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Why Our Metals

Are Essential

Hecla metals are the cornerstone of modern life.

Essential for a Low Carbon Future

America cannot be green without minerals like silver, gold, and copper. Specifically, renewable energy, electric vehicles, and innovations in battery technology are critical to meeting goals for a lower carbon future. Our metals, especially silver, are critical components of green energy technologies. Demand for responsibly sourced metals is growing, and Hecla is delivering.
A car getting fueled up with an xray

Essential for Our Nation’s Supply Chain

The supply chain propels and enables modern life, and mining is at the very beginning of the supply chain. Hecla responsibly mines the elements that comprise the products we all rely upon every day. Our country’s economic security relies on the accessibility of these metals and the nimbleness of the infrastructure that transports them.

Beginning of the supply chain

Hecla produces the raw materials that feed supply chains:
  • Silver, gold, lead and zinc

Our raw materials are turned into essential products, such as:

  • Renewable energy (solar panels and batteries)
  • Health care (x-rays and antibacterials)
  • Electric Vehicles
  • Computers
  • Smartphones

End users

These products play a critical role in a low-carbon future and are also necessary for modern life. Consumers, patients, hospitals, and the military use products every day that are made from our essential metals.

Learn why Hecla’s metals are essential to modern life.

How Our Metals Work

Silver and gold are considered precious metals because they are scarce relative to other minerals, and they have high economic value. In addition to their historic uses as currency, jewelry, and outward signs of wealth, the value of silver and gold to modern life is directly tied to their unique and important properties.

Silver

Silver conducts electricity and heat at higher levels and more efficiently than any other metal. It is more reflective at most temperatures than other metals, and it can be combined with nickel or palladium to form important alloys.

Gold

Gold is one of the densest metals of all, and it is a good conductor of heat and electricity. Gold is also the most malleable ductile of the elements.

Copper

Copper’s conductivity makes it an important part of wiring, and its anti-microbial properties make it essential for health care.

Zinc

With resistance to radiation, durability in harsh environments and malleable properties, zinc alloys are ideal for medical manufacturing applications.

Lead

Lead is ductile and resistance to corrosion, which makes it ideal for use in car batteries, radiation protection, and in some solders.