On the recordApril 27, 2016
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 125th anniversary of the Hecla Mining Company. Hecla was founded in 1891 to acquire and trade mining claims in north Idaho's Silver Valley. Over the years, this mining district has produced 1.2 billion ounces of silver. The company has survived and thrived through world wars and economic depressions, and today Hecla is the Nation's largest primary producer of silver and employs over 1,300 people in my district and throughout the world. I recently had the opportunity to visit Hecla's Lucky Friday mine and was able to see firsthand the state-of-the-art mining practices that Hecla uses to extract silver from deep in the Earth. As Hecla celebrates its 125th anniversary, I join with others in celebrating the company's great legacy and success. ____________________
