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                            EHXIBIT 10.7
                  LOAN AGREEMENT  FOURTH AMENDMENT

     This Loan  Agreement   Fourth  Amendment (hereinafter referred
to as "Fourth Amendment") is  made and effective as of the  1st day
of October, 1997, by  and between Hecla Mining Company,  a Delaware
corporation, whose  address is  6500 Mineral Drive,  Coeur d'Alene,
Idaho 83815-8788  (hereinafter referred to as  "Hecla"), and ConSil
Corp., an Idaho corporation,  which has an address at  6500 Mineral
Drive, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho  83815-8788 (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, April
16,  1997, and August 1, 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 again  to amend the  Agreement
with this Fourth 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
     March 31, 1998.

     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 Fourth 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 Fourth Amendment.

     3.  ENTIRE AGREEMENT.  This Fourth 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 Fourth Amendment shall not be binding on  either party
except  to the extent incorporated in this Fourth Amendment and the
Agreement.

     4.    CONSIDERATION.     The  consideration  for  this  Fourth
Amendment  shall be deemed to be the extension of additional credit
and additional time for repayment, all as specified in Section 1 of
this Fourth 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 Fourth  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
executed this Fourth Amendment on the date first above written.

CONSIL CORP.                  HECLA MINING COMPANY


By                            By                            
   -----------------------       ---------------------------
     Name:                         John P. Stilwell
     Title:                        Vice President  
                                   Chief Financial Officer

ATTEST:                       ATTEST:


---------------------------   -------------------------------
     Nigel Cave                    Michael B. White
     Secretary                     Secretary





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STATE OF IDAHO      )
                    )    ss.
COUNTY OF KOOTENAI  )

     On this _____ day of October, 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.


                              -------------------------------------
                              Notary Public
                              Residing at ____________, Idaho
                              My Commission Expires:


STATE OF IDAHO      )
                    )    ss.
COUNTY OF KOOTENAI  )

     On this _____ day of  October in the year of 1997,  before me,
the undersigned, a  Notary Public in  and for the  State of  Idaho,
personally appeared Ralph R. Noyes, known or identified to me to be
the  Chairman  of  ConSil  Corp.,  the  officer  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.


                              -------------------------------------
                              Notary Public
                              Residing at ______________, Idaho
                              My Commission Expires:














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                             EXHIBIT A

                          PROMISSORY NOTE
                          ---------------

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

     On  October  1, 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  83815-8788,  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  dated  April 16,
1997,  and again further amended  by that certain  Loan Agreement  
Third  Amendment dated August 1, 1997, and again further amended by
that  certain  Loan  Agreement     Fourth  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
                                 ----------------------------------
                                   Name:
                                   Title:
                                   Attest:


                              -------------------------------------
                                   Nigel Cave
                                   Secretary







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