The Coeur D'Alene, Idaho-based company said fourth-quarter silver production fell 9% year-on-year to 2.7 million ounces, with full-year output down 17% over 2017 at 10.4Moz.

Gold production during the December-quarter rose a sharp 16% to 70,988oz, and full-year output rose 13% to a new company record of 262,103oz.

The production results were in line with company guidance that called for full-year silver production ranging between 9.7-10.3Moz and gold production of 262,000-275,000oz.

For 2018, Hecla also produced 12% fewer short tons of lead at 20,091t and 2% more zinc at 56,023t, which helped bring silver-equivalent output to 43.6Moz and fold-equivalent output to 540,174oz.

"The economic engine and two largest mines of the company, Greens Creek and Casa Berardi, continue to perform strongly and generate significant cash flow. Their performance is a direct result of our investments which have enabled record-setting throughput," said CEO Phillips Baker Jr.

The company said the San Sebastian mine underperformed as planned, which saw output falling 37%, and the Lucky Friday mine continued to be hamstrung by a union-led strike since March 13, 2017, driving output 80% lower year-on-year.

"San Sebastian's lower production is as planned, and the mining of the sulphide bulk sample has begun. We continue to focus on increasing the development rate in Nevada rather than production, with the goal of setting Fire Creek up for more consistent and higher production in the future," Baker said.

The company focused much of its capital on modernising its operations during 2018.

Hecla, with operating mines in Quebec and Nevada, is trading about 43% lower in New York compared to a year ago and shed a further 9.5% or US26c on Tuesday to close at $2.48. However, after-market trading bumped the stock up 5% or 12c to $2.60, capitalising it at $1.19 billion.