content: <PAGE>          1
  
  
  
  
  
  
                 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  
                       Washington, D.C.  20549
  
                            _____________
  
                              FORM 8-K
  
               PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                   SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
  
  Date of Report
  (Date of earliest event reported):      January 22, 2001
  
  
                        Hecla Mining Company
  __________________________________________________________________
       (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  
                              Delaware
  __________________________________________________________________
           (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
  
  
            1-8491                             82-0126240
  __________________________________________________________________
  (Commission File Number)      (IRS Employer Identification No.)
  
  
  6500 Mineral Drive
  Coeur d'Alene, Idaho                              83815-8788
  __________________________________________________________________
  (Address of principal executive offices)          (Zip Code)
  
  
                           (208) 769-4100
  __________________________________________________________________
                   (Registrant's Telephone Number)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  <PAGE>          2
  
  
  Item 5.   Other Events.
  
        On  January  22, 2001 Hecla Mining Company (the  "Company")
  issued  a  news  release announcing that it had brought  suit  in
  federal  court in Chicago against Zemex Corporation  of  Toronto,
  Canada,  for  refusing  to  close  on  the  purchase  of  Hecla's
  industrial minerals subsidiary, Kentucky-Tennessee Clay Company.
  
        The  news release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99  and  is
  incorporated herein by reference.
  
  
  Item 7.   Financial  Statements, Pro Forma Financial  Information
            and Exhibits.
  
        Exhibit  99 -   News Release dated January  22, 2001
  
  
  
  
                              SIGNATURE
  
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 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
  
  
  
                        By: /s/ Michael B. White
                           ---------------------------------------
                           Name:  Michael B. White
                           Title: Vice President - General Counsel
  
  
  Dated:  January 23, 2001
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
                                 -2-
  
  
  <PAGE>          3
  
  
                            EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  
  
  Exhibit No.                   Title
  ___________                   _____
  
  
  Exhibit 99 - News Release dated January 22, 2001
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
                                 -3-
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "hl8kj01.txt", "description": "HECLA FORM 8-K DATED JANUARY 22, 2001", "secsgml_size_bytes": 2766}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "HECLA MINING CO/DE/", "cik": "0000719413", "assigned-sic": "1400", "irs-number": "820126240", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-08491", "film-number": "1514117"}, "business-address": {"street1": "6500 MINERAL DRIVE", "street2": "NONE", "city": "COEUR D'ALENE", "state": "ID", "zip": "83815-8788", "phone": "2087694100"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "6500 MINERAL DRIVE", "street2": "NONE", "city": "COEUR D'ALENE", "state": "ID", "zip": "83815-8788"}}
text: 1
  
                 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  
                       Washington, D.C.  20549
  
                            _____________
  
                              FORM 8-K
  
               PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                   SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
  Date of Report
  (Date of earliest event reported):      January 22, 2001
  
                        Hecla Mining Company
  __________________________________________________________________
       (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
                              Delaware
  __________________________________________________________________
           (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
  
            1-8491                             82-0126240
  __________________________________________________________________
  (Commission File Number)      (IRS Employer Identification No.)
  
  6500 Mineral Drive
  Coeur d'Alene, Idaho                              83815-8788
  __________________________________________________________________
  (Address of principal executive offices)          (Zip Code)
  
                           (208) 769-4100
  __________________________________________________________________
                   (Registrant's Telephone Number)
  2
  
  Item 5.   Other Events.
  
        On  January  22, 2001 Hecla Mining Company (the  "Company")
  issued  a  news  release announcing that it had brought  suit  in
  federal  court in Chicago against Zemex Corporation  of  Toronto,
  Canada,  for  refusing  to  close  on  the  purchase  of  Hecla's
  industrial minerals subsidiary, Kentucky-Tennessee Clay Company.
  
        The  news release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99  and  is
  incorporated herein by reference.
  
  Item 7.   Financial  Statements, Pro Forma Financial  Information
            and Exhibits.
  
        Exhibit  99 -   News Release dated January  22, 2001
  
                              SIGNATURE
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 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
  
                        By: /s/ Michael B. White
                           ---------------------------------------
                           Name:  Michael B. White
                           Title: Vice President - General Counsel
  
  Dated:  January 23, 2001
  
                                 -2-
  3
  
                            EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  Exhibit No.                   Title
  ___________                   _____
  
  Exhibit 99 - News Release dated January 22, 2001
  
                                 -3-