U.S. Attorney Wendy Olson, in Boise, announced Tuesday that Hecla Mining Co. has just paid the federal government nearly $77.5 million.

The payment was made following a settlement involving the Bunker Hill Superfund site in the Coeur d'Alene River basin.

In mid-June, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the settlement between the feds and the mining company, resolving claims stemming from historic releases of wastes from its mining operations.

In that settlement, Hecla agreed to pay $263.4 million plus interest to the U.S. government, the Coeur d'Alene Tribe and the state of Idaho.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began clean-up at the Bunker Hill Superfund site in the 1980s, focusing on protecting human health.

The settlement will help pay for the federal government's clean-up activities, securing natural resources, and restoring critical habitat for fish and wildlife in the basin.

Hecla also now has made damage payments to the Coeur d'Alene Tribe and Idaho for clean-up costs.

The federal government will recover an additional $42.3 million by August 2014.

"Hecla's payment marks the largest collection ever posted by the United States Attorney's Office in the District of Idaho," Olson said.

She added, "This historic recovery to resolve one of the largest cases ever filed under the Superfund statute compensates the United States for more than three decades of clean-up efforts and establishes a strong basis for future cooperation between Hecla Mining Company, the Tribe, the state and the federal government."

Also Tuesday, Hecla announced it reached an agreement with its lenders to increase the amount available under its undrawn secured revolving credit facility to $100 million from $60 million.

At the end of September, Hecla had cash and cash equivalents of $413 million. Combined with the $100 million, the funds should be sufficient to fulfill its settlement obligations, including $168 million due on Tuesday, the company said in a press release.

The funds also will allow the company to meet all capital, pre-development and exploration requirements for 2011, and pursue other value-generating initiatives for its shareholders, the company said.

The company has no significant debt outstanding, said Hecla's President and Chief Executive Officer Phillips S. Baker Jr.