Exhibit 4.1(a)
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Registration Rights Agreement (this Agreement) is entered into as of August 18, 2020 by and among Hecla Mining
Company, a Delaware corporation (the Company), as sponsor of the Hecla Mining Company Retirement Plan (the Retirement Plan), Hecla Limited, a Delaware corporation (Hecla Limited), as sponsor
of the Lucky Friday Pension Plan (LF Plan and, together with the Retirement Plan, the Plans), the Hecla Mining Company Retirement Committee (the Retirement Committee), as the named fiduciary
of the Retirement Plan, the Hecla Mining Company Pension Committee (the Pension Committee and, together with the Retirement Committee, the Committees), as the named fiduciary of the LF Plan, and U.S. Bank
National Association, as trustee of the Trusts (as defined below).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Trust Agreement dated January 12, 1981, as amended, between the Company, as grantor, and the Trustee, as successor
trustee, governs a trust which holds Retirement Plan assets (the Retirement Trust);
WHEREAS, the Trust
Agreement dated December 26, 1989, as amended, between the Company, as grantor, and the Trustee, as successor trustee, governs a trust which holds LF Plan assets (the LF Trust and, together with the Retirement Trust, the
Trusts);
WHEREAS, each of the Retirement Committee and the Pension Committee is the named fiduciary
with respect to the Retirement Plan and Pension Plan, respectively, within the meaning of Section 402(a) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, (ERISA);
WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Company and the Retirement Committee have executed that certain
contribution agreement, dated as of the date hereof (the Retirement Contribution Agreement), under which the Company agrees to contribute up to 1,653,160 shares of common stock of the Company (the Retirement
Shares) to the Retirement Trust (the Retirement Contribution);
WHEREAS, concurrently with the
execution of this Agreement, the Company, Hecla Limited, and the Pension Committee have executed that certain contribution agreement, dated as of the date hereof (the LF Contribution Agreement and, together with the Retirement
Contribution Agreement, the Contribution Agreements), under which the Company agrees to contribute up to 405,186 shares of common stock of the Company (the LF Shares and, together with the LF Shares, the
Securities) to the LF Trust (the LF Contribution and, together with the Retirement Contribution, the Contributions);
WHEREAS, the Company has agreed to grant certain registration rights with respect to the Securities, on the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth in this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Committees have
executed direction letters, dated as of the date hereof, which directs the Trustee to sign this Agreement and honor this Agreements terms with respect to each Trust.
AGREEMENT
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual promises set forth herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
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