MULLAN, Idaho — Hecla Mining Company has announced that fire in Lucky Friday mine has been extinguished, after smoke was reported in the mine’s secondary egress, the #2 shaft.
On Aug. 14, there were reports of smoke emitting from shaft #2. There were no injuries reported and all miners were accounted for.
At that time according to Hecla, the Mining Safety and Health Administration began investigating.
On Sept. 20, it was announced that the fire has been extinguished, normal ventilation has been established and the workforce has been recalled.
The company will be bringing the mine back into production by developing a new secondary egress to bypass the damaged portion of the shaft. While building this, work will be suspended for the remainder of 2023.
They will not be producing silver until the escape-way work is completed.
Hecla Mining Company is the largest silver producer in the U.S. The mine in Mullan produced three million ounces of silver at the end of July 2023.
