content: <PAGE>          1
  
  
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               Washington, D.C. 20549
  
                                      FORM 8-K
  
                                   CURRENT REPORT
  
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                           Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
  
           Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 12, 2001
  
  
                                 Hecla Mining Company
                          ---------------------------------
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  
            Delaware                  1-8491                   82-0126240
  -------------------------   ------------------------   ----------------------
  (State or other jurisdiction  (Commission File Number)       (IRS Employer
        of incorporation)                                Identification Number)
  
  
         6500 Mineral Drive, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho         83815-8788
         -------------------------------------------------------------------
                 (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
  
  
         Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (208)769-4100
  
  
                                        None
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
            (Former name or former address, if change since last report)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  <PAGE>          2
  
  
  ITEM 4.  CHANGE IN REGISTRANT'S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT.
  
  (a)     (i) On October 12, 2001 the Registrant ended its audit relationship
          and dismissed PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the Registrant's
          independent accountants (the "Former Accountants"). The decision to
          change was prompted when the Former Accountants announced the closure
          of their Spokane, Washington, office and the Registrant was notified
          that the staff and partners responsible for the Registrant's
          relationship were transferring to the Spokane, Washington, office of
          BDO Seidman LLP.
  
          (ii) The reports of the Former Accountants on the financial
          statements for each of the fiscal years ended December 31, 2000 and
          1999 contained no adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, and were
          not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or
          accounting principles.
  
          (iii) The decision to dismiss the Former Accountants and engage BDO
          as the principal independent accountants for the Registrant was
          approved by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the
          Registrant.
  
          (iv) During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2000 and 1999 and the
          interim period through October 12, 2001, there have been no
          disagreements with the Former Accountants on any matter of accounting
          principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing
          scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to the
          satisfaction of the Former Accountants, would have caused them to
          make reference thereto in their report on the financial statements
          for such years.
  
          (v) During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2000 and 1999 and
          through the interim period through October 12, 2001, there were no
          "reportable events" as defined by Item 304 (a)(1)(v) of Regulation
          S-K.
  
          (vi) The Registrant has requested that the Former Accountants furnish
          it with a letter addressed to the U.S. Securities and Exchange
          Commission stating whether or not it agrees with the above
          statements. A copy of such letter, dated October 18, 2001, is filed
          as Exhibit 16.01 to this Form 8-K.
  
  (b)     (i) The Registrant has engaged BDO Seidman LLP ("BDO") as its new
          principal independent accountants on October 12, 2001.
  
          (ii) Neither the Registrant nor anyone on its behalf has consulted
          BDO during the Registrant's two most recent fiscal years, or any
          subsequent interim period, prior to its engagement of BDO.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  <PAGE>          3
  
  
  ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
  
  (c) Exhibits.
  
           16.01    Letter dated October 18, 2001, from the Registrant's former
                    principal independent accountants.
  
  
  
  
                                     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 hereunto duly authorized.
  
                                              Hecla Mining Company
  
  Date:  October 19, 2001                     By: /s/ Michael B. White
                                                 -----------------------------
                                              Michael B. White
                                              Vice President - General Counsel
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  <PAGE>          4
  
  
                                    EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  
  Exhibit No.               Description
  -----------               -----------
  
  Exhibit 16.01         Letter dated October 18, 2001, from the Registrant's
                        former principal independent accountants.
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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": "1762267"}, "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
  
                                   CURRENT REPORT
  
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                           Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
           Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 12, 2001
  
                                 Hecla Mining Company
                          ---------------------------------
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
            Delaware                  1-8491                   82-0126240
  -------------------------   ------------------------   ----------------------
  (State or other jurisdiction  (Commission File Number)       (IRS Employer
        of incorporation)                                Identification Number)
  
         6500 Mineral Drive, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho         83815-8788
         -------------------------------------------------------------------
                 (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
  
         Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (208)769-4100
  
                                        None
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
            (Former name or former address, if change since last report)
  2
  
  ITEM 4.  CHANGE IN REGISTRANT'S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT.
  
  (a)     (i) On October 12, 2001 the Registrant ended its audit relationship
          and dismissed PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the Registrant's
          independent accountants (the "Former Accountants"). The decision to
          change was prompted when the Former Accountants announced the closure
          of their Spokane, Washington, office and the Registrant was notified
          that the staff and partners responsible for the Registrant's
          relationship were transferring to the Spokane, Washington, office of
          BDO Seidman LLP.
  
          (ii) The reports of the Former Accountants on the financial
          statements for each of the fiscal years ended December 31, 2000 and
          1999 contained no adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, and were
          not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or
          accounting principles.
  
          (iii) The decision to dismiss the Former Accountants and engage BDO
          as the principal independent accountants for the Registrant was
          approved by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the
          Registrant.
  
          (iv) During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2000 and 1999 and the
          interim period through October 12, 2001, there have been no
          disagreements with the Former Accountants on any matter of accounting
          principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing
          scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to the
          satisfaction of the Former Accountants, would have caused them to
          make reference thereto in their report on the financial statements
          for such years.
  
          (v) During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2000 and 1999 and
          through the interim period through October 12, 2001, there were no
          "reportable events" as defined by Item 304 (a)(1)(v) of Regulation
          S-K.
  
          (vi) The Registrant has requested that the Former Accountants furnish
          it with a letter addressed to the U.S. Securities and Exchange
          Commission stating whether or not it agrees with the above
          statements. A copy of such letter, dated October 18, 2001, is filed
          as Exhibit 16.01 to this Form 8-K.
  
  (b)     (i) The Registrant has engaged BDO Seidman LLP ("BDO") as its new
          principal independent accountants on October 12, 2001.
  
          (ii) Neither the Registrant nor anyone on its behalf has consulted
          BDO during the Registrant's two most recent fiscal years, or any
          subsequent interim period, prior to its engagement of BDO.
  3
  
  ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
  
  (c) Exhibits.
  
           16.01    Letter dated October 18, 2001, from the Registrant's former
                    principal independent accountants.
  
                                     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 hereunto duly authorized.
  
                                              Hecla Mining Company
  
  Date:  October 19, 2001                     By: /s/ Michael B. White
                                                 -----------------------------
                                              Michael B. White
                                              Vice President - General Counsel
  4
  
                                    EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  Exhibit No.               Description
  -----------               -----------
  
  Exhibit 16.01         Letter dated October 18, 2001, from the Registrant's
                        former principal independent accountants.