Graphic Review of Some Miners

First, we will examine four silver miners. Silver has been catching up with gold for a while. It is certainly not out from under the view and hammering by the boyz, but we have some interesting difference between the action of the various silver miners. The first three SLW, PAAS, and SSRI have essentially the same pattern. However, HL (Hecla) is making a much stronger showing and is well above its 50 day moving average by a greater extent than the other three.

Remember that PAAS and SSRI are the biggest of the four. Therefore, one would expect them to move more slowly that either SLW or HL. SLW has a pattern very similar to the two larger mines, but HL is out on its own.

I am reluctant to even put trailing stops under HL for fear of having them hit and the sells executed while HL is acting so well. I am looking forward to being able to add to the HL at some time during the summer months of slow trading and often lower prices.




Vista Gold (VGZ ) has a pattern similar to the first 3 silver miners while VGZ is primarily a gold miner. This is interesting. I believe that the four without HL are more subject to the pricing of the metals while HL has something else going for it. It was a come lately to our trading stocks, but has been well Worthy of being added to them.
From Reuters on Hecla Mining:

UPDATE 1-Hecla Mining posts Q1 profit

Tue Apr 28, 2009

* Q1 shr $0.02 vs $0.10 a yr ago

* Q1 Rev $54.7 mln vs $37.5 mln last yr

* Says rescheduled 2009 term debt repayments

April 26 (Reuters) - Hecla Mining Co (HL.N) reported a quarterly profit, helped in part by a surge in silver production, and said it had reached an agreement with its lenders to reschedule its 2009 term debt payments until 2010 and 2011.

For the latest first quarter, the precious metals company earned $3.9 million, or 2 cents a share, compared with $12.1 million, or 10 cents a share, last year. Revenue jumped 46 percent to $54.7 million.

The results include a $6.2 million gain on the sale of the company's Velardena mill in Mexico and a gain of $9.0 million from the curtailment of a corporate non-pension benefit plan, Hecla said.

Silver production for the first quarter came in at 2.86 million ounces, up 128 percent from the prior year period. Read the whole report HERE.

That is an encouraging report for the most part. Looks as though the good news will keep coming. Perhaps, this is some of the news which is moving HL. It is still our star performer.

Best, Doug