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                                                  Exhibit 10.1(b)

                LOAN AGREEMENT - SIXTH AMENDMENT

      This Loan Agreement - Sixth Amendment (hereinafter referred
to as "Sixth Amendment") is made and effective as of the 31st day
of  December,  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, October 1, 1997 and  March  30,
1998  (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 Sixth 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, 2000.

      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 Sixth 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 Sixth Amendment.

                               -1-

<PAGE>          2

       3.   Entire  Agreement.
            -----------------

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

       4.   Consideration.
            -------------

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

                               -2-

<PAGE>          3

STATE OF IDAHO      )
                    )    ss.
COUNTY OF KOOTENAI  )

      On  this thirty-first day of December, 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 - Chief
Financial  Officer 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: Otis Orchards, Wash.
                              My Commission Expires:  9/12/2003

STATE OF IDAHO      )
                    )    ss.
COUNTY OF KOOTENAI  )

      On  this thirty-first day of December 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 Otis Orchards, Wash.
                              My Commission Expires:  9/12/2003

                               -3-<PAGE>          1

                                             Exhibit 10.1(c)

             LOAN AGREEMENT - SEVENTH AMENDMENT

      This  Loan  Agreement - Seventh Amendment (hereinafter
referred to as "Seventh Amendment") is made and effective as
of  the  9th  day  of February, 2000, 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, October 1, 1997, March
30, 1998 and December 31, 1998 (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 Seventh 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, 2001.

      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:

                             -1-

<PAGE>          2

     (i)  the individuals executing this Seventh 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 Seventh Amendment.

     3.    Entire Agreement.
           ----------------

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

     4.   Consideration.
          -------------

     The consideration for this Seventh Amendment  shall be deemed to be
the extension of additional credit  and additional time for repayment, all
as  specified in  Section  1  of this Seventh 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  Seventh
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 Seventh 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
       Vice President                   Vice President -
                                        Chief Financial Officer

                              ATTEST:

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

                             -2-

<PAGE>          3

STATE OF IDAHO    )
                  ) ss.
County of Kootenai)

      On  this  9th  day of February, in the year  of  2000,
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  -  Chief  Financial  Officer  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:   Otis   Orchards, Washington
                    My Commission Expires:  9/12/2003

STATE OF IDAHO    )
                  ) ss.
County of Kootenai)

      On  this  9th  day of February, in the year  of  2000,
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:   Otis   Orchards, Washington
                          My Commission Expires:  9/12/2003

                             -3-

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