Hecla Mining Company announced a 38% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions from its 2019 baseline.
In its 2024 Sustainability Report, the company additionally announced it will continue to explore opportunities to increase renewable energy as a proportion of its energy consumption.
Hecla also announced that 100% of its Casa Berardi location’s line power is from renewable hydropower. At its Greens Creek location, Hecla has an agreement with the local utility to purchase surplus power — which is 100% renewable hydropower — from the grid when available.
At the company’s Lucky Friday site, its energy provider uses a mix of hydropower and natural gas, with 60% of electricity sourced renewable. In late 2024, Hecla began curtailing its use of utility power and supplementing it with diesel on short run times and LPG due to the local utility’s loss of its hydroelectric facility. Throughout 2024, the mining company installed energy-efficiency ballasts for LED lights at the same mine.
In 2024, 84% of the Hecla’s electricity was purchased from the grid. This has allowed the company to avoid using over 70 million gallons of diesel fuel since 2009 due to the availability of surplus hydropower while reducing electricity rates for Juneau residents.
Hecla is continually looking for opportunities to improve its intake of renewable energy and reduce its intake of carbon-intensive energy sources, including by seeking opportunities to construct solar generation systems. The company is also monitoring research and development programs on carbon sequestration.
“Throughout Hecla’s storied history, we have distinguished ourselves not only as a preeminent silver producer but as a pioneer in sustainable mining practices,” said Rob Krcmarov, President and CEO of Hecla Mining Company, in a statement. “In 2024, we demonstrated that responsible mining goes hand-in-hand with financial and operational success, achieving our second-highest silver production while maintaining high environmental standards. Our sustainability work, from wildlife protection and environmental monitoring to supporting local communities, is essential to producing the silver that the world needs to power our future. With unwavering commitment to excellence and guided by our values, we continue to create long-term value for all our stakeholders.”
Hecla prepared its Sustainability Report with reference to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards and benchmarked its performance against the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Metals and Mining standards and against relevant aspects of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). Hecla also reported against the Mining Association of Canada’s Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) framework for its Casa Berardi mine in Quebec, Canada.