<PAGE>  1
                                 EXHIBIT 10.1(b)

                            LOAN AGREEMENT AMENDMENT

      This Loan Agreement Amendment  (hereinafter referred to as "Amendment") is
made and effective this 19th  day of February, 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  (hereinafter referred  to 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 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 April 30, 1997.


      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 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 Amendment.





<PAGE>  2

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

      4.    CONSIDERATION.  The consideration for this Amendment shall be deemed
to be the extension of additional credit and additional  time for repayment, all
as specified  in Section 1 of this 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 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 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





<PAGE>  3

STATE OF IDAHO          )
                        )     ss.
COUNTY OF KOOTENAI      )

      On  this  19th day  of  February  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  19th  day  of February  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 February 19, 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 that  certain Loan Agreement
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