<PAGE> 1

                          EXHIBIT 10.1(5)
                 LOAN AGREEMENT - FIFTH AMENDMENT

     This Loan  Agreement - Fifth Amendment  (hereinafter referred
to as "Fifth Amendment") is made and effective as of  the 30th day
of  March, 1998, 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, August 1, 1997 and October 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 Fifth 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 TWENTY
     FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($725,000) (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, 1999.







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<PAGE> 2

     2.   EXECUTION  OF  REPLACEMENT NOTE,  ASSIGNMENTS AND  OTHER
CERTIFICATES.     ConSil   shall   execute   a  replacement   note
substantially in the form  attached hereto as Exhibit A,  together
with a certificate of its corporate Secretary certifying that:

     (i)  the individuals executing  this Fifth 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 Fifth 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 Fifth Amendment shall  not be binding  on either
party except  to the extent  incorporated in this  Fifth Amendment
and the Agreement.

     4.    CONSIDERATION.     The  consideration  for  this  Fifth
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 Fifth  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 Fifth Amendment on the date first above written.

CONSIL CORP.                  HECLA MINING COMPANY

By   /s/ Michael B. White     By   /s/ John P. Stilwell
  -------------------------     ----------------------------
Name:  Michael B. White            John P. Stilwell
Title: Vice President              Vice President 
                                   Chief Financial Officer

                              ATTEST:

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




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<PAGE> 3


STATE OF IDAHO      )
                    )    ss.
COUNTY OF KOOTENAI  )

     On this thirtieth day of  March, in the year  of 1998, before
me, the  undersigned, a  Notary  Public in  and for  the State  of
Idaho,  personally  appeared John  P.  Stilwell  and Nathaniel  K.
Adams, known or identified to me  to be the Vice President and the
Assistant 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/ Tami D. Hansen
                              ------------------------------------
                              Notary Public
                              Residing at Newman Lake, Washington
                              My Commission Expires: 9/12/2003

STATE OF IDAHO      )
                    )    ss.
COUNTY OF KOOTENAI  )

     On this thirtieth day  of March in the  year of 1998,  before
me, the  undersigned, a  Notary Public  in and  for  the State  of
Idaho, personally  appeared Michael B. White,  known or identified
to me  to be the Vice  President 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.


                              /s/ Tami D. Hansen
                              ------------------------------------
                              Notary Public
                              Residing at Newman Lake, Washington
                              My Commission Expires:  9/12/2003











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<PAGE> 4

                             EXHIBIT A

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

March 30, 1998                               City of Coeur d'Alene
$725,000                                         State of Idaho   

     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 twenty five  thousand dollars ($725,000),
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 further
amended by that  certain Loan Agreement  - Fourth Amendment  dated
October  1, 1997, and again  further amended by  that certain Loan
Agreement - Fifth  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, which amounts  shall be repaid on  demand by
authorized  representatives of Hecla,  but in no  event later than
March 31, 1999.

     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:  Michael B. White
                              Title: Vice President

                              Attest: 


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



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