HECLA MINING COMPANY $6.61 (New York symbol HL; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (208-769-4100; www.hecla-mining.com; Shares outstanding: 285.5 million; Market cap: $1.9 billion) has agreed to pay $3.2 million for a 19.9% stake in Dolly Varden Silver Corp., symbol DV on Toronto. Dolly Varden owns several silver properties in northwestern B.C., including the pastproducing Dolly Varden and Torbit mines.
Hecla’s expertise should help Dolly Varden develop its properties, which are geologically similar to Hecla’s Greens Creek project.
Hecla Mining is a hold.