Is Hecla Mining Company (HL) a Buy?

Founded in 1891, Hecla Mining (NYSE: HL)is the oldest operating precious metals producer in the United States and the largest domestic producer of silver. That last stat may be surprising considering a labor dispute knocked its prized silver mine offline in March of last year. That resulted in a nasty year-over-year swing in profitability, from net income of $69 million in 2016 to a net loss of $23 million in 2017.