Note 12 - Subsequent Events	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2022
Notes to Financial Statements
Subsequent Events [Text Block]	Note 12. Subsequent Events On July 5, 2022, we and 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 exchange for US$135 million of Company common stock, conditional upon the completion of the Alexco acquisition. 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 7 for 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 three-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.

Note 12 - Subsequent Events

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2022

Note 12. Subsequent Events

On July 5, 2022, we and 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 exchange for US$135 million of Company common stock, conditional upon the completion of the Alexco acquisition.

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 7 for 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 three-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.