

Produced 7.0 million ounces of silver and 87,361 ounces of gold. See Consolidated Results of Operations below for information on total cost of sales and cash costs and AISC, after by-product credits, per silver and gold ounce for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2022 and 2021.

 

Continued our trend of strong safety performance, as our All Injury Frequency Rate (“AIFR”) for the first quarter of 2022year to date was 1.48, 30%1.59, 24% below the U.S. national average for MSHA's “metal and nonmetal” category and within 3%10% of our AIFR of 1.45 for the full year of 2021.

 

Continued mitigation of the impacts of COVID-19 through refinement of our operational plans and procedures to protect our workforce, operations and communities while maintaining liquidity.

 

Financial:

 

 

Reported sales of products of $186.5$377.7 million.

 

Generated $37.9$78.1 million in net cash provided by operating activities after bi-annual interest payments totaling $18.5 million on the Senior Notes and IQ Notes.activities. See the Financial Liquidity and Capital Resources section below for further discussion.

 

Made capital expenditures (excluding lease additions and other non-cash items) of approximately $21.5$55.8 million, including $3.1$17.8 million at Greens Creek, $9.7$21.2 million at Lucky Friday, $7.8$15.9 million at Casa Berardi and $0.9$1.2 million at the Nevada Operations.

 

Generated $16.4$22.3 million in free cash flow. A reconciliation of the non-GAAP measure free cash flow to net cash provided by operating activities, the nearest GAAP measure, is included in the Reconciliation of Cash Flows From Operating Activities (GAAP) to Free Cash Flow (Non-GAAP) section below.

 

Returned $3.5$7.0 million, or 21%31% of free cash flows, to our shareholders through payment of dividends.

 

Spent $12.8$24.0 million on exploration and pre-development activities.

 

Achieved the above while increasingInvested $21.9 million in junior mining companies, including an $11.0 investment in Alexco. See Note 12, of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited) regarding our cash balance to $212.0 million, which was $2.0 million higher than at December 31, 2021, with no borrowings on our revolving credit facility, asproposed acquisition of March 31, 2022.Alexco.

 

Our current business strategy is to focus our financial and human resources in the following areas:

 

executing value enhancing transactions, such as with the proposed Alexco acquisition;

 

rapidly responding to the threats from the COVID-19 pandemic to protect our workforce, operations and communities while maintaining liquidity;

 

operating our properties safely, in an environmentally responsible and cost-effective manner;

 

maintaining and investing in exploration and pre-development projects in the vicinities of eleven mining districts and projects we believe to be under-explored and under-invested: Greens Creek on Alaska's Admiralty Island located near Juneau; North Idaho's Silver Valley in the historic Coeur d'Alene Mining District; the silver-producing district near Durango, Mexico; in the vicinity of our Casa Berardi mine and the Heva-Hosco project in the Abitibi region of northwestern Quebec, Canada; our projects located in two districts in Nevada; our projects in northwestern Montana; the Creede district of southwestern Colorado; the Kinskuch project in British Columbia, Canada; and the Republic mining district in Washington state;

24

 

improving operations at each of our mines, which includes incurring costs for new technologies and equipment;

 

expanding our proven and probable reserves, mineral resources and production capacity at our properties;

 

conducting our business with financial stewardship to preserve our financial position in varying metals price and operational environments;

 

advancing permitting of one or both of our Montana projects; and

 

continuing to seek opportunities to acquire and invest in mining and exploration properties and companies.

 

We strive to achieve excellent mine safety and health performance. We seek to implement this goal by: training employees in safe work practices; establishing, following and improving safety standards; investigating accidents, incidents and losses to avoid recurrence; involving employees in the establishment of safety standards; and participating in the National Mining Association’s CORESafety program. We seek to implement reasonable best practices with respect to mine safety and emergency preparedness. We respond to issues outlined in investigations and inspections by MSHA, the Commission of Labor Standards, Pay Equity and Occupational Health and Safety in Quebec, and the Mexico Ministry of Economy and Mining and continue to evaluate our safety practices. There can be no assurance that our practices will mitigate or eliminate all safety risks. Achieving and maintaining compliance with regulations will be challenging and may increase our operating costs. See Item 1A. Risk Factors - We face substantial governmental regulation, including the Mine Safety and Health Act, various environmental laws and regulations and the 1872 Mining Law in our 2021 Form 10-K.

 

21

Since its outbreak in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our operational practices and we continue to incur incremental costs and modify our operational plans to keep our workforce safe. In 2020, the pandemic adversely impacted our expected production of gold at Casa Berardi and exploration drilling at Greens Creek. We incurred $0.4$0.1 million and $1.6$0.4 million in COVID-19 mitigation costs during the three and six months ended March 31,June 30, 2022 compared to $1.4 million and $3.0 million during the three and six months ended June 30, 2021, respectively. To mitigate the impact of COVID-19, we have taken precautionary measures, including implementing operational plans and practices and increasing our cash reserves. As long as they are required, the operational practices implemented could continue to have an adverse impact on our operating results due to additional costs or deferred production and revenues. There is uncertainty related to the potential additional impacts COVID-19 and any subsequent variants could have on our operations and financial results for the rest of 2022. In our 2021 Form 10-K, see Item IA. Risk Factors - Natural disasters, public health crises (including COVID-19), political crises, and other catastrophic events or other events outside of our control may materially and adversely affect our business or financial results and COVID-19 virus pandemic may heighten other risks for information on how restrictions related to COVID-19 have recently affected some of our operations.

 

A number of key factors may impact the execution of our strategy, including regulatory issues and metals prices. Metals prices can be very volatile and are influenced by a number of factors beyond our control (except on a limited basis through the use of derivative contracts). See Item 7. Critical Accounting Estimates in our 2021 Form 10-K and above in Note 8 of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited). The average realized prices of gold lead and zinc were higher, with the average realized price for silver and lead lower, in the firstsecond three months of 2022 than in the comparable period last year, as illustrated by the table in Results of Operations below. While we believe longer-term global economic and industrial trends could result in continued demand for the metals we produce, prices have been volatile and there can be no assurance that current prices will continue.

 

Volatility in global financial markets and other factors can pose a significant challenge to our ability to access credit and equity markets, should we need to do so, and to predict sales prices for our products. To help mitigate this challenge, we utilize forward contracts to manage exposure to declines in the prices of (i) silver, gold, zinc and lead contained in our concentrates that have been shipped but have not yet settled, and (ii) zinc and lead that we forecast for future concentrate shipments. In addition, we have in place a $250 million revolving credit agreement, of which $17.3$14.9 million was used as of March 31,June 30, 2022 for letters of credit, leaving approximately $232.7$235.1 million available for borrowing.

 

Another challenge for us is the risk associated with environmental litigation and ongoing reclamation activities. As described in Item 1A. Risk Factors in our 2021 Form 10-K and above in Note 10 of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited), it is possible that our estimate of these liabilities (and our ability to estimate liabilities in general) may change in the future, affecting our strategic plans. We are involved in various environmental legal matters and the estimate of our environmental liabilities and liquidity needs, as well as our strategic plans, may be significantly impacted as a result of these matters or new matters that may arise. We strive to ensure that our activities are conducted in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and attempt to resolve environmental litigation on terms as favorable to us as possible.

 

25

 

Consolidated Results of Operations

 

Sales of products by metal for the three-monththree- and six-month periods ended March 31,June 30, 2022 and 2021 were as follows:

  

Three Months Ended

June 30,

  

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 

(in thousands)

 

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 

Silver

 $70,050  $92,765  $136,382  $170,525 

Gold

  82,018   86,078   159,186   187,487 

Lead

  21,314   22,223   40,878   38,116 

Zinc

  31,176   30,037   66,814   59,228 

Less: smelter charges

  (13,316)  (13,120)  (25,519)  (26,521)

Sales of products

 $191,242  $217,983  $377,741  $428,835 

Sales by metal for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, and the approximate variances attributed to differences in metals prices, sales volumes and smelter terms, were as follows:

 

(in thousands)

 

Silver

  

Gold

  

Base metals

  

Less: smelter

and refining

charges

  

Total sales

of products

  

Silver

  

Gold

  

Base metals

  

Less: smelter
and refining
charges

  

Total sales
of products

 

Three months ended March 31, 2021

 $77,760  $101,408  $45,084  $(13,400) $210,852 

Three months ended June 30, 2021

 $92,765  $86,078  $52,260  $(13,120) $217,983 

Variances - 2022 versus 2021:

  

Price

 (2,613) 4,298  12,316  (76) 13,925  (21,990) 1,107  (1,052) 1,360  (20,575)

Volume

 (8,726) (28,453) (2,198) 1,369  (38,008) (688) (5,167) 1,282  100  (4,473)

Smelter terms

  (89)  (85)     (96)  (270)  (37)        (1,656)  (1,693)

Three months ended March 31, 2022

 $66,332  $77,168  $55,202  $(12,203) $186,499 

Three months ended June 30, 2022

 $70,050  $82,018  $52,490  $(13,316) $191,242 

(in thousands)

 

Silver

  

Gold

  

Base metals

  

Less: smelter
and refining
charges

  

Total sales
of products

 

Six months ended June 30, 2021

 $170,525  $187,487  $97,344  $(26,521) $428,835 

Variances - 2022 versus 2021:

                    

Price

  (24,348)  5,708   11,404   (16)  (7,252)

Volume

  (9,703)  (33,924)  (1,056)  1,428   (43,255)

Smelter terms

  (92)  (85)     (410)  (587)

Six months ended June 30, 2022

 $136,382  $159,186  $107,692  $(25,519) $377,741 

The fluctuations in sales for the second quarter and first six months of 2022 compared to the same periods of 2021 were primarily due to the following two reasons:

Lower average realized prices for silver in the second quarter and first half of 2022, lower realized lead prices in the three months ended June 30, 2022, partially offset by higher realized gold and zinc prices in the second quarter and first half of 2022 and higher realized lead prices for the first half of 2022, all compared to the same periods of 2021. These price variances are illustrated in the following table:

 

2226

 

Average market and realized metals prices for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2022 and 2021 were as follows:

 

Three months ended March 31,

  

Three Months Ended

June 30,

  

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 
 

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 

Silver –

London PM Fix ($/ounce)

 $23.95  $26.29 

London PM Fix ($/ounce)

 $22.64  $26.69  $23.30  $26.49 

Realized price per ounce

 $24.68  $25.66 

Realized price per ounce

 $20.68  $27.14  $22.45  $26.45 

Gold –

London PM Fix ($/ounce)

 $1,874  $1,798 

London PM Fix ($/ounce)

 $1,872  $1,816  $1,873  $1,807 

Realized price per ounce

 $1,880  $1,770 

Realized price per ounce

 $1,855  $1,825  $1,867  $1,795 

Lead –

LME Final Cash Buyer ($/pound)

 $1.06  $0.92 

LME Final Cash Buyer ($/pound)

 $1.00  $0.96  $1.03  $0.94 

Realized price per pound

 $1.08  $0.92 

Realized price per pound

 $0.97  $1.04  $1.02  $0.99 

Zinc –

LME Final Cash Buyer ($/pound)

 $1.70  $1.25 

LME Final Cash Buyer ($/pound)

 $1.78  $1.32  $1.74  $1.29 

Realized price per pound

 $1.79  $1.32 

Realized price per pound

 $1.44  $1.35  $1.61  $1.34 

 

Average realized prices typically differ from average market prices primarily because concentrate sales are generally recorded as revenues at the time of shipment at forward prices for the estimated month of settlement, which differ from average market prices.  Due to the time elapsed between shipment of concentrates and final settlement with the customers, we must estimate the prices at which sales of our metals will be settled.  Previously recorded sales are adjusted to estimated settlement metals prices each period through final settlement.  For the second quarter and first quarterssix months of 2022, and 2021, we recorded net negative price adjustments to provisional settlements of $15.7 million and $14.8 million, respectively, compared to net positive price adjustments to provisional settlements of $1.0$3.1 million and $0.63.6 million, respectively.respectively, in the second quarter and first six months of 2021. The price adjustments related to silver, gold, leadzinc and zinclead contained in our concentrate shipments were largelypartially offset by gains and losses on forward contracts for those metals. See Note 8 of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited) for more information.  The gains and losses on these contracts are included in revenues and impact the realized prices for silver, gold, lead and zinc.  Realized prices are calculated by dividing gross revenues for each metal (which include the price adjustments and gains and losses on the forward contracts discussed above) by the payable quantities of each metal included in concentrate, doré and dorécarbon material shipped during the period.

 

Higher quantities of lead sold as a result of higher production at Lucky Friday was offset by lower silver, gold and zinc sales volumes, in the second quarter and first half of 2022 compared to 2021. See The Greens Creek Segment,The Lucky Friday Segment, The Casa Berardi Segment and The Nevada Operations Segment sections below for more information on metal production and sales volumes at each of our operating segments. Total metals production and sales volumes for each period are shown in the following table:

 

  

Three Months Ended

March 31,

   

Three Months Ended

June 30,

  

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 
  

2022

  

2021

   

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 

Silver -

Ounces produced

 3,324,708  3,459,446 

Ounces produced

 3,645,454  3,524,783  6,970,162  6,984,229 

Payable ounces sold

 2,687,261  3,030,026 

Payable ounces sold

 3,387,909  3,415,464  6,075,170  6,445,490 

Gold -

Ounces produced

 41,642  52,004 

Ounces produced

 45,719  59,139  87,361  111,143 

Payable ounces sold

 41,053  57,286 

Payable ounces sold

 44,225  47,168  85,278  104,454 

Lead -

Tons produced

 10,863  10,704 

Tons produced

 13,331  11,540  24,194  22,244 

Payable tons sold

 9,054  8,668 

Payable tons sold

 11,685  10,663  20,739  19,331 

Zinc -

Tons produced

 14,946  16,107 

Tons produced

 16,766  17,211  31,712  33,318 

Payable tons sold

 9,947  11,027 

Payable tons sold

 10,858  11,143  20,805  22,170 

 

The difference between what we report as “ounces/tons produced” and “payable ounces/tons sold” is attributable to the difference between the quantities of metals contained in our productsthe concentrates we produce versus the portion of those metals actually paid for by our customers pursuantaccording to the terms of our sales contracts. Differences can also arise from inventory changes incidental to shipping schedules, or variances in ore grades which impact the amount of metals contained in concentrates produced and sold.

 

2327

 

Sales, total cost of sales, gross profit, Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce (“Cash Cost”) (non-GAAP) and All-In Sustaining Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce (“AISC”) (non-GAAP) at our operationsoperating units for the three-month periodsthree- and six-months ended March 31,June 30, 2022 and 2021 were as follows (in thousands, except for Cash Cost and AISC):

 

  

Silver

  

Gold

 
  

Greens

Creek

  

Lucky

Friday

  

Other (2)

  

Total

Silver (3)

  

Casa

Berardi

  

Nevada

Operations

  

Total

Gold

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2022:

                            

Sales

 $86,090  $38,040  $  $124,130  $62,101  $268  $62,369 

Total cost of sales

  (49,638)  (29,264)     (78,902)  (62,168)     (62,168)

Gross profit (loss)

 $36,452  $8,776  $  $45,228  $(67) $268  $201 

Cash Cost After By-product Credits, per Silver or Gold Ounce (1)

 $(0.90) $6.57  $  $1.09  $1,516  $  $1,516 

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Silver or Gold ounce (1)

 $1.90  $13.15  $  $7.64  $1,810  $  $1,810 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2021:

                            

Sales

 $98,409  $29,122  $173  $127,704  $72,911  $10,237  $83,148 

Total cost of sales

  (53,181)  (22,794)  (94)  (76,069)  (59,927)  (7,455)  (67,382)

Gross profit

 $45,228  $6,328  $79  $51,635  $12,984  $2,782  $15,766 

Cash Cost After By-product Credits, per Silver or Gold Ounce (1)

 $(0.67) $7.62  $  $1.40  $1,027  $1,416  $1,052 

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Silver or Gold ounce (1)

 $1.59  $14.24  $  $7.21  $1,272  $1,461  $1,284 
  

Silver

  

Gold

 
  

Greens

Creek

  

Lucky

Friday

  

Other

  

Total

Silver (2)

  

Casa

Berardi

  

Nevada Operations

  

Total

Gold

 

Three Months Ended June 30, 2022:

                            

Sales

 $92,723  $35,880  $  $128,603  $62,639  $  $62,639 

Total cost of sales

  (60,506)  (30,348)     (90,854)  (61,870)  (1,255)  (63,125)

Gross profit (loss)

 $32,217  $5,532      $37,749  $769  $(1,255) $(486)

Cash Cost per silver or gold ounce (1)

 $(3.29) $3.07  $  $(1.14) $1,371     $1,371 

AISC per silver or gold ounce (1)

 $3.48  $9.91  $  $8.55  $1,641  $  $1,641 

Three Months Ended June 30, 2021:

                            

Sales

 $113,763  $39,645  $3  $153,411  $56,122  $8,450  $64,572 

Total cost of sales

  (55,488)  (27,901)  (1)  (83,390)  (54,669)  (17,993)  (72,662)

Gross profit (loss)

 $58,275  $11,744  $2  $70,021  $1,453  $(9,543) $(8,090)

Cash Cost per silver or gold ounce (1)

 $(2.64) $8.07  $  $0.18  $1,199  $1,369  $1,254 

AISC per silver or gold ounce (1)

 $0.68  $14.10  $  $7.54  $1,434  $1,386  $1,419 

  

Silver

  

Gold

 
  

Greens

Creek

  

Lucky

Friday

  

Other

  

Total

Silver (2)

  

Casa

Berardi

  

Nevada

Operations

  

Total

Gold

 

Six Months Ended June 30, 2022:

                            

Sales

 $178,813  $73,920  $  $252,733  $124,740  $268  $125,008 

Total cost of sales

  (110,143)  (59,613)     (169,756)  (124,038)  (1,255)  (125,293)

Gross profit

 $68,670  $14,307  $  $82,977  $702  $(987) $(285)

Cash Cost per silver or gold ounce (1)

 $(2.09) $4.54  $  $(0.07) $1,440  $  $1,440 

AISC per silver or gold ounce (1)

 $2.69  $11.27  $  $8.12  $1,721  $  $1,721 

Six Months Ended June 30, 2021:

                            

Sales

 $212,172  $68,767  $176  $281,115  $129,033  $18,687  $147,720 

Total cost of sales

  (108,668)  (50,696)  (95)  (159,459)  (114,596)  (25,448)  (140,044)

Gross profit

 $103,504  $18,071  $81  $121,656  $14,437  $(6,761) $7,676 

Cash Cost per silver or gold ounce (1)

 $(1.65) $7.85  $  $0.79  $1,106  $1,371  $1,161 

AISC per silver or gold ounce (1)

 $1.14  $14.17  $  $7.38  $1,347  $1,393  $1,357 

 

 

(1)

A reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to total cost of sales, the most comparable GAAP measure, can be found below in Reconciliation of Total Cost of Sales (GAAP) to Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits and Cash Cost, After By-product Credits (non-GAAP) and All-In Sustaining Cost, Before By-product Credits and All-In Sustaining Cost, After By-product Credits (non-GAAP).

 

 

(2)

Includes results for San Sebastian, which was an operating segment prior to 2021.

(3)

The calculation of AISC, After By-product Credits, perPer Ounce for our consolidated silver properties includes corporate costs for general and administrative expense and sustaining exploration and capital costs.

28

 

While revenue from zinc, lead and gold by-products is significant, we believe that identification of silver as the primary product of Greens Creek and Lucky Friday is appropriate because:

 

 

silver has historically accounted for a higher proportion of revenue than any other metal and is expected to do so in the future;

 

we have historically presented each of these operationsunits as a primary silver producer, primarily of silver, based on the original analysis that justified putting the project into production, and believe that consistency in disclosure is important to our investors regardless of the relationships of metals prices and production from year to year;

 

metallurgical treatment maximizes silver recovery;

 

the Greens Creek and Lucky Friday deposits are massive sulfide deposits containing an unusually high proportion of silver; and

in most of their working areas, Greens Creek and Lucky Friday utilize selective mining methods in which silver is the metal targeted for highest recovery.

 

Likewise,Accordingly, we believe the identification of gold, lead and zinc as by-product credits at Greens Creek and Lucky Friday is appropriate because of their lower economic value compared to silver and due to the fact that silver is the primary product we intend to produce. In addition, we have not consistently received sufficient revenue from any single by-product metal to warrant classification of such as a co-product.

 

We periodically review our revenues to ensure that reporting of primary products and by-products is appropriate. Because for Greens Creek, and Lucky Friday and San Sebastian we consider zinc, lead and gold to be by-products of our silver production, the values of these metals offset operating costs within our calculations of Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce and AISC, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce.

24

 

We believe the identification of silver as a by-product credit is appropriate at Casa Berardi and Nevada Operations because of its lower economic value compared to gold and due to the fact that gold is the primary product we intend to produce there. In addition, we do not receive sufficient revenue from silver at Casa Berardi and Nevada Operations to warrant classification of such as a co-product. Because we consider silver to be a by-product of our gold production at Casa Berardi and Nevada Operations, the value of silver offsets operating costs within our calculations of Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce and AISC, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce.

 

For the second quarter we recorded loss applicable to common shareholders of $13.7 million (($0.03) per basic common share) compared to income applicable to common shareholders of $2.6 million (($0.01) per basic common share) in the second quarter of 2021. The variances in gross profit (loss) at our operating units as illustrated in the table above contributed to the results for the second quarter of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. See The Greens Creek Segment,The Lucky Friday Segment, The Casa Berardi Segment and The Nevada Operations Segment sections below.

The impact of the lower gross profit in the period was partially offset by:

General and administrative expense decreased by $1.4 million primarily due to the lower value of the annual directors share grant reflecting a lower issuance date share price and lower number of shares issued following the retirement of two directors in May 2022.

Other operating expense decreased by $1.7 million primarily due to the receipt of $1.7 million in insurance proceeds related to a coverage lawsuit received during June 2022.

Net foreign exchange gains of $4.5 million versus a net loss of $1.9 million reflecting the depreciation of the CAD against the USD in 2022 versus an appreciation in 2021. The variances are primarily related to the impact of changes in the CAD-to-USD exchange rate on the remeasurement of our net monetary liabilities in Quebec.

Fair value adjustments, net were $1.6 million less than in the comparable quarter (see Note 9 of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited) for more information).

29

For the first quartersix months of 2022, we recorded loss applicable to common shareholders of $9.6 million ($0.02 per basic common share) compared to income applicable to common stockholdersshareholders of $4.0 million ($0.01 per basic common share), compared to income of $21.3$23.9 million ($0.04 per basic common share) duringin the first quartersix months of 2021. The following factors contributed to the results for the first threesix months of 2022 compared to the first quarter ofsame period in 2021:

 

 

Variances in gross profit (loss) at our operationsoperating units as illustrated in the table above. See the The Greens Creek Segment, The Lucky Friday Segment, The Casa Berardi Segment, and The Nevada Operations Segment sections below.

 

Exploration and pre-development expense increased by $6.1 million inreflecting increased exploration spending across the first quarter of 2022 compared to the first quarter of 2021. In the first quarter of 2022,Company's exploration wasportfolio primarily at San Sebastian, Casa Berardi, Greens Creek and the Nevada Operations and Greens Creek.Operations. Pre-development expense was for the first quarter of 2022 totaled $3.1 million compared to $0.7 million in the first quarter of 2021, with the increase for development of a decline to the Hatter Graben area at the Hollister mine in Nevada.

 

Care and maintenance costs increased by $1.9$1.3 million in the first quarter of 2022 compareddue to the first quarter of 2021 due to suspension of production at the Nevada Operations. See the Nevada Operations section below.

 

The impact of these factors in the period was partially offset by the following:by:

 

 

FairGeneral and administrative expense decreased by $1.1 million primarily due to the lower value adjustments, net resultedof the annual directors share grant reflecting a lower issuance date share price and lower number of shares issued following the retirement of two directors in May 2022.

Other operating expense decreased by $2.9 million primarily due to the receipt of $1.7 million in insurance proceeds related to a gaincoverage lawsuit received during June 2022 and completion of $6.0projects to identify and implement potential operational improvements at Casa Berardi and Lucky Friday in 2021. A similar project is being undertaken at Greens Creek in 2022.

Net foreign exchange gains of $2.4 million in the first quarterhalf of 2022 compared toversus a net loss of $1.9$4.0 million, in the first quarterhalf of 2021, (see Note 9reflecting the depreciation of Notesthe CAD against the USD in 2022 versus an appreciation in 2021. The variances are primarily related to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited) for more information).the impact of changes in the CAD-to-USD exchange rate on the remeasurement of our net monetary liabilities in Quebec.

 

Provision for closed operations and environmental matters decreased by $2.8$2.4 million in the first quarterhalf of 2022 compared to the first quarterhalf of 2021 primarily due to a $2.9 million increase in the accrual for estimated costs at the Johnny M site in New Mexico in the first quarter of 2021 (see Note 10 of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited) for more information).

Lower other operating expense by $1.2 million in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the first quarter of 2021 primarily due to project costs incurred to identify and implement potential operational improvements at Casa Berardi in the first quarter 2021, partially offset by similar project costs incurred at Greens Creek in the first quarter of 2022.

An income and mining tax provision of $5.6 million in the first quarter of 2022 compared to a provision of $4.7 million in the first quarter of 2021 (see Note 3 of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited) for more information).

 

2530

 

The Greens Creek Segment

 

Dollars are in thousands (except per ounce and per ton amounts)

 

Three months ended March 31,

  

Three Months Ended

June 30,

  

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 
 

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 

Sales

 $86,090  $98,409  $92,723  $113,763  $178,813  $212,172 

Cost of sales and other direct production costs

 (38,218) (38,360) (46,877) (40,996) (85,094) (79,355)

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

  (11,420)  (14,821)  (13,629)  (14,492)  (25,049)  (29,313)

Total cost of sales

  (49,638)  (53,181)  (60,506)  (55,488)  (110,143)  (108,668)

Gross profit

 $36,452  $45,228  $32,217  $58,275  $68,670  $103,504 

Tons of ore milled

 211,687  194,080  209,558  214,931  421,245  409,011 

Production:

  

Silver (ounces)

 2,429,782  2,584,870  2,410,598  2,558,447  4,840,380  5,143,317 

Gold (ounces)

 11,402  13,266  12,413  12,859  23,815  26,125 

Zinc (tons)

 12,494  13,354  13,396  14,610  25,890  27,964 

Lead (tons)

 4,883  4,924  5,184  5,627  10,067  10,551 

Payable metal quantities sold:

  

Silver (ounces)

 1,772,391  2,247,274  2,266,001  2,471,833  4,038,392  4,719,107 

Gold (ounces)

 7,922  10,547  10,552  11,820  18,474  22,367 

Zinc (tons)

 8,092  9,097  8,495  9,215  16,587  18,311 

Lead (tons)

 3,063  3,645  4,251  4,619  7,314  8,264 

Ore grades:

  

Silver ounces per ton

 13.84  16.01  14.02  14.52  13.93  15.23 

Gold ounces per ton

 0.07  0.09  0.08  0.08  0.08  0.09 

Zinc percent

 6.56  7.62  7.2% 7.6% 6.9% 7.6%

Lead percent

 2.76  3.06  3.0% 3.1% 2.9% 3.1%

Total production cost per ton

 $192.16  $182.61  $197.84  $171.13  $194.98  $176.58 

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce (1)

 $(0.90) $(0.67)

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce (1)

 $1.90  $1.59 

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, Per Silver Ounce (1)

 $(3.29) $(2.64) $(2.09) $(1.65)

AISC, After By-Product Credits, per Silver Ounce (1)

 $3.48  $0.68  $2.69  $1.14 

Capital additions

 $3,092  $1,772  $14,668  $6,339  17,760  11,231 

 

 

(1)

A reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to total cost of sales, the most comparable GAAP measure, can be found below in Reconciliation of Total Cost of Sales (GAAP) to Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits and Cash Cost, After By-product Credits (non-GAAP) and All-In Sustaining Cost, Before By-product Credits and All-In Sustaining Cost, After By-product Credits (non-GAAP).

 

The $8.8$26.1 million decreaseand $34.8 million decreases in gross profit duringfor the second quarter and first quartersix months of 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods of 2021 period was the result ofwere primarily due to: (i) lower sales volumes, as a result ofpayable metals sold for all metals produced reflecting lower ore gradesgrade material mined and the timing of concentrate shipments,processed, (ii) lower realized prices for silver and lower average silver prices,lead, partially offset by higher average gold and zinc realized prices, and lead prices.(iii) higher production costs reflecting the impact of more lower grade material processed and inflationary cost increases in consumables, labor and contractor costs.

 

2631

 

The chartcharts below illustratesillustrate the factors contributing to the variances in Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, perPer Silver Ounce for the second quarter and first quartersix months of 2022 compared to the first quartersame periods of 2021:2021.

 

c01.jpg
a1.jpg

a2.jpg

32

 

The following table summarizes the components of Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce:

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31,

  

Three Months Ended

June 30,

  

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 
 

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce

 $21.82  $18.98  $22.21  $19.08  $22.01  $19.03 

By-product credits

  (22.72)  (19.65)  (25.50)  (21.72)  (24.10)  (20.68)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce

 $(0.90) $(0.67) $(3.29) $(2.64) $(2.09) $(1.65)

 

The following table summarizes the components of AISC, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce:

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31,

  

Three Months Ended

June 30,

  

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 
 

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 

AISC, Before By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce

 $24.62  $21.24  $28.98  $22.40  $26.79  $21.82 

By-product credits

  (22.72)  (19.65)  (25.50)  (21.72)  (24.10)  (20.68)

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce

 $1.90  $1.59  $3.48  $0.68  $2.69  $1.14 

 

The decrease in Cash Costs,Cost, After By-ProductBy-product Credits, per Silver Ounce for the second quarter and first quartersix months of 2022 compared to 2021 was primarily due to the higher by-product credits, partially offset by higher mining and milling costs. credits.

The net impact of these factors was outweighed by higher sustaining capital spending, resulting in the increase in AISC, After By-ProductBy-product Credits, per Silver Ounce for the second quarter and first six months of 2022 compared to 2021 was primarily due to higher sustaining capital of $14.7 million and $20.6 million for the second quarter and first six months of 2022, respectively,  compared to $6.3 million and $11.2 million in 2021, reflecting the costs being incurred on camp construction and higher definition and development drilling during 2022 compared to 2021.

 

2733

 

The Lucky Friday Segment

 

Dollars are in thousands (except per ounce and per ton amounts)

 

Three Months Ended March 31,

  

Three Months Ended

June 30,

  

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 
 

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 

Sales

 $38,040  $29,122  $35,880  $39,645  $73,920  $68,767 

Cost of sales and other direct production costs

 (21,232) (16,458) (21,486) (20,499) (42,719) (36,958)

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

  (8,032)  (6,336)  (8,862)  (7,402)  (16,894)  (13,738)

Total cost of sales

  (29,264)  (22,794)  (30,348)  (27,901)  (59,613)  (50,696)

Gross profit (loss)

 $8,776  $6,328 

Gross profit

 $5,532  $11,744  $14,307  $18,071 

Tons of ore milled

 77,725  81,071  97,497  82,442  175,222  163,513 

Production:

  

Silver (ounces)

 887,858  863,901  1,226,477  913,294  2,114,335  1,777,195 

Lead (tons)

 5,980  5,780  8,147  5,913  14,127  11,693 

Zinc (tons)

 2,452  2,753  3,370  2,601  5,822  5,354 

Payable metal quantities sold:

  

Silver (ounces)

 899,454  763,823  1,121,712  934,258  2,021,166  1,698,081 

Lead (tons)

 5,991  5,023  7,434  6,045  13,425  11,067 

Zinc (tons)

 1,855  1,930  2,362  1,929  4,217  3,859 

Ore grades:

  

Silver ounces per ton

 12.04  11.18  13.17  11.60  12.67  11.39 

Lead percent

 8.16  7.51  8.81% 7.55% 8.52% 7.53%

Zinc percent

 3.61  3.70  3.90% 3.44% 3.77% 3.57%

Total production cost per ton

 $247.17  $190.54  $211.45  $199.48  $227.30  $188.30 

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce (1)

 $6.57  $7.62  $3.07  $8.07  $4.54  $7.85 

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce (1)

 $13.15  14.24  $9.91  $14.10  $11.27  $14.17 

Capital additions

 $9,652  $5,912  $11,501  $5,731  $21,153  $11,643 

(1)

A reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to total cost of sales, the most comparable GAAP measure, can be found below in Reconciliation of Total Cost of Sales (GAAP) to Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits and Cash Cost, After By-product Credits (non-GAAP) and All-In Sustaining Cost, Before By-product Credits and All-In Sustaining Cost, After By-product Credits (non-GAAP).

Gross profit for the three months ended June 30, 2022 decreased by $6.2 million compared to the comparable period in 2021, as the impact of increased sales from mining and processing more high grade material and volumes thereof did not offset the combination of lower realized silver and lead prices compared to 2021, and increased production costs from more ore mined and processed and inflationary cost increases in consumables and contractor maintenance costs. Gross profit for the six month period June 30, 2022 decreased by $3.8 million compared to the comparable period in 2021, as increased sales from a combination of mining and processing more high grade material and higher volumes did not offset the impact of lower silver and lead realized prices and higher production costs.     

34

The charts below illustrate the factors contributing to Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, Per Silver Ounce for the second quarter and first six months of 2022 compared to the same periods of 2021.

a3.jpg
a4.jpg

35

The following table summarizes the components of Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce:

  

Three Months Ended

June 30,

  

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 
  

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce

 $21.65  $25.49  $23.74  $24.97 

By-product credits

  (18.58)  (17.42)  (19.20)  (17.12)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce

 $3.07  $8.07  $4.54  $7.85 

The following table summarizes the components of AISC, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce:

  

Three Months Ended

June 30,

  

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 
  

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 

AISC, Before By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce

 $28.49  $31.52  $30.47  $31.29 

By-product credits

  (18.58)  (17.42)  (19.20)  (17.12)

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce

 $9.91  $14.10   11.27  $14.17 

The decrease in Cash Cost and AISC, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2022 compared to the three and six month periods ended June 30,  2021 was due to higher silver production resulting from increased grades and volumes processed, higher by-product credits due to higher realized zinc prices, and concentrate quality improvement resulting in higher lead and zinc production, with AISC, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce partially offset by higher sustaining capital spending. 

The Casa Berardi Segment

Dollars are in thousands (except per ounce and per ton amounts)

 

Three Months Ended

June 30,

  

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 
  

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 

Sales

 $62,639  $56,122  $124,740  $129,033 

Cost of sales and other direct production costs

  (46,411)  (36,430)  (92,733)  (73,405)

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

  (15,459)  (18,239)  (31,305)  (41,191)

Total cost of sales

  (61,870)  (54,669)  (124,038)  (114,596)

Gross profit

 $769  $1,453  $702  $14,437 

Tons of ore milled

  401,618   374,683   787,771   743,086 

Production:

                

Gold (ounces)

  33,306   31,333   63,546   67,523 

Silver (ounces)

  8,379   7,917   15,447   18,592 

Payable metal quantities sold:

                

Gold (ounces)

  33,672   30,615   66,738   71,484 

Silver (ounces)

  196   8,059   9,250   16,774 

Ore grades:

                

Gold ounces per ton

  0.10   0.10   0.09   0.11 

Silver ounces per ton

  0.02   0.03   0.02   0.03 

Total production cost per ton

 $113.07  $99.36  $115.46  $99.52 

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce (1)

 $1,371  $1,199  $1,440  $1,106 

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce (1)

 $1,641  $1,434  $1,721  $1,347 

Capital additions

 $8,093  $12,153  $15,901  $26,000 

(1)

A reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to total cost of sales, the most comparable GAAP measure, can be found below in Reconciliation of Total Cost of Sales (GAAP) to Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits and Cash Cost, After By-product Credits (non-GAAP) and All-In Sustaining Cost, Before By-product Credits and All-In Sustaining Cost, After By-product Credits (non-GAAP).

36

Gross profit decreased by $0.7 million and $13.7 million for the second quarter and first half of 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods of 2021. The decrease for the second quarter and first half of 2022 was due to higher cost of sales resulting from increased production costs due to: (i) higher ore tonnage, (ii) mill contractor costs related to maintenance and optimization activities, (iii) higher underground maintenance costs resulting from repairs and replacements of major components for the production fleet and (iv) higher fuel and other consumables costs which have been negatively impacted by current inflationary pressures. The impact of higher costs of sales was partially offset by increased sales due to higher average realized gold prices and volume in the second quarter of 2022. Lower sales volume in the first half of 2022 compared to 2021 due to lower grades mined and processed meant gross profit was not favorably impacted by higher realized prices in the period.

Total capital additions decreased by $4.1 million and $10.1 million in the second quarter of 2022 and first half of 2022 respectively, compared to the same periods of 2021, reflecting lower development costs following commissioning of the new 160 zone open pit mine in the fourth quarter of 2021.

The charts below illustrate the factors contributing to Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, Per Gold Ounce for the second quarter and first half of 2022 and 2021:

pic5.jpg

37

pic6.jpg

The following table summarizes the components of Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce:

  

Three Months Ended

June 30,

  

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 
  

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce

 $1,377  $1,206  $1,446  $1,113 

By-product credits

  (6)  (7)  (6)  (7)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce

 $1,371  $1,199  $1,440  $1,106 

The following table summarizes the components of AISC, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce:

  

Three Months Ended June 30,

  

Six Months Ended June 30,

 
  

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 

AISC, Before By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce

 $1,647  $1,441  $1,727  $1,354 

By-product credits

  (6)  (7)  (6)  (7)

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce

 $1,641  $1,434  $1,721  $1,347 

The increase in Cash Cost After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce for the second quarter and first half of 2022 compared to the same periods in 2021 was primarily due to higher production costs, as discussed above, partially offset by higher gold production in the second quarter of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021. The lower production in 2022 also negatively impacted AISC, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce, however this was partially offset by lower sustaining capital spent in 2022 compared to 2021.

38

The Nevada Operations Segment

Dollars are in thousands (except per ounce and per ton amounts)

 

Three Months Ended

June 30,

  

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 
  

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 

Sales

 $  $8,450  $268  $18,687 

Cost of sales and other direct production costs

  (1,133)  (12,394)  (1,133)  (17,216)

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

  (122)  (5,599)  (122)  (8,232)

Total cost of sales

  (1,255)  (17,993)  (1,255)  (25,448)

Gross (loss)

 $(1,255) $(9,543) $(987) $(6,761)

Tons of ore milled

     38,947      55,406 

Production:

                

Gold (ounces)

     14,947      17,495 

Silver (ounces)

     45,125       45,125 

Payable metal quantities sold:

                

Gold (ounces)

     4,732   65   10,555 

Silver (ounces)

     1,214   6,363   8,035 

Ore grades:

                

Gold ounces per ton

     0.410   0.343   0.343 

Silver ounces per ton

     1.24   0.88   0.88 

Production cost per ton

 $  $161.5  $220.68  $220.68 

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce (1)

     $1,369  $  $1,371 

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce (1)

 $  $1,386  $  $1,393 

Capital additions

 $297  $77  $1,173  $166 

 

 

(1)

A reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to total cost of sales, the most comparable GAAP measure, can be found below in Reconciliation of Total Cost of Sales (GAAP) to Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits and Cash Cost, After By-product Credits (non-GAAP) and All-In Sustaining Cost, Before By-product Credits and All-In Sustaining Cost, After By-product Credits (non-GAAP).

 

The increasedecreases in gross profit inloss for the second quarter and first quarterhalf of 2022 compared to the first quartersame periods of 2021 was the result of higher sales volume and lead and zinc prices, partially offset by lower average silver prices.

Total production cost per ton increased by approximately 30% in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the first quarter of 2021 primarily due to higher costs for labor, equipment maintenance, contractors and consumables and lower mill throughput.

28

The chart below illustrates the factors contributing to Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce for the first quarters of 2022 and 2021.

c02.jpg

The following table summarizes the components of Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce:

  

Three Months Ended March 31,

 
  

2022

  

2021

 

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce

 $26.63  $24.43 

By-product credits

  (20.06)  (16.81)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce

 $6.57  $7.62 

The following table summarizes the components of AISC, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce:

  

Three Months Ended March 31,

 
  

2022

  

2021

 

AISC, Before By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce

 $33.21  $31.05 

By-product credits

  (20.06)  (16.81)

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce

 $13.15  $14.24 

The decrease in Cash Cost and AISC, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce for the first quarter of 2022 compared to the first quarter of 2021 was due to higher silver production resulting from increased grades, higher by-product credits due to increased lead and zinc prices, and improved quality of concentrates. 

29

Casa Berardi

Dollars are in thousands (except per ounce and per ton amounts)

 

Three Months Ended March 31,

 
  

2022

  

2021

 

Sales

 $62,101  $72,911 

Cost of sales and other direct production costs

  (46,322)  (36,975)

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

  (15,846)  (22,952)

Total cost of sales

  (62,168)  (59,927)

Gross profit (loss)

 $(67) $12,984 

Tons of ore milled

  386,150   368,403 

Production:

        

Gold (ounces)

  30,240   36,190 

Silver (ounces)

  7,068   10,675 

Payable metal quantities sold:

        

Gold (ounces)

  33,066   40,869 

Silver (ounces)

  9,054   8,715 

Ore grades:

        

Gold ounces per ton

  0.091   0.120 

Silver ounces per ton

  0.02   0.04 

Total production cost per ton

 $117.96  $99.67 

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce (1)

 $1,516  $1,027 

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce (1)

 $1,810  $1,272 

Capital additions

 $7,808  $13,847 

(1)

A reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to total cost of sales, the most comparable GAAP measure, can be found below in Reconciliation of Total Cost of Sales(GAAP) to Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits and Cash Cost, After By-product Credits (non-GAAP) and All-In Sustaining Cost, Before By-product Credits and All-In Sustaining Cost, After By-product Credits (non-GAAP).

Gross profit decreased by $13.1 million for the first quarter of 2022 compared to the first quarter of 2021 primarily due to lower gold production, due to lower ore grades, accompanied by higher mining costs for labor, contractors and consumables. The increase in mining costs is partially attributable to inflation and a higher portion of development costs for the new 160 zone open pit mine being included in expense, as production from the pit commenced in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Total capital additions decreased by $6.0 million in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the first quarter of 2021 primarily due to growth capital costs incurred in the 2021 period for development of the 160 zone open pit mine.

30

The chart below illustrates the factors contributing to Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce for the first quarter of 2022 compared to the first quarter of 2021:

c03.jpg

The following table summarizes the components of Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce:

  

Three Months Ended March 31,

 
  

2022

  

2021

 

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce

 $1,521  $1,035 

By-product credits

  (5)  (8)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce

 $1,516  $1,027 

The following table summarizes the components of AISC, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce:

  

Three Months Ended March 31,

 
  

2022

  

2021

 

AISC, Before By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce

 $1,815  $1,280 

By-product credits

  (5)  (8)

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce

 $1,810  $1,272 

The increase in Cash Cost and AISC, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce for the first quarter of 2022 compared to the first quarter of 2021 waswere primarily the result of lower gold productionsales volumes and higher mining costs. These factors along with higher exploration spending, partially offset by lower sustaining capital, resulted in the increase in AISC, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce.

31

Nevada Operations

Dollars are in thousands (except per ounce and per ton amounts)

 

Three Months Ended March 31,

 
  

2022

  

2021

 

Sales

 $268  $10,237 

Cost of sales and other direct production costs

     (4,495)

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

     (2,960)

Total cost of sales

     (7,455)

Gross profit

 $268  $2,782 

Tons of ore milled

     16,459 

Production:

        

Gold (ounces)

     2,548 

Silver (ounces)

      

Payable metal quantities sold:

        

Gold (ounces)

  65   5,823 

Silver (ounces)

  6,363   6,821 

Ore grades:

        

Gold ounces per ton

     0.185 

Silver ounces per ton

      

Total production cost per ton

 $  $360.72 

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce (1)

 $  $1,416 

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce (1)

 $  $1,461 

Capital additions

 $876  $89 

(1)

A reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to cost of sales and other direct production costs and depreciation, depletion and amortization, the most comparable GAAP measure, can be found below in Reconciliation of Cost of Sales and Other Direct Production Costs and Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization (GAAP) to Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits and Cash Cost, After By-product Credits (non-GAAP) and All-In Sustaining Cost, Before By-product Credits and All-In Sustaining Cost, After By-product Credits (non-GAAP).

The decrease in gross profit for the first quarter of 2022 comparedore stockpiled to the first quarter of 2021 is a result of sales volume, with the final sale of 2021 production occurring in the first quarter of 2022.estimated net realizable value. Development ceased at Fire Creek in the second quarter of 2019 when the decision was made to limit near-term production to areas of the mine where development was already completed. Mining of non-refractory ore at Fire Creek in areas where development had already been performed was completed in the fourth quarter of 2020. During 2021, production and revenue were generated from processing of the stockpiled non-refractory ore at the Midas mill and third-party processing of refractory ore in a roaster and autoclave facility, respectively. Fire Creek was placed on care-and-maintenance in the second quarter of 2021 after processing of the remaining non-refractory ore stockpile.

 

Exploration activities and pre-development activities related to the Hatter Graben area at Hollister are ongoing. Care and maintenance costs are reported in a separate line item on our consolidated statements of operations and excluded from the calculations of cost of sales and other direct production costs and depreciation, depletion and amortization, total production costs per ton and Cash Cost and AISC, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce.

 

39

See Item 1A. Risk Factors - Operation, Development, Exploration and Acquisition Risks in our 2021 Form 10-K for a discussion of certain risks relating to our recent and ongoing analysis of the carrying value of the Nevada assets.

 

32

 

Corporate Matters

 

Employee Benefit Plans

 

Our defined benefit pension plans while providingprovide a significant benefit to our employees, but represent a significant liability to us. The liability recorded for the underfunded status of our plans was $5.9$4.7 million and $6.0 million as of March 31,June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. During May 2022, we contributed $5.6 million in shares of our common stock to two of our defined benefit plans. We do not expect to be required to contributemake additional contributions to our defined benefit pension plans in 2022, but we may choose to do so. While the economic variables which will determine future funding requirements are uncertain, we expect contributions to continue to be required in future years under current defined benefit pension plan provisions, and we periodically examine the plans for affordability and competitiveness. See Note 6 ofNotes to Consolidated Financial Statements in our 2021 Form 10-K for more information.

 

Income and Mining Taxes

 

During the second quarter and first quartersix months of 2022, an income and mining tax provision of approximately $5.6$0.3 million and $5.9 million resulted in an effective tax rate of 57.6%1.9% and 168.9% for that period.the respective  periods. This compares to an income and mining tax benefit of $4.1 million and provision of $4.7$0.6 million for the second quarter and first six months of 2021, or an effective tax rate of 18.1%298.3% and 2.5%, for the first quarter of 2021.respective periods. The comparability of our income and mining tax (provision) benefit and effective tax rate for the reported periods was impacted by multiple factors, primarily: (i) mining taxes; (ii) variations in our income before income taxes; (iii) geographic distribution of that income; (iv) foreign exchange rates including non-recognition of foreign exchange gains and losses; (v) percentage depletion; and (vi) the non-recognition of tax assets. Therefore, theThe effective tax rate will fluctuate, sometimes significantly, period to period. For the period ended March 31, 2022, we used the annual effective tax rate method to calculate the tax provision, a change from the discrete method used for the period ended March 31, 2021, due to reversal of valuation allowance in the fourth quarter of 2021. 

 

Each reporting period we assess our deferred tax balances based on a review of long-range forecasts and quarterly activity. A valuation allowance is provided for deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not the related tax benefits will not be realized. We analyze our deferred tax assets and, if it is determined that we will not realize all or a portion of our deferred tax assets, we will record or increase a valuation allowance. Conversely, if it is determined we will ultimately more likely than not be able to realize all or a portion of the related benefits for which a valuation allowance has been provided, all or a portion of the related valuation allowance will be reduced. There are a number of factors that impact our ability to realize our deferred tax assets. Valuation allowances are provided on deferred tax assets in our Nevada, Mexico, and certain Canadian jurisdictions. For additional information, please see Item 1A - Risk Factors in our 2021 Form 10-K.

 

Reconciliation of Total Cost of Sales (GAAP) to Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits and Cash Cost, After By-product Credits (non-GAAP) and All-In Sustaining Cost, Before By-product Credits and All-In Sustaining Cost, After By-product Credits (non-GAAP)

 

The tables below present reconciliations between the most comparable GAAP measure of total cost of sales to the non-GAAP measures of (i) Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, (ii) Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, (iii) AISC, Before By-product Credits and (iv) AISC, After By-product Credits for our operations and for the Company for the three-monththree- and six-month periods ended March 31,June 30, 2022 and 2021.

 

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce and AISC, After By-product Credits, per Ounce are measures developed by precious metals companies (including the Silver Institute and the World Gold Council) in an effort to provide a uniform standard for comparison purposes. There can be no assurance, however, that these non-GAAP measures as we report them are the same as those reported by other mining companies.

 

3340

 

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce is an important operating statistic that we utilize to measure each mine's operating performance. We use AISC, After By-product Credits, per Ounce as a measure of our mines' net cash flow after costs for exploration, pre-development, reclamation, and sustaining capital. This is similar to the Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce non-GAAP measure we report, but also includes on-site exploration, reclamation, and sustaining capital costs. Current GAAP measures used in the mining industry, such as cost of goods sold, do not capture all the expenditures incurred to discover, develop and sustain silver and gold production. Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce and AISC, After By-product Credits, per Ounce also allow us to benchmark the performance of each of our mines versus those of our competitors. As a silver and gold mining company, we also use these statistics on an aggregate basis - aggregating the Greens Creek and Lucky Friday mines to compare our performance with that of other silver mining companies, and aggregating Casa Berardi and Nevada Operations for comparison with other gold mining companies. Similarly, these statistics are useful in identifying acquisition and investment opportunities as they provide a common tool for measuring the financial performance of other mines with varying geologic, metallurgical and operating characteristics.

 

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits and AISC, Before By-product Credits include all direct and indirect operating cash costs related directly to the physical activities of producing metals, including mining, processing and other plant costs, third-party refining expense, on-site general and administrative costs, royalties and royalties.mining production taxes. AISC, Before By-product Credits for each mine also includes on-site exploration, reclamation, and sustaining capital costs. AISC, Before By-product Credits for our consolidated silver properties also includes corporate costs for general and administrative expense and sustaining exploration and capital costs. By-product credits include revenues earned from all metals other than the primary metal produced at each operation.unit. As depicted in the tables below, by-product credits comprise an essential element of our silver operations'unit cost structure, distinguishing our silver operations due to the polymetallic nature of their orebodies.

 

In addition to the uses described above, Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce and AISC, After By-product Credits, per Ounce provide management and investors an indication of operating cash flow, after consideration of the average price received from production. We also use these measurements for the comparative monitoring of performance of our mining operations period-to-period from a cash flow perspective. 

 

34

The Casa Berardi, Nevada Operations and combined gold properties information below reports Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce and AISC, After By-product Credits, per Gold Ounce for the production of gold, their primary product, and by-product revenues earned from silver, which is a by-product at Casa Berardi and Nevada Operations. Only costs and ounces produced relating to operationsunits with the same primary product are combined to represent Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce and AISC, After By-product Credits, per Ounce. Thus, the gold produced at our Casa Berardi and Nevada Operations units is not included as a by-product credit when calculating Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce and AISC, After By-product Credits, per Silver Ounce for the total of Greens Creek and Lucky Friday, and San Sebastian, our combined silver properties. Similarly, the silver produced at our other two operationsunits is not included as a by-product credit when calculating the gold metrics for Casa Berardi and Nevada Operations.

 

In thousands (except per ounce amounts)

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2022

 
  

Greens

Creek

  

Lucky

Friday

  

Corporate(2)

  

Total

Silver

 

Total cost of sales

 $49,638  $29,264      $78,902 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

  (11,420)  (8,032)      (19,452)

Treatment costs

  9,096   3,677       12,773 

Change in product inventory

  6,538   (905)      5,633 

Reclamation and other costs

  (850)  (361)      (1,211)

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits (1)

  53,002   23,643       76,645 

Reclamation and other costs

  705   282       987 

Exploration

  165      716   881 

Sustaining capital

  5,956   5,562   48   11,566 

General and administrative

          8,294   8,294 

AISC, Before By-product Credits (1)

  59,828   29,487       98,373 

By-product credits:

                

Zinc

  (28,651)  (5,977)      (34,628)

Gold

  (18,583)         (18,583)

Lead

  (7,966)  (11,836)      (19,802)

Total By-product credits

  (55,200)  (17,813)      (73,013)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits

 $(2,198) $5,830      $3,632 

AISC, After By-product Credits

 $4,628  $11,674      $25,360 

Divided by ounces produced

  2,430   888       3,318 

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $21.82  $26.63      $23.10 

By-product credits per ounce

  (22.72)  (20.06)      (22.01)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $(0.90) $6.57      $1.09 

AISC, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $24.62  $33.21      $29.65 

By-product credits per ounce

  (22.72)  (20.06)      (22.01)

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1.90  $13.15      $7.64 

3541

 

In thousands (except per ounce amounts)

 

Three Months Ended

March 31, 2022

  

Three Months Ended June 30, 2022

 
 

Casa

Berardi

  

Total

Gold

  

Greens

Creek

  

Lucky

Friday

  

Corporate(2)

  

Total

Silver

 

Total cost of sales

 $62,168  $62,168  $60,506  $30,348  $  $90,854 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

 (15,846) (15,846) (13,629) (8,862)   (22,491)

Treatment costs

 458  458  8,778  4,803    13,581 

Change in product inventory

 (563) (563) (1,102) 503    (599)

Reclamation and other costs

  (210)  (210)  (1,005)  (256)     (1,261)

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits (1)

 46,007  46,007  53,548  26,536     80,084 

Reclamation and other costs

 210  210  705  282    987 

Exploration

 1,394  1,394 

Sustaining exploration

 929    769  1,698 

Sustaining capital

 7,281  7,281  14,668  8,110  99  22,877 

General and administrative

               9,692   9,692 

AISC, Before By-product Credits (1)

 54,892  54,892  69,850  34,928  10,560  115,338 

By-product credits:

          

Silver

  (166)  (166)

Zinc

 (32,828) (8,227)   (41,055)

Gold

 (20,364)     (20,364)

Lead

  (8,271)  (14,543)     (22,814)

Total By-product credits

  (166)  (166)  (61,463)  (22,770)     (84,233)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits

 $45,841  $45,841  $(7,915) $3,766  $  $(4,149)

AISC, After By-product Credits

 $54,726  $54,726  $8,387  $12,158  $10,560  $31,105 

Divided by ounces produced

 30  30  2,410  1,226     3,636 

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1,521  $1,521  $22.21  $21.65     $22.03 

By-product credits per ounce

  (5)  (5)  (25.50)  (18.58)     (23.17)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1,516  $1,516  $(3.29) $3.07     $(1.14)

AISC, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1,815  $1,815  $28.98  $28.49     $31.85 

By-product credits per ounce

  (5)  (5)  (25.50)  (18.58)     (23.17)

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1,810  $1,810  $3.48  $9.91     $8.68 

 

3642

 

In thousands (except per ounce amounts)

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2022

  

Three months ended

June 30, 2022

 
 

Total Silver

  

Total Gold

  

Total

  

Casa

Berardi

  

Total

Gold

 

Total cost of sales

 $78,902  $62,168  $141,070  $61,870  $61,870 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

 (19,452) (15,846) (35,298) (15,459)  (15,459)

Treatment costs

 12,773  458  13,231  457   457 

Change in product inventory

 5,633  (563) 5,070  (793)  (793)

Reclamation and other costs

  (1,211)  (210)  (1,421)  (209)  (209)

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits (1)

 76,645  46,007  122,652  45,866  45,866 

Reclamation and other costs

 987  210  1,197  209  209 

Exploration

 881  1,394  2,275 

Sustaining exploration

 1,178  1,178 

Sustaining capital

 11,566  7,281  18,847   7,597   7,597 

General and administrative

  8,294      8,294 

AISC, Before By-product Credits (1)

 98,373  54,892  153,265  54,850  54,850 

By-product credits:

      

Zinc

 (34,628)   (34,628)

Gold

 (18,583)   (18,583)

Lead

 (19,802)   (19,802)

Silver

      (166)  (166)  (188)  (188)

Total By-product credits

  (73,013)  (166)  (73,179)  (188)  (188)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits

 $3,632  $45,841  $49,473  $45,678  $45,678 

AISC, After By-product Credits

 $25,360  $54,726  $80,086  $54,662  $54,662 

Divided by ounces produced

 3,318  30     33  33 

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $23.10  $1,521     $1,377  $1,377 

By-product credits per ounce

  (22.01)  (5)     (6)  (6)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1.09  $1,516     $1,371  $1,371 

AISC, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $29.65  $1,815     $1,647  $1,647 

By-product credits per ounce

  (22.01)  (5)     (6)  (6)

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $7.64  $1,810     $1,641  $1,641 

 

3743

 

In thousands (except per ounce amounts)

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2021

  

Three months ended June 30, 2022

 
 

Greens

Creek

  

Lucky

Friday

  

Corporate

and other(2)

  

Total

Silver

  

Total Silver

  

Total Gold

  

Total

 

Total cost of sales

 $53,181  $22,794  $94  $76,069  $90,854  $61,870  $152,724 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

 (14,821) (6,336)   (21,157) (22,491) (15,459) (37,950)

Treatment costs

 10,541  4,978    15,519  13,581  457  14,038 

Change in product inventory

 401  (93)   308  (599) (793) (1,392)

Reclamation and other costs

  (261)  (233)  (94)  (588)  (1,261)  (209)  (1,470)

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits (1)

 49,041  21,110    70,151  80,084  45,866  125,950 

Reclamation and other costs

 848  264    1,112  987  209  1,196 

Exploration

 123    435  558 

Sustaining exploration

 1,698  1,178  2,876 

Sustaining capital

 4,892  5,454    10,346  22,877  7,597  30,474 

General and administrative

          8,007   8,007   9,692      9,692 

AISC, Before By-product Credits (1)

 54,904  26,828  8,442  90,174  115,338  54,850  170,188 

By-product credits:

  

Zinc

 (22,767) (4,753)   (27,520) (41,055)   (41,055)

Gold

 (20,996)     (20,996) (20,364)   (20,364)

Lead

  (7,020)  (9,775)     (16,795) (22,814)   (22,814)

Silver

     (188)  (188)

Total By-product credits

  (50,783)  (14,528)     (65,311)  (84,233)  (188)  (84,421)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits

 $(1,742) $6,582  $  $4,840  $(4,149) $45,678  $41,529 

AISC, After By-product Credits

 $4,121  $12,300  $8,442  $24,863  $31,105  $54,662  $85,767 

Divided by ounces produced

 2,585  864     3,449  3,636  33    

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $18.98  $24.43     $20.34  $22.03  $1,377    

By-product credits per ounce

  (19.65)  (16.81)     (18.94)  (23.17)  (6)   

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $(0.67) $7.62     $1.40  $(1.14) $1,371    

AISC, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $21.24  $31.05     $26.15  $31.72  $1,647    

By-product credits per ounce

  (19.65)  (16.81)     (18.94)  (23.17)  (6)   

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1.59  $14.24      7.21  $8.55  $1,641    

 

3844

 

In thousands (except per ounce amounts)

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2021

  

Three Months Ended June 30, 2021

 
 

Casa

Berardi

  

Nevada

Operations(3)

  

Total

Gold

  

Greens

Creek

  

Lucky

Friday

  

Corporate

and other( 2)

  

Total

Silver

 

Total cost of sales

 $59,927  $7,455  $67,382  $55,488  $27,901  $1  $83,390 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

 (22,952) (2,960) (25,912) (14,492) (7,402)   (21,894)

Treatment costs

 714  11  725  8,924  4,686    13,610 

Change in product inventory

 (47) (1,084) (1,131) (435) (1,596)   (2,031)

Reclamation and other costs

  (208)  185   (23)  (672)  (325)  (1)  (998)

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits (1)

 37,434  3,607  41,041  48,813  23,264    72,077 

Reclamation and other costs

 208  27  235  847  264    1,111 

Exploration

 907    907 

Sustaining exploration

 1,300    450  1,750 

Sustaining capital

  7,758   89   7,847  6,339  5,244    11,583 

General and administrative

          11,104   11,104 

AISC, Before By-product Credits (1)

 46,307  3,723  50,030  57,299  28,772  11,554  97,625 

By-product credits:

          

Silver

  (278)     (278)

Zinc

 (26,510) (5,093)   (31,603)

Gold

 (20,438)     (20,438)

Lead

  (8,605)  (10,799)     (19,404)

Total By-product credits

  (278)     (278)  (55,553)  (15,892)     (71,445)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits

 $37,156  $3,607  $40,763  $(6,740) $7,372     $632 

AISC, After By-product Credits

 $46,029  $3,723  $49,752  $1,746  $12,880   11,554  $26,180 

Divided by ounces produced

 36  3  39  2,558  913     3,471 

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1,035  $1,416  $1,059  $19.08  $25.49     $20.76 

By-product credits per ounce

  (8)     (7)  (21.72)  (17.42)     (20.58)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1,027  $1,416  $1,052  $(2.64) $8.07     $0.18 

AISC, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1,280  $1,461  $1,291  $22.40  $31.52     $28.12 

By-product credits per ounce

  (8)     (7)  (21.72)  (17.42)     (20.58)

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1,272  $1,461  $1,284  $0.68  $14.10     $7.54 

 

3945

 

In thousands (except per ounce amounts)

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2021

  

Three Months Ended June 30, 2021

 
 

Total

Silver

  

Total Gold

  

Total

  

Casa

Berardi

  

Nevada

Operations

  

Total

Gold

 

Total cost of sales

 $76,069  $67,382  $143,451  $54,669  $17,993  $72,662 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

 (21,157) (25,912) (47,069) (18,239) (5,599) (23,838)

Treatment costs

 15,519  725  16,244  535  1,719  2,254 

Change in product inventory

 308  (1,131) (823) 1,015  12,583  13,598 

Reclamation and other costs

  (588)  (23)  (611) (215) (218) (433)

Exclusion of Nevada Operations costs

     (4,914)  (4,914)

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits (1)

 70,151  41,041  111,192  37,765  21,564  59,329 

Reclamation and other costs

 1,112  235  1,347  215  218  433 

Exploration

 558  907  1,465 

Sustaining exploration

 1,103    1,103 

Sustaining capital

 10,346  7,847  18,193   6,064   44   6,108 

General and administrative

  8,007      8,007 

AISC, Before By-product Credits (1)

 90,174  50,030  140,204  45,147  21,826  66,973 

By-product credits:

        

Zinc

 (27,520)   (27,520)

Gold

 (20,996)   (20,996)

Lead

 (16,795)   (16,795)

Silver

     (278)  (278)  (209)  (1,103)  (1,312)

Total By-product credits

  (65,311)  (278)  (65,589)  (209)  (1,103)  (1,312)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits

 $4,840  $40,763  $45,603  $37,556  $20,461  $58,017 

AISC, After By-product Credits

 $24,863  $49,752  $74,615  $44,938  $20,723  $65,661 

Divided by ounces produced

 3,449  39     31  15  46 

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $20.34  $1,059     $1,206  $1,443  $1,282 

By-product credits per ounce

  (18.94)  (7)     (7)  (74)  (28)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1.40  $1,052     $1,199  $1,369  $1,254 

AISC, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $26.15  $1,291     $1,441  $1,460  $1,447 

By-product credits per ounce

  (18.94)  (7)     (7)  (74)  (28)

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $7.21  $1,284     $1,434  $1,386  $1,419 

46

In thousands (except per ounce amounts)

 

Three Months Ended June 30, 2021

 
  

Total

Silver

  

Total

Gold

  

Total

 

Total cost of sales

 $83,390  $72,662  $156,052 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

  (21,894)  (23,838)  (45,732)

Treatment costs

  13,610   2,254   15,864 

Change in product inventory

  (2,031)  13,598   11,567 

Reclamation and other costs

  (998)  (433)  (1,431)

Exclusion of Nevada Operations costs

     (4,914)  (4,914)

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits (1)

  72,077   59,329   131,406 

Reclamation and other costs

  1,111   433   1,544 

Sustaining exploration

  1,750   1,103   2,853 

Sustaining capital

  11,583   6,108   17,691 

General and administrative

  11,104      11,104 

AISC, Before By-product Credits (1)

  97,625   66,973   164,598 

By-product credits:

            

Zinc

  (31,603)     (31,603)

Gold

  (20,438)     (20,438)

Lead

  (19,404)     (19,404)

Silver

     (1,312)  (1,312)

Total By-product credits

  (71,445)  (1,312)  (72,757)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits

 $632  $58,017  $58,649 

AISC, After By-product Credits

 $26,180  $65,661  $91,841 

Divided by ounces produced

  3,471   46     

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $20.76  $1,282     

By-product credits per ounce

  (20.58)  (28)    

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $0.18  $1,254     

AISC, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $28.12  $1,447     

By-product credits per ounce

  (20.58)  (28)    

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $7.54  $1,419     

47

In thousands (except per ounce amounts)

 

Six Months Ended June 30, 2022

 
  

Greens

Creek

  

Lucky

Friday

  

Corporate(1)

  

Total

Silver

 

Total cost of sales

 $110,143  $59,613  $  $169,756 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

  (25,049)  (16,894)     (41,943)

Treatment costs

  17,892   8,480      26,372 

Change in product inventory

  5,436   (402)     5,034 

Reclamation and other costs

  (1,872)  (619)     (2,491)

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits (1)

  106,550   50,178      156,728 

Reclamation and other costs

  1,410   564      1,974 

Sustaining exploration

  1,094      1,485   2,579 

Sustaining capital

  20,624   13,671   147   34,442 

General and administrative

          17,986   17,986 

AISC, Before By-product Credits (1)

  129,678   64,413   19,618   213,709 

By-product credits:

                

Zinc

  (61,479)  (14,204)     (75,683)

Gold

  (38,947)        (38,947)

Lead

  (16,237)  (26,379)     (42,616)

Total By-product credits

  (116,663)  (40,583)     (157,246)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits

 $(10,113) $9,595     $(518)

AISC, After By-product Credits

 $13,015  $23,830  $19,618  $56,463 

Divided by ounces produced

  4,840   2,114       6,954 

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $22.01  $23.74      $22.54 

By-product credits per ounce

  (24.10)  (19.20)      (22.61)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $(2.09) $4.54      $(0.07)

AISC, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $26.79  $30.47      $30.73 

By-product credits per ounce

  (24.10)  (19.20)      (22.61)

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $2.69  $11.27      $8.12 

48

In thousands (except per ounce amounts)

 

Six Months Ended

June 30, 2022

 
  

Casa

Berardi

  

Total

Gold

 

Total cost of sales

 $124,038  $124,038 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

  (31,305)  (31,305)

Treatment costs

  915   915 

Change in product inventory

  (1,356)  (1,356)

Reclamation and other costs

  (419)  (419)

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits (1)

  91,873   91,873 

Reclamation and other costs

  419   419 

Sustaining exploration

  2,572   2,572 

Sustaining capital

  14,878   14,878 

AISC, Before By-product Credits (1)

  109,742   109,742 

By-product credits:

        

Silver

  (354)  (354)

Total By-product credits

  (354)  (354)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits

 $91,519  $91,519 

AISC, After By-product Credits

 $109,388  $109,388 

Divided by ounces produced

  64   64 

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1,446  $1,446 

By-product credits per ounce

  (6)  (6)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1,440  $1,440 

AISC, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1,727  $1,727 

By-product credits per ounce

  (6)  (6)

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1,721  $1,721 

49

In thousands (except per ounce amounts)

 

Six Months Ended June 30, 2022

 
  

Total Silver

  

Total Gold

  

Total

 

Total cost of sales

 $169,756  $124,038  $293,794 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

  (41,943)  (31,305)  (73,248)

Treatment costs

  26,372   915   27,287 

Change in product inventory

  5,034   (1,356)  3,678 

Reclamation and other costs

  (2,491)  (419)  (2,910)

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits (1)

  156,728   91,873   248,601 

Reclamation and other costs

  1,974   419   2,393 

Sustaining exploration

  2,579   2,572   5,151 

Sustaining capital

  34,442   14,878   49,320 

General and administrative

  17,986      17,986 

AISC, Before By-product Credits (1)

  213,709   109,742   323,451 

By-product credits:

            

Zinc

  (75,683)     (75,683)

Gold

  (38,947)     (38,947)

Lead

  (42,616)     (42,616)

Silver

     (354)  (354)

Total By-product credits

  (157,246)  (354)  (157,600)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits

 $(518) $91,519  $91,001 

AISC, After By-product Credits

 $56,463  $109,388  $165,851 

Divided by ounces produced

  6,954   64     

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $22.54  $1,446     

By-product credits per ounce

  (22.61)  (6)    

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $(0.07) $1,440     

AISC, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $30.73  $1,727     

By-product credits per ounce

  (22.61)  (6)    

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $8.12  $1,721     

50

In thousands (except per ounce amounts)

 

Six Months Ended June 30, 2021

 
  

Greens

Creek

  

Lucky

Friday

  

Corporate

and other(2)

  

Total

Silver

 

Total cost of sales

 $108,668  $50,696  $95  $159,459 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

  (29,313)  (13,738)     (43,051)

Treatment costs

  19,465   9,664      29,129 

Change in product inventory

  (34)  (1,689)     (1,723)

Reclamation and other costs

  (932)  (559)  (95)  (1,586)

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits (1)

  97,854   44,374       142,228 

Reclamation and other costs

  1,695   528       2,223 

Sustaining exploration

  1,423      885   2,308 

Sustaining capital

  11,231   10,698      21,929 

General and administrative

        19,111   19,111 

AISC, Before By-product Credits (1)

  112,203   55,600  $19,996   187,799 

By-product credits:

                

Zinc

  (49,277)  (9,846)     (59,123)

Gold

  (41,434)         (41,434)

Lead

  (15,625)  (20,574)     (36,199)

Total By-product credits

  (106,336)  (30,420)     (136,756)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits

 $(8,482) $13,954  $  $5,472 

AISC, After By-product Credits

 $5,867  $25,180  $19,996  $51,043 

Divided by ounces produced

  5,143   1,777       6,920 

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $19.03  $24.97      $20.55 

By-product credits per ounce

  (20.68)  (17.12)      (19.76)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $(1.65) $7.85      $0.79 

AISC, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $21.82  $31.29      $27.14 

By-product credits per ounce

  (20.68)  (17.12)      (19.76)

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1.14  $14.17      $7.38 

51

In thousands (except per ounce amounts)

 

Six Months Ended June 30, 2021

 
  

Casa

Berardi

  

Nevada

Operations

  

Total

Gold

 

Total cost of sales

 $114,596  $25,448  $140,044 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

  (41,191)  (8,232)  (49,423)

Treatment costs

  1,249   1,730   2,979 

Change in product inventory

  968   11,499   12,467 

Reclamation and other costs

  (423)  (245)  (668)

Exclusion of Nevada Operations costs

     (5,103)  (5,103)

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits (1)

  75,199   25,097   100,296 

Reclamation and other costs

  423   245   668 

Sustaining exploration

  2,010      2,010 

Sustaining capital

  13,822   133   13,955 

AISC, Before By-product Credits (1)

  91,454   25,475   116,929 

By-product credits:

            

Silver

  (487)  (1,103)  (1,590)

Total By-product credits

  (487)  (1,103)  (1,590)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits

 $74,712  $23,994  $98,706 

AISC, After By-product Credits

 $90,967  $24,372  $115,339 

Divided by ounces produced

  68   17   85 

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1,113  $1,434  $1,180 

By-product credits per ounce

  (7)  (63)  (19)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1,106  $1,371  $1,161 

AISC, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1,354  $1,456  $1,376 

By-product credits per ounce

  (7)  (63)  (19)

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $1,347  $1,393  $1,357 

52

In thousands (except per ounce amounts)

 

Six Months Ended June 30, 2021

 
  

Total

Silver

  

Total

Gold

  

Total

 

Total cost of sales

 $159,459  $140,044   299,503 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

  (43,051)  (49,423)  (92,474)

Treatment costs

  29,129   2,979   32,108 

Change in product inventory

  (1,723)  12,467   10,744 

Reclamation and other costs

  (1,586)  (668)  (2,254)

Suspension of Nevada Operations costs

     (5,103)  (5,103)

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits (1)

  142,228   100,296   242,524 

Reclamation and other costs

  2,223   668   2,891 

Sustaining exploration

  2,308   2,010   4,318 

Sustaining capital

  21,929   13,955   35,884 

General and administrative

  19,111      19,111 

AISC, Before By-product Credits (1)

  187,799   116,929   304,728 

By-product credits:

            

Zinc

  (59,123)     (59,123)

Gold

  (41,434)     (41,434)

Lead

  (36,199)     (36,199)

Silver

     (1,590)  (1,590)

Total By-product credits

  (136,756)  (1,590)  (138,346)

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits

 $5,472  $98,706  $104,178 

AISC, After By-product Credits

 $51,043  $115,339  $166,382 

Divided by ounces produced

  6,920   85     

Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $20.55  $1,180     

By-product credits per ounce

  (19.76)  (19)    

Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $0.79  $1,161     

AISC, Before By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $27.14  $1,376     

By-product credits per ounce

  (19.76)  (19)    

AISC, After By-product Credits, per Ounce

 $7.38  $1,357     

 

(1)

Includes all direct and indirect operating costs related to the physical activities of producing metals, including mining, processing and other plant costs, third-party refining and marketing expense, on-site general and administrative costs and royalties, before by-product revenues earned from all metals other than the primary metal produced at each operation. AISC, Before By-product Credits also includes on-site exploration, reclamation, and sustaining capital costs.

 

(2)

AISC, Before By-product Credits for our consolidated silver properties includes corporate costs for general and administrative expense, exploration and sustaining capital.

 

(3)

Production was suspended at the Hollister mine in the third quarter of 2019 and at the Midas mine and Aurora mill in late 2019, and at the Midas mill and Fire Creek mine in mid-2021. Care and maintenance costs at Nevada Operations totaling $5.7$4.7 million and $3.6$5.2 million for the first quarterssecond quarter of 2022 and 2021, respectively, are reported in a separate line item on our consolidated statements of operations and excluded from the calculations of total cost of sales, Cash Cost, Before By-product Credits, Cash Cost, After By-product Credits, AISC, Before By-product Credits, and AISC, After By-product Credits.

 

4053

 

Reconciliation of Cash Provided by Operating Activities (GAAP) to Free Cash Flow (non-GAAP)

 

The non-GAAP measure of free cash flow is calculated as net cash provided by operating activities (GAAP) less additions to properties, plants, equipment and mineral interests (GAAP). Management believes that, when presented in conjunction with comparable GAAP measures, free cash flow is useful to investors in evaluating our operating performance. The following table reconciles net cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow:

 

 

Three Months Ended

March 31,

  

Three Months Ended

June 30,

  

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 
 

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

  

2022

  

2021

 

Net cash provided by operating activities (GAAP)

 $37,909  $37,936  $40,183  $86,304  $78,092  $124,240 

Less: Additions to properties, plants, equipment and mineral interests (GAAP)

  (21,478)  (21,413)  (34,329) (31,898)  (55,807) (53,311)

Free cash flow

 $16,431  $16,523  $5,854  $54,406  $22,285  $70,929 

 

Financial Liquidity and Capital Resources

Liquidity Overview

 

We have a disciplined cash management strategy of maintaining financial flexibility to execute our capital priorities and provide long-term value to our shareholders. Consistent with that strategy, we aim to maintain an acceptable level of net debt and sufficient liquidity to fund debt service costs, operations, capital development and exploration projects, while returning cash to stockholders through dividends and potential share repurchases.

 

At March 31,June 30, 2022, we had $212.0$198.2 million in cash and cash equivalents, of which $23.4$23.8 million was held in foreign subsidiaries' local currency that we anticipate utilizing for near-term operating, exploration or capital costs by those foreign subsidiaries. We also have USD cash and cash equivalent balances held by our foreign subsidiaries that, if repatriated, may be subject to withholding taxes. We expect that there would be no additional tax burden upon repatriation after considering the cash cost associated with the withholding taxes. We believe that our liquidity and capital resources from our U.S. operations are adequate to fund our U.S. operations and corporate activities.

 

As discussed in Overview above, we continue to address the COVID-19 outbreak and face uncertainty related to the potential additional impacts it could have on our operations. The impacts of COVID-19 and increasing or prolonged restrictions, if required, on our operations could require access to additional sources of liquidity, which may not be available to us.

 

Pursuant to our common stock dividend policy described in Note 12 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in our 2021 Form 10-K, our board of directors declared and paid dividends on common stock totaling $3.4 million in the first quarterand second quarters of 2022 and $4.7 million and $6.0 million in the first quarterand second quarters of 2021.2021, respectively. Our dividend policy has a silver-linked component which ties the amount of declared common stock dividends to our realized silver price for the preceding quarter. Another component of our common stock dividend policy anticipates paying an annual minimum dividend.

54

For illustrative purposes only, the table below summarizes potential dividend amounts under our dividend policy.

 

Quarterly

Average Realized

Silver Price ($ per

ounce)

  

Quarterly Silver-

Linked Dividend ($

per share)

  

Annualized

Silver-Linked

Dividend ($ per

share)

  

Annualized

Minimum

Dividend ($

per share)

  

Annualized

Dividends per

Share: Silver-

Linked and

Minimum ($

per share)

 
$20  $0.0025  $0.01  $0.015  $0.025 
$25  $0.0100  $0.04  $0.015  $0.055 
$30  $0.0150  $0.06  $0.015  $0.075 
$35  $0.0250  $0.10  $0.015  $0.115 
$40  $0.0350  $0.14  $0.015  $0.155 
$45  $0.0450  $0.18  $0.015  $0.195 
$50  $0.0550  $0.22  $0.015  $0.235 

41

Quarterly

Average Realized

Silver Price ($ per

ounce)

  

Quarterly Silver-

Linked Dividend ($

per share)

  

Annualized

Silver-Linked

Dividend ($ per

share)

  

Annualized

Minimum

Dividend ($

per share)

  

Annualized

Dividends per

Share: Silver-

Linked and

Minimum ($

per share)

 
$20  $0.0025  $0.01  $0.015  $0.025 
$25  $0.0100  $0.04  $0.015  $0.055 
$30  $0.0150  $0.06  $0.015  $0.075 
$35  $0.0250  $0.10  $0.015  $0.115 
$40  $0.0350  $0.14  $0.015  $0.155 
$45  $0.0450  $0.18  $0.015  $0.195 
$50  $0.0550  $0.22  $0.015  $0.235 

 

The declaration and payment of dividends on common stock is at the sole discretion of our board of directors, and there can be no assurance that we will continue to declare and pay common stock dividends in the future.

 

Pursuant to our stock repurchase program described in Note 12 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in our2021 10-K, we are authorized to repurchase up to 20 million shares of our outstanding common stock from time to time in open market or privately negotiated transactions, depending on prevailing market conditions and other factors.  The repurchase program may be modified, suspended or discontinued by us at any time.  As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, 934,100 shares had been purchased in prior periods at an average price of $3.99 per share, leaving 19.1 million shares that may yet be purchased under the program.  We have not repurchased any shares since June 2014. The closing price of our common stock at May 5, 2022, was $5.08 per share.

Pursuant to our at-the-market equity distribution agreement (“ATM”) described in Note 12 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in our2021 Form 10-K, we are authorized to repurchase up to 20 million shares of our outstanding common stock from time to time in open market or privately negotiated transactions, depending on prevailing market conditions and other factors.  The repurchase program may be modified, suspended or discontinued by us at any time. Whether or not we engage in repurchases from time to time may depend on a variety of factors, including not only price and cash resources, but customary black-out restrictions, whether we have any material inside information, limitations on share repurchases or cash usage that may be imposed by our credit agreement or in connection with issuances of securities, alternative uses for cash, applicable law, and other investment opportunities from time to time. As of June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, 934,100 shares had been purchased in prior periods at an average price of $3.99 per share, leaving 19.1 million shares that may yet be purchased under the program. We have not repurchased any shares since June 2014. The closing price of our common stock at August 1, 2022, was $4.49 per share.

Pursuant to an equity distribution agreement dated February 18, 2021, we may offer and sell up to 60 million shares of our common stock from time to time to or through sales agents.agents in “at-the-market” (ATM) offerings. Sales of the shares, if any, will be made by means of ordinary brokers transactions or as otherwise agreed between the Company and the agents as principals. Whether or not we engage in sales from time to time may depend on a variety of factors, including our share price, andour cash resources, customary black-out restrictions, and whether we have any material inside information. The agreement can be terminated by us at any time. Any shares issued under the equity distribution agreement are registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3. No shares have been sold under the agreement as of March 31,June 30, 2022.

 

We believe asAs a result of our current cash balances, the performance of our current and expected operations, current metals prices, proceeds from potential at-the-market sales of common stock, and availability ofunder our revolving credit facility, we believe we will be able to meet our obligations and other potential cash requirements during the next 12 months from the date of this report.  Our obligations and other uses of cash may include, but are not limited to: debt service obligations related to the Senior Notes and IQ NotesNotes; principal and interest payments under our revolving credit facility (if amounts are drawn);facility; deferral of revenues, care-and-maintenance and other costs related to addressing the impactimpacts of COVID-19 on our operations; capital expenditures at our operations; potential acquisitions of other mining companies or properties; regulatory matters; litigation; potential repurchases of our common stock under the program described above; and payment of dividends on common stock, if declared by our board of directors. We currently estimate that a totalrange of approximately $135$150 to 160  million will be spent in 2022 on capital expenditures, primarily for equipment, infrastructure, and development at our mines, including $21.5$60.9 million already incurred as of March 31, 2022.June 30, 2022, before any lease financing. We also estimate that exploration and pre-development expenditures will total approximately $45$45.0 million in 2022, including $12.8$24.0 million already incurred as of March 31,June 30, 2022.  Our expenditures for these items and our related plans for 2022 may change based upon our financial position, metals prices, and other considerations.  Our ability to fund the activities described above will depend on our operating performance, metals prices, our ability to estimate revenues and costs, sources of liquidity available to us, including the revolving credit facility, and other factors.  A sustained downturn in metals prices, significant increase in operational or capital costs or other uses of cash, our inability to access the credit facility or the sources of liquidity discussed above, or other factors beyond our control could impact our plans. In our 2021 10-K, see Item 1A. Risk Factors - An extended decline in metals prices, an increase in operating or capital costs, mine accidents or closures, increasing regulatory obligations, or our inability to convert resources or exploration targets to reserves may cause us to record write-downs, which could negatively impact our results

55

 

We may defer some capital expendituresinvestment and/or exploration and pre-development activities, engage in asset sales or secure additional capital if necessary to maintain liquidity. We also may pursue additional acquisition opportunities, which could require additional equity issuances or other forms of financing. We cannot assure youThere can be no assurance that such financing will be available to us.

 

42

Our liquid assets include (in millions):

 

 

March 31,

2022

  

December 31,

2021

  

June 30, 2022

  

December 31, 2021

 

Cash and cash equivalents held in U.S. dollars

 $188.6  $196.2  $174.4  $196.2 

Cash and cash equivalents held in foreign currency

  23.4   13.8   23.8   13.8 

Total cash and cash equivalents

 212.0  210.0  198.2  210.0 

Marketable equity securities, current and non-current

  29.2   14.4 

Marketable equity securities - non-current

  23.9   14.4 

Total cash, cash equivalents and investments

 $241.2  $224.4  $222.1  $224.4 

 

Cash and cash equivalents increaseddecreased by $2.0$11.8 million in the first threesix months of 2022 as a result of operational performance.2022. Cash held in foreign currencies represents balances in CADCanadian dollars and MXN,Mexican Pesos (“MXN”), with a $9.6the $10.0 million increase in the first quarterhalf of 2022 resulting from an increaseincreases in CAD and MXN held. The value of non-current marketable equity securities increased by $14.8 million due to acquisitions of $10.9 million and stock price appreciation during the quarter.$9.5 million.

 

  

Three Months Ended

 
  

March 31,

2022

  

March 31,

2021

 

Cash provided by operating activities (in millions)

 $37.9  $37.9 
  

Six Months Ended

 
  

June 30, 2022

  

June 30, 2021

 

Cash provided by operating activities (in millions)

 $78.1  $124.2 

 

Cash provided by operating activities in the first quarterhalf of 2022 was substantially unchangedof $78.1 million represented a $46.1 million decrease compared to the $124.2 million provided by operating activities in the first quarterhalf of 2021, with2021. The variance was the result of lower net income, as adjusted for non-cash items, a reduction in accounts receivable of $14.6 and an increase in accounts payable of $17.1 million, partially offset by the impactan increase in inventory of working capital changes.$8.4 million and smaller decreases to accrued taxes and accrued reclamation and other non-current liabilities.

 

  

Three Months Ended

 
  

March 31,

2022

  

March 31,

2021

 

Cash used in investing activities (in millions)

 $(29.2) $(21.4)
  

Six Months Ended

 
  

June 30, 2022

  

June 30, 2021

 

Cash used in investing activities (in millions)

 $(74.5) $(53.2)

 

During the first quarterhalf of 2022, we invested $21.5$55.8 million in capital expenditures, excluding $5.1 million in non-cash finance lease additions, an increase of $2.5 million compared to $21.4 millionthe same period in the first quarter of 2021, with higher capital2021. The variance was primarily due to increased spending at Lucky Friday and Greens Creek and Lucky Fridaypartially offset by lower spending at Casa Berardi. InBerardi spend. During the first quarterhalf of 2022, we acquired investments in other mining companies for a total cost of $10.9$21.9 million, and recognizeddisposed of an investment generating proceeds of $2.5 million in proceeds on the sale of investments, with no such activity inmillion.  

  

Six Months Ended

 
  

June 30, 2022

  

June 30, 2021

 

Cash used in financing activities (in millions)

 $(14.1) $(19.4)

During the first quartersix months of 2021.

  

Three Months Ended

 
  

March 31,

2022

  

March 31,

2021

 

Cash used in financing activities (in millions)

 $(7.2) $(6.8)

We2022 and 2021, we paid total cash dividends on our common and preferred stock of $3.5totaling $7.0 million and $4.8$11.0 million, respectively. Due to lower realized silver prices during 2022 to date, the dividends paid on our common stock were $4 million lower than in the prior year, reflecting our dividend policy discussed above. We made repayments on our finance leases of $3.3 million and $3.8 million in the first quarter ofsix-month periods ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively. We made repayments on our capital leases of $1.7acquired treasury shares for $3.7 million and $1.9$4.5 million in the first quarterhalf of 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Exchange rate fluctuations between the U.S. dollar and the Canadian dollar and Mexican peso resultedrespectively, as a result of employees' elections to utilize net share settlement to satisfy their tax withholding obligations related to incentive compensation paid in a $0.5 million increase in cash and cash equivalents in the first quarter of 2022 compared to an increase of $0.2 million in the first quarter of 2021.stock.

 

4356

The effect of changes in foreign exchange rates resulted in a $1.3 million decrease in cash and cash equivalents in the first half of 2022 compared to a decrease of $28 thousand in the first half of 2021, with the variance due to depreciation of the CAD and MXN relative to the USD in the 2022 period.

 

Contractual Obligations, Contingent Liabilities and Commitments

 

The table below presents our fixed, non-cancelable contractual obligations and commitments primarily related to our Senior Notes, IQ Notes, credit facility, outstanding purchase orders, and certain capital expenditures and lease arrangements as of March 31,June 30, 2022 (in thousands):

 

 

Payments Due By Period

  

Payments Due By Period

 
 

Less than 1

year

  

1-3 years

  

4-5 years

  

More than

5 years

  

Total

  

Less than 1

year

  

1-3 years

  

4-5 years

  

More than

5 years

  

Total

 

Purchase and contractual obligations (1)

 $22,645  $  $  $  $22,645 

Commitment fees (2)

 1,496        1,496 

Purchase obligations (1)

 $31,918  $  $  $  $31,918 

Credit facility(2)

 1,072        1,072 

Finance lease commitments (3)

 6,365  8,194  943    15,502  6,423  8,291  1,213    15,927 

Operating lease commitments (4)

 3,057  3,607  2,100  6,174  14,938  3,011  3,113  2,069  6,043  14,236 

Senior Notes (5)

 34,438  68,875  68,875  505,132  677,320  34,438  68,875  68,875  496,523  668,711 

IQ Notes (6)

  2,515   5,030   39,295      46,840   2,441   4,882   37,528      44,851 

Total contractual cash obligations

 $70,516  $85,706  $111,213  $511,306  $778,741  $79,303  $85,161  $109,685  $502,566  $776,715 

 

 

(1)

Consists of open purchase orders and contractual obligationscommitments of approximately $7.7$8.1 million at the Greens Creek $10.1unit, $1.3 million at the Casa Berardi unit, $19.1 million at the Lucky Friday $0.2 million at Casa Berardiunit and $4.6$3.4 million at the Nevada Operations.Operations unit. 

 

 

(2)

We have a $250 million revolving credit agreement which is currently undrawn. We had $17.3$14.9 million in letters of credit outstanding as of March 31,June 30, 2022. The amounts in the table above assume no additional amounts will be drawn in future periods, and include only the standby fee on the current undrawn balance. For more information on our credit facility, see Note 7 of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited).

 

 

(3)

Includes scheduled finance lease payments of $13.9$12.2 million, $2.2 million, $1.5 million and $1.6$0.1 million (including interest), respectively, for equipment at our Greens Creek, andLucky Friday, Casa Berardi respectively.and Nevada Operations units.  

 

 

(4)

We enter into operating leases in the normal course of business.  Substantially all lease agreements have fixed payment terms based on the passage of time.  Some lease agreements provide us with the option to renew the lease or purchase the leased property.  Our future operating lease obligations would change if we exercised these renewal options and if we entered into additional operating lease arrangements.

 

 

(5)

On February 19, 2020, we completed an offering of $475 million in aggregate principal amount of our Senior Notes due February 15, 2028. The Senior Notes bear interest at a rate of 7.25% per year, with interest payable on February 15 and August 15 of each year, commencing August 15, 2020.year. See Note 7 of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited) for more information.

 

 

(6)

On July 9, 2020, we entered into a note purchase agreement pursuant to which we issued our IQ Notes for CAD$50 million (approximately USD$36.8 million at the time of the transaction) in aggregate principal amount. The IQ Notes bear interest on amounts outstanding at a rate of 6.515% per year, payable on January 9 and July 9 of each year, commencing January 9, 2021.year. See Note 7 of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited) for more information.

 

57

We record liabilities for estimated costs associated with mine closure, reclamation of land and other environmental matters.  At March 31,June 30, 2022, our liabilities for these matters totaled $114.2$114.3 million. Future expenditures related to closure, reclamation and environmental expenditures at our sites are difficult to estimate, although we anticipate we will incur expenditures relating to these obligations over the next 30 years. For additional information relating to our environmental obligations, see Note 10 of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited).

 

Critical Accounting Estimates

 

There have been no significant changes to the critical accounting estimates disclosed in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in our 2021 Form 10-K.

 

44

operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources that are material to investors.

 

Guarantor Subsidiaries

 

Presented below are Hecla’s unaudited interim condensed consolidating financial statements as required by Rule 3-10 of Regulation S-X of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, resulting from the guarantees by certain of Hecla's subsidiaries of the Senior Notes and IQ Notes (see Note 7 of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited) for more information). The Guarantors consist of the following of Hecla's 100%-owned subsidiaries: Hecla Limited; Silver Hunter Mining Company; Rio Grande Silver, Inc.; Hecla MC Subsidiary, LLC; Hecla Silver Valley, Inc.; Burke Trading, Inc.; Hecla Montana, Inc.; Revett Silver Company; RC Resources, Inc.; Troy Mine Inc.; Revett Exploration, Inc.; Revett Holdings, Inc.; Mines Management, Inc.; Newhi, Inc.; Montanore Minerals Corp.; Hecla Alaska LLC; Hecla Greens Creek Mining Company; Hecla Admiralty Company; Hecla Juneau Mining Company; Klondex Holdings Inc.; Klondex Gold & Silver Mining Co.; Klondex Midas Holdings Limited; Klondex Aurora Mine Inc.; Klondex Hollister Mine Inc; and Hecla Quebec, Inc. We completed the offering of the Senior Notes on February 19, 2020 under our shelf registration statement previously filed with the SEC. We issued the IQ Notes in four equal tranches between July and October 2020.

 

The unaudited interim condensed consolidating financial statements below have been prepared from our financial information on the same basis of accounting as the unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements set forth elsewhere in this report. Investments in the subsidiaries are accounted for under the equity method. Accordingly, the entries necessary to consolidate Hecla, the Guarantors, and our non-guarantor subsidiaries are reflected in the intercompany eliminations column. In the course of preparing consolidated financial statements, we eliminate the effects of various transactions conducted between Hecla and its subsidiaries and among the subsidiaries. While valid at an individual subsidiary level, such activities are eliminated in consolidation because, when taken as a whole, they do not represent business activity with third-party customers, vendors, and other parties. Examples of such eliminations include the following:

 

 

Investments in subsidiaries. The acquisition of a company results in an investment in debt or equity capital on the records of the parent company and a contribution to debt or equity capital on the records of the subsidiary. Such investments and capital contributions are eliminated in consolidation.

 

 

Capital contributions. Certain of Hecla's subsidiaries do not generate cash flow, either at all or that is sufficient to meet their capital needs, and their cash requirements are routinely met with inter-company advances from their parent companies. Generally on an annual basis, when not otherwise intended as debt, the boards of directors of such parent companies declare contributions of capital to their subsidiary companies, which increase the parents' investment and the subsidiaries' additional paid-in capital. In consolidation, investments in subsidiaries and related additional paid-in capital are eliminated.

 

58

 

Debt.��  At times, inter-company debt agreements have been established between certain of Hecla's subsidiaries and their parents. The related debt liability and receivable balances, accrued interest expense (if any) and income activity (if any), and payments of principal and accrued interest amounts (if any) by the subsidiary companies to their parents are eliminated in consolidation.

 

 

Dividends.  Certain of Hecla's subsidiaries which generate cash flow routinely provide cash to their parent companies through inter-company transfers. On at least an annual basis, the boards of directors of such subsidiary companies declare dividends to their parent companies, which reduces the subsidiaries' retained earnings and increases the parents' dividend income. In consolidation, such activity is eliminated.

45

 

 

Deferred taxes. Our ability to realize deferred tax assets and liabilities is considered for two consolidated tax groups of subsidiaries within the United States: The Nevada U.S. Group and the Hecla U.S. Group. Within each tax group, all subsidiaries' estimated future taxable income contributes to the ability of their tax group to realize all such assets and liabilities. However, when Hecla's subsidiaries are viewed independently, we use the separate return method to assess the realizability of each subsidiary's deferred tax assets and whether a valuation allowance is required against such deferred tax assets. In some instances, a parent company or subsidiary may possess deferred tax assets whose realization depends on the future taxable incomes of other subsidiaries on a consolidated-return basis, but would not be considered realizable if such parent or subsidiary filed on a separate stand-alone basis. In such a situation, a valuation allowance is assessed on that subsidiary's deferred tax assets, with the resulting adjustment reported in the eliminations column of the guarantor and parent's financial statements, as is the case in the unaudited interim financial statements set forth below. The separate return method can result in significant eliminations of deferred tax assets and liabilities and related income tax provisions and benefits. Non-current deferred tax asset balances are included in other non-current assets on the consolidating balance sheets and make up a large portion of that item, particularly for the guarantor balances.

 

Separate financial statements of the Guarantors are not presented because the guarantees by the Guarantors are joint and several and full and unconditional, except for certain customary release provisions, including: (1) the sale or disposal of all or substantially all of the assets of the Guarantor; (2) the sale or other disposition of the capital stock of the Guarantor; (3) the Guarantor is designated as an unrestricted entity in accordance with the applicable provisions of the indenture; (4) Hecla ceases to be a borrower as defined in the indenture; and (5) upon legal or covenant defeasance or satisfaction and discharge of the indenture.

 

59

Unaudited Interim Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets

 

As of March 31, 2022

  

As of June 30, 2022

 
 

Parent

  

Guarantors

  

Non-

Guarantors

  

Eliminations

  

Consolidated

  

Parent

  

Guarantors

  

Non-Guarantors

  

Eliminations

  

Consolidated

 
 

(in thousands)

  

(in thousands)

 

Assets

                    

Cash and cash equivalents

 $164,037  $29,638  $18,354  $  $212,029  $151,846  $30,923  $15,424  $  $198,193 

Other current assets

 4,798  125,786  1,343    131,927  11,861  111,008  1,334    124,203 

Properties, plants, equipment and mineral interests - net

 1,913  2,288,710  8,235    2,298,858 

Properties, plants, equipment and mineral interests, net

 1,913  2,285,819  8,230    2,295,962 

Intercompany receivable (payable)

 (222,013) (219,670) 214,657  227,026    (226,858) (208,167) 217,705  217,320   

Investments in subsidiaries

 1,566,919      (1,566,919)   1,415,938      (1,415,938)  

Other non-current assets

  360,176   32,607   (116,294)  (180,404)  96,085   359,373   28,272   (116,425)  (172,475)  98,745 

Total assets

 $1,875,830  $2,257,071  $126,295  $(1,520,297) $2,738,899  $1,714,073  $2,247,855  $126,268  $(1,371,093) $2,717,103 

Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity

                    

Current liabilities

 $(410,590) $251,290  $1,714  $345,826  $188,240  $(590,549) $250,516  $(1,940) $500,202  $158,229 

Long-term debt

 508,852  17,878  507    527,237  507,841  172,397  (522) (153,721) 525,995 

Non-current portion of accrued reclamation

   99,899  3,713    103,612    101,001  2,746    103,747 

Non-current deferred tax liability

 2,937  437,077    (299,204) 140,810  13,980  430,867    (301,634) 143,213 

Other non-current liabilities

 46,088  3,661  708    50,457  (81) 2,422  696    3,037 

Stockholders' equity

  1,728,543   1,447,266   119,653   (1,566,919)  1,728,543   1,782,882   1,290,652   125,288   (1,415,940)  1,782,882 

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

 $1,875,830  $2,257,071  $126,295  $(1,520,297) $2,738,899  $1,714,073  $2,247,855  $126,268  $(1,371,093) $2,717,103 

Unaudited Interim Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations

  

Three Months Ended June 30, 2022

 
  

Parent

  

Guarantors

  

Non-Guarantors

  

Eliminations

  

Consolidated

 
  

(in thousands)

 

Revenues

 $11,323  $179,919  $  $  $191,242 

Cost of sales

  746   (116,653)        (115,907)

Depreciation, depletion, amortization

     (38,072)        (38,072)

General and administrative

  (4,497)  (5,036)  (159)     (9,692)

Exploration and pre-development

  (148)  (8,700)  (2,352)     (11,200)
Fair value adjustments, net  (1,553)  (4,231)  (10,644)     (16,428)

Equity in earnings of subsidiaries

  (12,559)        12,559    

Other expense

  (3,237)  (1,688)  (1,179)  (7,108)  (13,212)

Income (loss) before income taxes

  (9,925)  5,539   (14,334)  5,451   (13,269)

(Provision) benefit from income taxes

  (3,598)  (3,763)     7,107   (254)

Net income (loss)

  (13,523)  1,776   (14,334)  12,558   (13,523)

Preferred stock dividends

  (138)           (138)

Income (loss) applicable to common stockholders

 $(13,661) $1,776  $(14,334) $12,558  $(13,661)

Net income (loss)

  (13,523)  1,776   (14,334)  12,558   (13,523)

Changes in comprehensive income (loss)

  65,348            65,348 

Comprehensive income (loss)

 $51,825  $1,776  $(14,334) $12,558  $51,825 

 

4660

  

Six Months Ended June 30, 2022

 
  

Parent

  

Guarantors

  

Non-Guarantors

  

Eliminations

  

Consolidated

 
  

(in thousands)

 

Revenues

 $6,553  $371,188  $  $  $377,741 

Cost of sales

  1,796   (223,475)        (221,679)

Depreciation, depletion, amortization

     (73,370)        (73,370)

General and administrative

  (8,890)  (8,800)  (296)     (17,986)

Exploration and pre-development

  (294)  (19,346)  (4,368)     (24,008)
Fair value adjustments, net  (1,297)  (2,292)  (6,874)     (10,463)

Equity in earnings of subsidiaries

  (8,347)        8,347    

Other expense

  8,114   (23,574)  (381)  (17,879)  (33,720)

Income (loss) before income taxes

  (2,365)  20,331   (11,919)  (9,532)  (3,485)

(Provision) benefit from income taxes

  (7,005)  (16,769)  11   17,878   (5,885)

Net income (loss)

  (9,370)  3,562   (11,908)  8,346   (9,370)

Preferred stock dividends

  (276)           (276)

Income (loss) applicable to common stockholders

 $(9,646) $3,562  $(11,908) $8,346  $(9,646)

Net income (loss)

  (9,370)  3,562   (11,908)  8,346   (9,370)

Changes in comprehensive income (loss)

  32,183            32,183 

Comprehensive income (loss)

 $22,813  $3,562  $(11,908) $8,346  $22,813 

61

 

Unaudited Interim Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations

  

Three Months Ended March 31, 2022

 
  

Parent

  

Guarantors

  

Non-

Guarantors

  

Eliminations

  

Consolidated

 
  

(in thousands)

 

Sales

 $(4,770) $191,269  $  $  $186,499 

Cost of sales

  1,050   (106,822)        (105,772)

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

     (35,298)        (35,298)

General and administrative

  (4,393)  (3,764)  (137)     (8,294)

Exploration and pre-development

  (146)  (10,646)  (2,016)     (12,808)

Fair value adjustments, net

  256   1,939   3,770      5,965 

Equity in earnings of subsidiaries

  4,212         (4,212)   

Other income (expense)

  11,351   (21,886)  798   (10,771)  (20,508)

Income (loss) before income and mining taxes

  7,560   14,792   2,415   (14,983)  9,784 

Income and mining tax (provision) benefit

  (3,407)  (13,006)  11   10,771   (5,631)

Net income (loss)

  4,153   1,786   2,426   (4,212)  4,153 

Preferred stock dividends

  (138)           (138)

Income (loss) applicable to common stockholders

  4,015   1,786   2,426   (4,212)  4,015 

Net income (loss)

  4,153   1,786   2,426   (4,212)  4,153 

Changes in comprehensive loss

  (33,165)           (33,165)

Comprehensive (loss) income

 $(29,012) $1,786  $2,426  $(4,212) $(29,012)

Unaudited Interim Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2022

  

Six Months Ended June 30, 2022

 
 

Parent

  

Guarantors

  

Non-

Guarantors

  

Eliminations

  

Consolidated

  

Parent

  

Guarantors

  

Non-Guarantors

  

Eliminations

  

Consolidated

 
 

(in thousands)

  

(in thousands)

 

Cash flows from operating activities

 $1,891  $30,240  $18,489  $(12,711) $37,909  $10,940  $65,524  $(3,189) $4,817  $78,092 

Cash flows from investing activities:

  

Additions to properties, plants, equipment and mineral interests

   (21,476) (2)    (21,478)

Additions to properties, plants, and equipment

   (55,798) (9)   (55,807)

Other investing activities, net

 (4,213) (2,173) (5,591) 4,213  (7,764) 146,768  (2,060) (16,622) (146,768) (18,682)

Cash flows from financing activities:

  

Dividends paid to stockholders

 (3,509)        (3,509) (7,027)       (7,027)

Payments on debt

   (1,695)      (1,695)   (3,333)     (3,333)

Other financing activity

 (5,240) 10,139  (15,372) 8,498  (1,975) (173,943) 11,652  16,591  141,949  (3,751)

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash

     509   10      519      843   (2,167)  3   (1,321)

Changes in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents

 (11,071) 15,544  (2,466)   2,007  (23,262) 16,828  (5,395)    (11,829)

Beginning cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents

  175,108   15,135   20,820      211,063   175,108   15,135   20,820      211,063 

Ending cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents

 $164,037  $30,679  $18,354  $  $213,070  $151,846  $31,963  $15,425  $  $199,234 

 

 

Item 3.    Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

 

The following discussion about our exposure to market risks and risk management activities includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as summarizes the financial instruments held by us at March 31,June 30, 2022, which are sensitive to changes in commodity prices and foreign exchange rates and are not held for trading purposes.  Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.  In the normal course of business, we also face risks that are either non-financial or non-quantifiable (See Item 1A. Risk Factors of our 2021 Form 10-K).

47

 

Metals Prices

 

Changes in the market prices of silver, gold, lead and zinc can significantly affect our profitability and cash flow. Metals prices can and often do fluctuate widely and are affected by numerous factors beyond our control (see Item 1A Risk Factors A substantial or extended decline in metals prices would have a material adverse effect on us in our 2021 Form 10-K ).10-K). We utilize financially-settled forward and put option contracts to manage our exposure to changes in prices for silver, gold, zinc and lead.

 

Provisional Sales

 

Sales of all metals products sold directly to customers, including by-product metals, are recorded as revenues when all performance obligations have been completed and the transaction price can be determined or reasonably estimated.  For concentrate sales, revenues are generally recorded at the time of shipment at forward prices for the estimated month of settlement. Due to the time elapsed between shipment to the customer and the final settlement with the customer we must estimate the prices at which sales of our metals will be settled. Previously recorded sales are adjusted to estimated settlement metals prices until final settlement by the customer.  Changes in metals prices between shipment and final settlement will result in changes to revenues previously recorded upon shipment.  Metals prices can and often do fluctuate widely and are affected by numerous factors beyond our control (see Item 1A Risk Factors A substantial or extended decline in metals prices would have a material adverse effect on us in our 2021 Form 10-K).  At March 31,June 30, 2022, metals contained in concentrate sales and exposed to future price changes totaled 2.12.2 million ounces of silver, 5,4762,840 ounces of gold, 10,7985,828 tons of zinc, and 5,9404,669 tons of lead.  If the price for each metal were to change by 10%, the change in the total value of the concentrates sold would be approximately $11.7$8.1 million.  As discussed in Note 8of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited), we utilize a program designed and intended to mitigate the risk of negative price adjustments with limited mark-to-market financially-settled forward contracts for our silver, gold, zinc and lead sales.

62

 

Commodity-Price Risk Management

 

See Note 8 of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited) and Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk in our 2021 Form 10-K for a description of our commodity-price risk management program.

 

Foreign Currency Risk Management

 

We operate or have mining interests in Canada and Mexico, which exposes us to risks associated with fluctuations in the exchange rates between the USD and the CAD and MXN, respectively.  We have determined the functional currency for our Canadian and Mexican operations is the USD.  As such, foreign exchange gains and losses associated with the re-measurement of monetary assets and liabilities from CAD and MXN to USD are recorded to earnings each period.  For the three and six months ended March 31,June 30, 2022 and 2021, we recognized a net foreign exchange gain of $4.5 million and $2.4 million respectively, compared to a net foreign exchange loss of $2.0$1.9 million and $2.1$4.0 million, respectively.respectively for the comparable periods in 2021.  Foreign currency exchange rates are influenced by a number of factors beyond our control.  A 10% change in the exchange rate between the USD and CAD from the rate at March 31,June 30, 2022 would have resulted in a change of approximately $10.1$7.7 million in our net foreign exchange gain or loss.  A 10% change in the exchange rate between the USD and MXN from the rate at March 31,June 30, 2022 would have resulted in a change of approximately $0.1 million in our net foreign exchange gain or loss.   We do not hedge the remeasurement of monetary assets and liabilities.  We do hedge some of our operating and capital costs denominated in foreign currency.

 

See Note 8 of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited) and Note 11 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in our 2021 Form 10-K for a description of our foreign currency risk management.

 

48

 

Item 4.    Controls and Procedures

 

An evaluation was performed under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as required by Securities Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) as of the end of the period covered by this report.  Based on that evaluation, our CEO and CFO concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us is accumulated and communicated to our management (including our CEO and CFO), were effective as of March 31,June 30, 2022, in assuring them in a timely manner that material information required to be disclosed in this report has been properly recorded, processed, summarized and reported. There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the quarter ended March 31,June 30, 2022 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

 

Internal control systems, no matter how well designed and operated, have inherent limitations. Therefore, even a system which is determined to be effective cannot provide absolute assurance that all control issues have been detected or prevented. Our systems of internal controls are designed to provide reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation and presentation.

 

63

 

Part II - Other Information

 

Hecla Mining Company and Subsidiaries

 

Item 1.    Legal Proceedings

 

For information concerning certain legal proceedings, refer to Note 10of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited), which is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.

 

Item 1A.Risk Factors

 

Item 1A -1A. Risk Factors of our annual report filed on2021 Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 sets forth information relating to important risks and uncertainties that could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or operating results.

On July 4, 2022, we entered into an arrangement agreement with Alexco Resource Corp. (“Alexco”) pursuant to which we would acquire all of the issued and outstanding common stock of Alexco. See Note 12 of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited) for more information. The proposed acquisition is subject to approval by Alexco’s stockholders and receipt of certain regulatory approvals. The information below includes additional risk factors related to the potential acquisition.

Risk Factors Relating to the Acquisition

The acquisition of Alexco may not be completed on the terms or timeline currently contemplated or at all. Failure to complete the acquisition could negatively impact our stock price and future business and financial results.

The completion of the transactions contemplated by the arrangement agreement is subject to certain conditions, including (1) approval and adoption by Alexco shareholders, (2) approval by the Supreme Court of British Columbia and receipt of certain other regulatory approvals, (3) the absence of certain legal impediments and (4) other customary closing conditions. There can be no assurance the acquisition will be consummated on the terms or timeline currently contemplated, or at all. We have expended and will continue to expend a significant amount of time and resources on the acquisition, and a failure to consummate the acquisition as currently contemplated, or at all, could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

If the acquisition is not completed, our ongoing business may be adversely affected and we will be subject to several risks, including the following:

having to pay substantial other costs and expenses relating to the proposed transaction, such as legal, accounting, financial advisor, filing, printing and mailing fees and integration costs that have already been incurred and will continue to be incurred until closing;

the focus of our management on the acquisition instead of on pursuing other opportunities that could be beneficial to us; and

the market price of our common stock could decline to the extent that the current market price reflects a market assumption that the acquisition will be completed;

in each case, without realizing any of the anticipated benefits of having the acquisition completed. In addition, if the acquisition is not completed, we may experience negative reactions from the financial markets and from our employees and other stakeholders. We could also be subject to litigation related to any failure to complete the acquisition or to perform our obligations under the arrangement agreement. If the acquisition is not completed, we cannot assure our stockholders that these risks will not materialize and will not materially affect our business, financial results and stock price.

The agreement for the acquisition of Alexco may be terminated by us in certain circumstances, including in the event of the occurrence of an Alexco material adverse effect.

Both we and Alexco have the right to terminate the arrangement agreement in certain circumstances. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the arrangement agreement will not be terminated by either us or Alexco before the completion of the acquisition. For example, we have the right, in certain circumstances, to terminate the arrangement agreement if an Alexco material adverse effect, as defined in the agreement, occurs.

64

The exchange ratio is fixed and will not be adjusted in the event of any change in either our or Alexcos stock price.

Upon the closing of the acquisition, each share of Alexco common stock (other than shares already owned by us) will be converted into the right to receive 0.116 of a share of our common stock. This exchange ratio was fixed in the arrangement agreement and will not be adjusted for changes in the market price of either our common stock or Alexco common stock. Changes in the price of our common stock prior to the acquisition will affect the market value that Alexco shareholders will receive on the date of the acquisition. Stock price changes may result from a variety of factors (many of which are beyond the control of us orAlexco), including, without limitation, the following:

changes in our or Alexco’s businesses, operations, performance and prospects;

changes in market assessments of the business, operations and prospects of us or Alexco;

investor behavior and strategies, including market assessments of the likelihood that the acquisition will be completed;

interest rates, metals prices, general market and economic conditions and other factors generally affecting the price of our and Alexco’s common stock; and

federal, state, provincial and local legislation, governmental regulation and legal developments in the businesses in which we and Alexco operate.

The price of our common stock at the closing of the acquisition may vary from its price on the date the arrangement agreement was executed, on the date of this Form 10-Q and on the date of the shareholder meeting of Alexco. As a result, the market value represented by the exchange ratio will also vary.

Any delay in completing the acquisition may reduce or eliminate the expected benefits from the acquisition.

In addition to the required Alexco shareholder approval and adoption, the acquisition is subject to a number of other conditions beyond our and Alexco’s control that may prevent, delay or otherwise materially adversely affect its completion. We and Alexco cannot predict whether and when these other conditions will be satisfied. Furthermore, obtaining the required approval and adoption could delay the completion of the acquisition for a significant period of time or prevent it from occurring. Any delay in completing the acquisition could cause us not to realize some or all of the benefits that we expect to achieve if the acquisition is successfully completed within its expected time frame.

The acquisition will involve substantial costs.

We and Alexco have incurred and expect to continue to incur substantial costs and expenses relating directly to the transaction, including fees and expenses payable to legal, accounting and financial advisors and other professional fees relating to the transaction, insurance premium costs, fees and costs relating to regulatory filings and notices, printing and mailing costs and other transaction-related costs, fees and expenses.

Risk Factors Relating to Us Following the Acquisition

We will incur transaction and integration costs in connection with the acquisition.

We and Alexco expect to incur transaction fees and other costs related to the acquisition. In addition to transaction costs related to the acquisition, we will incur integration costs following the completion of the acquisition as we integrate the Alexco business with that of ours.

After completion of the acquisition, we may fail to realize anticipated benefits.

The success of the acquisition will depend, in part, on our ability to realize the anticipated benefits from the acquisition of Alexco. If we are not able to successfully integrate Alexco into our operations within the anticipated time frame, or at all, the anticipated benefits of the acquisition may not be realized fully or at all or may take longer to realize than expected.

65

The market price of our common stock following the acquisition may decline as a result of the acquisition.

The market price of our common stock following the acquisition may decline as a result of the acquisition for a number of reasons, including the unsuccessful integration of Alexco and our business, our failure to achieve the perceived benefits of the acquisition, including financial results, or declines in the mining industry, the market price of silver, our business or the economy as a whole. These factors are, to some extent, beyond our control.

Uncertainties associated with the acquisition may cause a loss of management personnel and other key employees of Alexco which could adversely affect future business and operations following the acquisition.

Hecla and Alexco are dependent on the experience and industry knowledge of their officers, other key employees and hourly employees at the mine sites to execute their business plans and conduct operations. Success after the acquisition will depend in part upon its ability to retain key employees of Alexco, as well as hourly employees. Current and prospective employees of Alexco may experience uncertainty about their future roles with Hecla following the acquisition, which may materially adversely affect the ability of Alexco to attract and retain key personnel during the pendency of the acquisition. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that Hecla will be able to retain key employees or hourly employees of Alexco. Losses of such personnel could adversely affect the business and operations of Hecla after the acquisition is complete.

The Alexco properties and any others we may acquire may not produce as expected and may not generate additional reserves, and may come with liabilities beyond those known at the time of acquisition.

The properties we acquire in the acquisition of Alexco, if consummated, or in other acquisitions may not produce as expected, may not generate reserves beyond those known at the time of acquisition, may be in an unexpected condition and we may be subject to increased costs and liabilities, including environmental liabilities. Although we review properties prior to acquisition in a manner consistent with industry practices, such reviews are not capable of identifying all potential adverse conditions. Generally, it is not feasible to review in depth every individual property involved in each acquisition. Even a detailed review of records and properties may not necessarily reveal existing or potential problems or permit a buyer to become sufficiently familiar with the properties to fully assess their condition, any deficiencies, and development potential.

Our number of outstanding common shares will increase as a result of the acquisition and the stream termination agreement and our stock price could be affected.

As indicated in Note 12, we have also entered into an agreement with Wheaton Precious Metals ("WPM") to terminate WPM’s silver streaming interest at Alexco’s Keno Hill property in exchange for $135 million of our common stock, conditional upon completion of the acquisition. As a result, if the acquisition is completed, it will result, together with the stream termination agreement, in the issuance of common stock that is expected to represent approximately [__]% of our outstanding common stock following completion of the transactions. This increase in the number of shares of our common stock outstanding could have a negative effect on our stock price.

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Securities and Use of Proceeds

On May 19, 2022, we issued 290,0000 unregistered shares of our common stock to the Lucky Friday Pension Plan Trust and 900,000 shares to the Hecla Mining Company Retirement Plan Trust in private placements in order to fund those defined benefit pension plans. The private placements were exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to section 4(a)(2) of that Act. The shares will be registered for resale on a registration statement on Form S-3 to be filed with the SEC within 120 days of May 19, 2022. We did not receive any cash proceeds from the issuance of the shares. The shares had a value of approximately $5.6 million at the time of issuance.

 

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

 

The information concerning mine safety violations or other regulatory matters required by Section 1503(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and Item 104 of Regulation S-K is included in exhibit 95 to this Quarterly Report.

 

66

Item 6.    Exhibits

 

Hecla Mining Company and Wholly Owned Subsidiaries

Form 10-Q - March 31,– June 30, 2022

Index to Exhibits

 

 

31.1

4.1

Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of May 19, 2022, among Hecla Mining Company, as Issuer, and the Hecla Mining company Retirement Plan Trust, which is the funding vehicle for the Hecla Mining Company Retirement Plan, a tax-qualified employee benefit pension plan sponsored by Hecla Mining Company, and the Lucky Friday Pension Plan Trust, which is the funding vehicle for the Lucky Friday Pension Plan.*

10.1Credit Agreement dated as of July 21, 2022, among Hecla Mining Company, Hecla Limited, Hecla Alaska LLC , Hecla Greens Creek Mining Company, and Hecla Juneau Mining Company, as the Borrowers, Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent for the Lenders, and various Lenders. Filed as exhibit 10.1 to Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on July 21, 2022 and incorporated herein by reference.
10.2Assignment and Amendment Agreement dated as of July 25, 2022, among Hecla Mining Company, Alexco Resource Corp., and 1080980 B.C. Ltd. *
31.1Certification pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. *

 

31.2

Certification pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. *

 

32.1

Certification pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. *

 

32.2

Certification pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. *

49

95

95Mine safety information listed in Section 1503 of the Dodd-Frank Act. *

 

101.INS

99.1

Contribution Agreement, dated as of May 19, 2022, among Hecla Mining Company, as sponsor of the Hecla Mining Company Retirement Plan, the Retirement Committee, as the named fiduciary of the Hecla Mining Company Retirement Plan, and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee of the Hecla Mining Company Retirement Plan Trust.*

99.2Contribution Agreement, dated as of May 19, 2022, among Hecla Mining Company, Hecla Limited as sponsor of the Lucky Friday Pension Plan, the Pension Committee, as the named fiduciary of the Lucky Friday Pension Plan, and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee of  the Hecla Mining Company Retirement Plan Trust. *
101.INSInline XBRL Instance Document - The instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document. **

 

101.SCH

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema.**

 

101.CAL

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation.**

 

101.DEF

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition.**

 

101.LAB

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels.**

 

101.PRE

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation.**

 

104

Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101)

 

___________________

 

* Filed herewith.

 

** XBRL information is furnished and not filed or a part of a registration statement or prospectus for purposes of Sections 11 or 12 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, is deemed not filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and otherwise is not subject to liability under these sections.

 

Items 2, 3 and 5 of Part II are not applicable and are omitted from this report.

 

5067

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

  

HECLA MINING COMPANY

  

(Registrant)

    

Date:

May 10,August 4, 2022

By:

/s/ Phillips S. Baker, Jr.

   

Phillips S. Baker, Jr., President,

   

Chief Executive Officer and Director

    

Date:

May 10,August 4, 2022

By:

/s/ Russell D. Lawlar

   

Russell D. Lawlar, Senior Vice President,

   

Chief Financial Officer

and Treasurer

 

5168