A comprehensive discussion of our financial results for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, individual operating unit performance,  general corporate expenses and other significant items can be found in  Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Consolidated Financial  Condition and Results of Operations , as well as the  Consolidated Financial Statements  and  Notes  thereto. y Variability in prices for diesel fuel and amounts of fuel used, and variability in prices for other consumables, which have impacted production  costs at our operations. See  Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – The Greens  Creek Segment  for information on the variability in diesel fuel prices and consumption on production costs for the last three years. y Our acquisition of the remaining 70.3% of the Greens Creek mine for $758.5 million in April 2008, a portion of which was funded by a $140.0  million term loan and $220.0 million bridge loan. We recorded interest expense related to these credit facilities, including amortization of loan  fees and interest rate swap adjustments, of $10.1 million and $19.1 million, respectively in 2009 and 2008. The amount of interest expense in  2009 is net of $1.9 million in capitalized interest. We also recorded approximately $6.0 million in expense in 2009 for additional debt-related  fees. We completed repayment of the bridge loan balance in February 2009 and repayment of the term loan balance in October 2009. y The global financial crisis and recession beginning in 2008, which impacted metals prices, production costs, and our access to capital markets  at that time. y An increase in the number of shares of our common stock outstanding, which impacts our income per common share. y Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax, for the year ended December 31, 2008 of $17.4 million, and a loss on sale of discontinued  operations, net of tax, of $12.0 million recognized in 2008. Our segments are differentiated by geographic region. We produce zinc, lead and bulk concentrates at our Greens Creek unit and lead and zinc  concentrates at our Lucky Friday unit, which we sell to custom smelters on contract, and unrefined gold and silver bullion bars (doré) at Greens Creek,  which are sold directly to customers or further refined before sale to precious metals traders. The concentrates produced at our Greens Creek and  Lucky Friday units contain payable silver, zinc and lead, and the concentrates produced at Greens Creek also contain payable gold. Payable metals are  those included in our products that can be recovered and sold by smelters and refiners. Our segments as of December 31, 2012 included: Products and Segments y The Greens Creek unit, which has been 100%-owned since April of 2008 when we acquired the outstanding 70.3% from indirect subsidiaries of  Rio Tinto, plc. Greens Creek is located on Admiralty Island, near Juneau, Alaska, and has been in production since 1989, with a temporary care  and maintenance period from April 1993 through July 1996. During 2012, Greens Creek contributed $320.9 million, or 100%, of our  consolidated sales. y The Lucky Friday unit located in northern Idaho. Lucky Friday is 100%-owned and has been a producing mine for us since 1958. Production at  the Lucky Friday unit was suspended during 2012 as a result of the mine being placed on temporary care and maintenance (see  Item 2.  Property DeScription, Operating Properties, The Lucky Friday Unit ). Limited production recommenced in the first quarter of 2013, and we  expect full production to resume in approximately mid-2013. The table below summarizes our production for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010. Zinc and lead production quantities are  presented in short tons (“tons”). Year 2012 2011 2010 Silver (ounces) 6,394,235 9,483,676 10,566,352 Gold (ounces) 55,496 56,818 68,838 Lead (tons) 21,074 39,150 46,955 Zinc (tons) 64,249 73,355 83,782 Licenses, Permits and Concessions Physical Assets We are required to obtain various licenses and permits to operate our mines and conduct exploration and reclamation activities. The suspension in  production at the Lucky Friday unit during 2012 was pursuant to an order from the Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration. See  Item 1A. Risk  Factors – Legal, Market and Regulatory Risks – We are required to obtain governmental and lessor approvals and permits in order to conduct  mining operations . In addition, we conduct our exploration activities in Mexico pursuant to concessions granted by the Mexican government, which  are subject to certain political risks associated with foreign operations. See  Item 1A. Risk Factors – Operation, Development, Exploration and  Acquisition Risks – Our foreign activities are subject to additional inherent risks . Our business is capital intensive and requires ongoing capital investment for the replacement, modernization or expansion of equipment and  facilities and to develop new ore reserves. At December 31, 2012, the book value of our property, plant, equipment and mineral interests, net of  accumulated depreciation, was approximately $996.7 million . We maintain insurance policies against property loss and business interruption. However,  such insurance contains exclusions and limitations on coverage, and there can be no assurance that claims would be paid under such insurance  policies in connection with a particular event. See  Item 1A. Risk Factors – Operation, Development, Exploration and Acquisition Risks – Our  operations may be adversely affected by risks and hazards associated with the mining industry that may not be fully covered by insurance. As of December 31, 2012, we employed 735 people, and we believe relations with our employees are generally good. Many of the employees at our Lucky Friday unit are represented by a union. The current collective bargaining agreement with workers at our Lucky  Friday unit expires on April 30, 2016. As a result of the requirement to remove built-up cementitious material from the Silver Shaft, underground access  was limited and production temporarily suspended at the Lucky Friday, forcing Hecla Limited to lay off 121 employees in January 2012 (approximately  25 of those employees accepted temporary positions at other Hecla operations). Employment at the Lucky Friday has returned to roughly its level prior  to the suspension of production, as the Silver Shaft work is complete. See  Part II, Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial  [ HL:10-K ] 3 Employees