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):           February 27, 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  February 27, 2001, Hecla Mining Company (the "Company") issued  a
  news  release  announcing that it had entered into a definitive  stock  purchase
  agreement with Imerys USA, Inc. regarding the sale of the Company's wholly owned
  subsidiaries, Kentucky-Tennessee Clay Company and K-T Feldspar, for  a  purchase
  price of $62.5 million.
  
        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 February 27, 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:  March 8, 2001
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
                                         -2-
  <PAGE>          3
  
  
  
                                    EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  
  
  Exhibit No.                   Title
  ___________                   _____
  
  
  
  Exhibit 99 - News Release dated February 27, 2001
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
                                         -3-
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "hl8kfeb.txt", "description": "HECLA MINING COMPANY FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3012}]
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": "1564695"}, "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):           February 27, 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  February 27, 2001, Hecla Mining Company (the "Company") issued  a
  news  release  announcing that it had entered into a definitive  stock  purchase
  agreement with Imerys USA, Inc. regarding the sale of the Company's wholly owned
  subsidiaries, Kentucky-Tennessee Clay Company and K-T Feldspar, for  a  purchase
  price of $62.5 million.
  
        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 February 27, 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:  March 8, 2001
  
                                         -2-
  3
  
                                    EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  Exhibit No.                   Title
  ___________                   _____
  
  Exhibit 99 - News Release dated February 27, 2001
  
                                         -3-