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                          EXHIBIT 10.1(c)

                 LOAN AGREEMENT - SECOND AMENDMENT

     This Loan Agreement  - Second Amendment  (hereinafter referred
to  as "Second Amendment")  is made and effective  this 16th day of
April,  1997,  by and  between  Hecla  Mining  Company, a  Delaware
corporation, whose  address is  6500 Mineral Drive,  Coeur d'Alene,
Idaho  83814-8788 (hereinafter referred  to as "Hecla"), and ConSil
Corp., an Idaho corporation,  which has an address at  500-625 Howe
Street, Vancouver, British Columbia,  V6C 2T6 (hereinafter referred
to as "ConSil").

                      RECITALS AND DEFINITIONS

     WHEREAS,  Hecla  and ConSil  entered  into  that certain  Loan
Agreement  dated  June 28,  1996,  as  amended  February  19,  1997
(hereinafter referred to, as  amended, as the "Agreement") pursuant
to which ConSil borrowed certain funds from Hecla, and Hecla loaned
certain  funds to ConSil, all on the terms and conditions contained
in the Agreement;

     WHEREAS, Hecla and  ConSil wish  to amend  the Agreement  with
this  Second  Amendment,  on  the terms  and  conditions  specified
herein;

     NOW,  THEREFORE, in  consideration  of the  foregoing and  the
following   mutual   promises,   covenants,    considerations   and
conditions, the  parties, intending to be legally  bound, do hereby
agree as follows:

                             AGREEMENT

     1.  AMENDMENT OF PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF LOAN; INTEREST AND TERM:
Section 1 of the Agreement shall be deemed to read  in its entirety
as follows:

          Until further  notice, and  on the condition  that ConSil
     not be  in default with  respect to any  of the terms  of this
     Loan  Agreement,  or  with  respect to  any  outstanding  note
     evidencing  any  advance  made  hereunder,  Hecla  shall  make
     available  to  ConSil  a  loan  not  to  exceed SEVEN  HUNDRED
     THOUSAND  DOLLARS ($700,000) (hereinafter  referred to  as the
     "Principal  Sum"), on  which  Principal Sum  ConSil shall  pay
     interest thereon from  the date of advancement  of such funds,
     at the prime  rate of  interest specified in  the Wall  Street
     Journal, plus  one and one-half percent (1.5%)  per year until
     paid,  (hereinafter referred  to  as the  "Loan"), which  Loan
     shall be repaid on demand by Hecla, but in no event later than
     August 1, 1997.

     2.    EXECUTION OF  REPLACEMENT  NOTE,  ASSIGNMENTS AND  OTHER
CERTIFICATES.  ConSil shall execute a replacement note




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substantially  in the form  attached hereto as  Exhibit A, together
with a certificate of its corporate Secretary certifying that:

     (i)  the individuals  executing this Second Amendment  and all
          documents  delivered in accordance herewith were the duly
          appointed officers of  ConSil, authorized to execute  and
          deliver the same; and

     (ii) all representations, warranties and  conditions precedent
          set forth in the Agreement are and remain true, accurate,
          correct and fulfilled as  of the date of the  delivery of
          this Second Amendment.

     3.  ENTIRE AGREEMENT.  This Second Amendment and the Agreement
shall  constitute the  entire  agreement between  the parties  with
respect to  the transactions  contemplated herein and  therein, and
any prior understanding or representation of any kind preceding the
date of this Second Amendment shall not be binding on  either party
except  to the extent incorporated in this Second Amendment and the
Agreement.

     4.    CONSIDERATION.     The  consideration  for  this  Second
Amendment  shall be deemed to be the extension of additional credit
and additional time for repayment, all as specified in Section 1 of
this Second Amendment, the receipt and adequacy of which ConSil and
Hecla hereby expressly acknowledge.

     5.  LOAN AGREEMENT EFFECTIVE AND OTHERWISE  UNAFFECTED.  Hecla
and ConSil expressly acknowledge and agree that the Agreement is in
full  force and  effect,  no default  has  occurred and  except  as
expressly  amended by  this Second  Amendment, the  Agreement shall
govern the  terms and  conditions of the  transactions contemplated
herein and in the Agreement.

     IN  WITNESS WHEREOF  duly authorized  officers of  the parties
have  executed  this  Second  Amendment on  the  date  first  above
written.

CONSIL CORP.                       HECLA MINING COMPANY


By  /s/  Ralph R. Noyes            By   /s/  John P. Stilwell    
  ------------------------            ---------------------------
     Ralph R. Noyes                     John P. Stilwell
     Chairman                           Vice President

ATTEST:                            ATTEST:


/s/  Nathaniel K. Adams            /s/  Michael B. White       
---------------------------        ------------------------------
     Nathaniel K. Adams            Michael B. White
     Secretary                     Secretary




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STATE OF IDAHO      )
                    )    ss.
COUNTY OF KOOTENAI  )

     On this 16th day of April, in the year of 1997, before me, the
undersigned,  a  Notary  Public in  and  for  the  State of  Idaho,
personally appeared John P. Stilwell and Michael B. White, known or
identified  to me  to  be the  Vice  President and  the  Secretary,
respectively, of  HECLA MINING  COMPANY, the officers  who executed
the instrument on behalf of  said corporation, and acknowledged  to
me that such corporation executed the same.  

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my
notarial  seal the  day and  year in  this certificate  first above
written.



                              /s/  Narda Lee Anthony
                              -------------------------------------
                              Notary Public
                              Residing at Rathdrum, Idaho
                              My Commission Expires 8/5/2000


STATE OF IDAHO      )
                    )    ss.
COUNTY OF KOOTENAI  )

     On  this 16th day of April in the year of 1997, before me, the
undersigned,  a  Notary  Public in  and  for  the  State of  Idaho,
personally appeared Ralph R. Noyes and Nathaniel K. Adams, known or
identified  to   me  to  be   the  Chairman   and  the   Secretary,
respectively,  of  ConSil  Corp.,  the officers  who  executed  the
instrument on behalf  of said corporation,  and acknowledged to  me
that such corporation executed the same.  

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my
notarial  seal the  day and  year in  this certificate  first above
written.


                              /s/  Narda Lee Anthony
                              -------------------------------------
                              Notary Public
                              Residing at Rathdrum, Idaho
                              My Commission Expires 8/5/2000










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                             EXHIBIT A

                          PROMISSORY NOTE

$700,000                                      City of Coeur d'Alene
                                                 State of Idaho    

     On  April  16, 1997,  for  value  received,  ConSil  Corp.,  a
corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State
of Idaho, promises to pay to  Hecla Mining Company, of 6500 Mineral
Drive,  Coeur d'Alene,  Idaho    83814-8788,  at its  offices,  the
principal amount  of seven hundred thousand  dollars ($700,000), or
such  other amount as may  be outstanding pursuant  to that certain
Loan Agreement  dated June 28, 1996, as amended by the certain Loan
Agreement Amendment dated February 19, 1997 and further  amended by
that certain  Loan  Agreement  -  Second  Amendment  of  even  date
herewith  between  ConSil  Corp.   and  Hecla  Mining  Company,  as
calculated and  determined by  Hecla Mining Company,  with interest
thereon  from the date of  advancement of such  funds, at the prime
rate of interest specified in the Wall Street Journal, plus one and
one-half  percent (1.5%)  per  year until  paid,  payable upon  the
demand of authorized representatives of Hecla Mining Company.

     If default is made in the payment upon demand, then the entire
amount of principal, interest  and any and all costs  of collection
shall  become  immediately due  and payable  at  the option  of the
holder of this note, without notice.

     This  note shall  be governed by  and construed  in accordance
with the laws of the State of Idaho.

     IN  WITNESS WHEREOF, ConSil Corp.  has caused this  note to be
executed  by  its duly  authorized officers  as  of the  date first
mentioned above.

                              ConSil Corp.


                              By   /s/  Ralph R. Noyes
                                ----------------------------
                                   Ralph R. Noyes
                                   Chairman

                              Attest:


                              /s/  Nathaniel K. Adams
                              ------------------------------
                                   Nathaniel K. Adams
                                   Secretary







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