Prospectus Supplement
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT     Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
(To prospectus dated April 23, 2009)     Registration No. 333-145919

29,108,925 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK

HECLA MINING COMPANY

This prospectus supplement supplements the prospectus dated April 23, 2009 (as supplemented on April 30, 2009), relating to (i) the issuance to holders of our warrants and convertible preferred stock previously issued by us, shares of our common stock upon exercise of such warrants or upon conversion of such preferred stock, and (ii) the resale by the recipients of certain of such shares, from time to time, of up to 8,879,657 shares of our common stock, which they may acquire upon exercise of certain of such warrants, or upon conversion of certain shares of such preferred stock. This prospectus supplement should be read in conjunction with the prospectus dated April 23, 2009, including any supplements thereto, which is to be delivered with this prospectus supplement, and this prospectus supplement is qualified by reference to the prospectus and any supplements thereto, except to the extent that the information in this prospectus supplement supersedes the information contained in the prospectus and any supplements thereto. This prospectus supplement is not complete without, and may not be delivered or utilized except in connection with, the prospectus, including any supplements thereto.

Current Report on Form 8-K

On June 8, 2009, we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a Current Report on Form 8-K. The text of such Form 8-K is attached hereto.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus supplement is June 8, 2009.


 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): June 2, 2009

 

 

HECLA MINING COMPANY

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   1-8491   77-0664171

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

  (Commission File Number)  

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

6500 North Mineral Drive, Suite 200

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83815-9408

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

(208) 769-4100

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

N/A

(Former name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 


Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

The information disclosed under Item 3.02 that relates to the entry into certain material definitive agreements is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.

 

Item 3.02. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

On June 2, 2009, Hecla Mining Company (the “Company”) entered into a securities purchase agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) by and among the Company and certain institutional investors (the “Purchasers”), pursuant to which the Company agreed to sell in a private placement (the “Placement”) units consisting of (i) 17,391,302 shares of its common stock, par value $0.25 per share (the “Shares”) and (ii) Series 4 warrants to purchase an additional 12,173,913 shares of common stock (the “Series 4 Warrants) at a purchase price of $3.45 per unit. The Series 4 Warrants are exercisable on December 1, 2009 (the “Initial Exercise Date”) and during the 181 day period following the Initial Exercise Date at an exercise price of $3.68 per share, subject to certain adjustments as set forth in the Series 4 Warrants. The Securities Purchase Agreement is attached as Exhibit 10.1 to this report and is incorporated herein by reference. A copy of the form of Series 4 Warrant is attached as Exhibit 4.1 to this report and is incorporated herein by reference.

The Company also entered into a registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) as part of the Placement. A copy of the Registration Rights Agreement is attached as Exhibit 10.2 to this report and is incorporated herein by reference.

The Closing of the Placement occurred on June 4, 2009, and the Company received aggregate proceeds of approximately $60,000,000 for the sale of the Shares and Series 4 Warrants. The Placement Agent for the Placement was Rodman & Renshaw, LLC (“Rodman”), which received a cash fee of four percent (4%) of the gross proceeds, or $2,400,000, pursuant a placement agency agreement (the “Placement Agency Agreement”) dated June 2, 2009 between the Company and Rodman. A copy of the Placement Agency Agreement is attached as Exhibit 10.3 to this report and is incorporated herein by reference.

The Shares and Series 4 Warrants were offered solely to “accredited investors” as defined in Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), in reliance on the exemption from registration pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Act and Rule 506 promulgated thereunder, and in reliance on similar exemptions under applicable state laws.

The descriptions of the Series 4 Warrant, Securities Purchase Agreement, Registration Rights Agreement and Placement Agency Agreements are summaries only and are qualified in their entirety by reference to Exhibits 4.1, 10.1, 10.2 and 10.3, respectively.

The Securities Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Placement Agency Agreement and the Series 4 Warrant, have been incorporated by reference herein to provide you with information regarding their terms. They are not intended to provide any other factual information about the Company. Such information about the Company can be found elsewhere in other public filings the Company has made with the SEC, which are available without charge at www.sec.gov.


Item 8.01. Other Events.

On Tuesday, June 2, 2009, the Company announced the entry into the Securities Purchase Agreement in connection with the Placement. A copy of the press release making the announcement is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated into this Item 8.01 by reference.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Placement to repay approximately $57,000,000 under its term loan facility. Any remaining proceeds shall be used for general working capital requirements.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

4.1    Form of Series 4 Warrant.*
10.1    Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of June 2, 2009, by and between Hecla Mining Company and each investor signatory thereto.*
10.2    Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of June 2, 2009, by and between Hecla Mining Company and each investor signatory thereto.*
10.3    Placement Agency Agreement, dated June 2, 2009, by and between Hecla Mining Company and Rodman & Renshaw, LLC.*
99.1    Press Release, dated June 2, 2009, announcing the entry into the Securities Purchase Agreement in connection with the Placement.*
 
  * Filed herewith.


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Dated: June 5, 2009

 

Hecla Mining Company
By:  

/s/    James A. Sabala

  James A. Sabala
  Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer


EXHIBIT 4.1

NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR THE SECURITIES FOR WHICH THIS SECURITY IS EXERCISABLE HAVE BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS AS EVIDENCED BY A LEGAL OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE TRANSFEROR TO SUCH EFFECT, THE SUBSTANCE OF WHICH SHALL BE REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY. THIS SECURITY AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THIS SECURITY MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.

SERIES 4 COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT

HECLA MINING COMPANY

 

Warrant Shares:                        Issue Date: June     , 2009

THIS SERIES 4 COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT (the “Warrant”) certifies that, for value received,                      (the “Holder”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after December 1, 2009 (the “Initial Exercise Date”) and on or prior to the close of business on the 181st day following the Initial Exercise Date (the “Termination Date”) but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from Hecla Mining Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), up to              shares (the “Warrant Shares”) of Common Stock; provided, however, in the event that there is a Public Information Failure after December 1, 2009, for each Trading Day that such failure occurs the Termination Date shall be extended by one additional Trading Day. The purchase price of one share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be equal to the Exercise Price, as defined in Section 2(b).

Section 1. Definitions. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in that certain Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”), dated June 2, 2009, among the Company and the purchasers signatory thereto.

Section 2. Exercise.

a) Exercise of Warrant. Exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant may be made, in whole or in part, but not as to fractional shares of Common Stock, at any time or times on or after the Initial Exercise Date and on or before the

 

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Termination Date by delivery to the principal executive office of the Company (or such other office or agency of the Company as it may designate by notice in writing to the registered Holder at the address of the Holder appearing on the books of the Company) of a duly executed facsimile copy of the Notice of Exercise Form annexed hereto; and, within 3 Trading Days of the date said Notice of Exercise is delivered to the Company, the Company shall have received payment of the aggregate Exercise Price of the shares thereby purchased by wire transfer or cashier’s check drawn on a United States bank or, if available, pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 2(c) below. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has purchased all of the Warrant Shares available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within 3 Trading Days of the date the final Notice of Exercise is delivered to the Company. Partial exercises of this Warrant resulting in purchases of a portion of the total number of Warrant Shares available hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder in an amount equal to the applicable number of Warrant Shares purchased. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the number of Warrant Shares purchased and the date of such purchases. The Company shall deliver any objection to any Notice of Exercise Form within 2 Business Day of receipt of such notice. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Warrant, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following the purchase of a portion of the Warrant Shares hereunder, the number of Warrant Shares available for purchase hereunder at any given time may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.

b) Exercise Price. The exercise price per share of the Common Stock under this Warrant shall be $3.68, subject to adjustment hereunder (the “Exercise Price”). Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event shall the Exercise Price be adjusted to below the per share par value of the Company’s Common Stock.

c) Cashless Exercise. If at any time after the six (6) month anniversary of the date this Warrant was issued to the Holder, there is no effective Registration Statement registering, or no current prospectus available for, the resale of the Warrant Shares by the Holder, then this Warrant may also be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall be entitled to receive a certificate for the number of Warrant Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:

 

(A) =   the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date on which Holder elects to exercise this Warrant by means of a “cashless exercise,” as set forth in the applicable Notice of Exercise;
(B) =   the Exercise Price of this Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and
(X) =   the number of Warrant Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise.

 

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d) Holder’s Restrictions. A Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to Section 2 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates, and any other person or entity acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of shares of Common Stock which would be issuable upon (A) exercise of the remaining, nonexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates and (B) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other Common Stock Equivalents) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 2(d), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 2(d) applies, the determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 2(d), in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic report on Form 10-K or Form 10-Q, as applicable, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) any other notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within two Trading Days confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant. The Holder, upon not less than

 

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61 days’ prior notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 2(d), provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation in no event exceeds 9.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of this Warrant held by the Holder and the provisions of this Section 2(d) shall continue to apply. Any such increase will not be effective until the 61st day after such notice is delivered to the Company. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 2(d) to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant. The holders of Common Stock shall be third party beneficiaries of this paragraph and the Company may not waive this paragraph without the consent of holders of a majority of its Common Stock.

e) Mechanics of Exercise.

i. Delivery of Certificates Upon Exercise. Certificates for shares purchased hereunder shall be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s prime broker with the Depository Trust Company through its Deposit Withdrawal Agent Commission (“DWAC”) system if the Company is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective Registration Statement permitting the issuance of the Warrant Shares to or resale of the Warrant Shares by the Holder or (B) the shares are eligible for resale by the Holder without volume or manner-of-sale limitations pursuant to Rule 144, and otherwise by physical delivery to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise within 3 Trading Days from the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise Form, surrender of this Warrant (if required), and payment of the aggregate Exercise Price as set forth above (including by cashless exercise, if permitted)(such date, the “Warrant Share Delivery Date”). This Warrant shall be deemed to have been exercised on the date the Exercise Price is received by the Company. The Warrant Shares shall be deemed to have been issued, and Holder or any other person so designated to be named therein shall be deemed to have become a holder of record of such shares for all purposes, as of the date the Warrant has been exercised by payment to the Company of the Exercise Price (or by cashless exercise, if permitted) and all taxes required to be paid by the Holder, if any, pursuant to Section 2(e)(vi) prior to the issuance of such shares, have been paid.

ii. Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise. If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part and shall not have expired, the Company shall, at the request of the Holder and upon surrender of this Warrant certificate, at the time of delivery of the certificate or certificates representing Warrant Shares, deliver to Holder a new Warrant evidencing

 

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the rights of Holder to purchase the unpurchased Warrant Shares called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Warrant.

iii. Rescission Rights. If the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder a certificate or the certificates representing the Warrant Shares pursuant to Section 2(e)(i) by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise.

iv. Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Certificates Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder a certificate or the certificates representing the Warrant Shares pursuant to a proper exercise on or before the second Trading Day following the Warrant Share Delivery Date, and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price per share at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored or deliver to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder against payment of the Exercise Price. For example, if the Holder purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of shares of Common Stock with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (1) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver certificates representing shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

v. No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this

 

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Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or round up to the next whole share.

vi. Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance of certificates for Warrant Shares shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such certificate, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such certificates shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided, however, that in the event certificates for Warrant Shares are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto.

vii. Closing of Books. The Company will not close its stockholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms hereof.

Section 3. Certain Adjustments.

a) Stock Dividends and Splits. If the Company, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on shares of its Common Stock or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in shares of Common Stock (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon exercise of this Warrant or by the terms of any preferred stock which is outstanding on the issuance date hereof), (ii) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (iv) issues by reclassification of shares of the Common Stock any shares of capital stock of the Company, then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Warrant shall remain unchanged. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 3(a) shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification.

b) [RESERVED].

 

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c) [RESERVED].

d) Fundamental Transaction. If, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (ii) the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person whereby such other Person acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Warrant Share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(d) on the exercise of this Warrant), the number of shares of Common Stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(d) on the exercise of this Warrant). For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one share of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of Common Stock are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction.

e) Calculations. All calculations under this Section 3 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest  1/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 3, the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding. No adjustment in the number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder shall be required unless such adjustment would require an

 

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increase or decrease of at least 1% in the number of Warrant Shares purchasable upon the exercise of this Warrant, provided, that any adjustments not required by this Section 3(e) shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment.

f) Notice to Holder.

i. Adjustment to Exercise Price. Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 3, the Company shall promptly mail to the Holder a notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such adjustment and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.

ii. Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder. If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Common Stock, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Common Stock, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any stockholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Common Stock, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, of any compulsory share exchange whereby the Common Stock is converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be mailed to the Holder at its last address as it shall appear upon the Warrant Register of the Company, at least 20 calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, or such shorter period of time as the Company reasonably determines is necessary so as not to negatively impact in a material way the transaction that is the subject of the notice, a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of the Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to mail such notice or any defect therein or in the mailing thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided hereunder constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file

 

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such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Holder is entitled to exercise this Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice.

g) Optional Exercise.

i. If, at any time after the fifteenth (15th) Trading Day following the date one or more Registration Statements (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), which have been declared effective by the Commission (such date, the “Effective Date”), registers all Registrable Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), (i) the VWAP is greater than $7.00 per share (as adjusted for any stock splits, stock dividends, recapitalizations, combinations, reverse stock splits or other similar events during such period) on each Trading Day during ten (10) consecutive Trading Days (which period shall not begin until after such fifteenth (15th) Trading Day) (an “Optional Exercise Measuring Period”) and (ii) there is no Equity Conditions Failure (unless the Holder has waived such Equity Conditions Failure), the Company shall have the right to require the Holder to exercise as of the Optional Exercise Date all or any portion of this Warrant not exceeding the amount of the then unexercised number of Warrant Shares (an “Optional Exercise”) at an exercise price equal to the then applicable Exercise Price. The Company may exercise its right to require exercise of this Warrant under this Section 3(g) by delivering a written notice thereof by facsimile and overnight courier to all, but not less than all, of the holders of the outstanding and the Company’s transfer agent (the “Optional Exercise Notice” and the date all of the holders received such notice is referred to as the “Optional Exercise Notice Date”) no later than two (2) Trading Days after the applicable Optional Exercise Measuring Period. The Optional Exercise Notice delivered shall be irrevocable and shall state (A) the date on which the Optional Exercise shall occur (the “Optional Exercise Date”) which date shall be at least ten (10) Trading Days after the Optional Exercise Notice Date, and (B) the aggregate number of Warrant Shares which the Company has elected to be subject to Optional Exercise by all of the holders of the outstanding Warrants pursuant to this Section 3(g) (and analogous provisions under the other outstanding Warrants) on the Optional Exercise Date. The Company may not effect more than one (1) Optional Exercise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this subsection shall prevent the Holder from exercising this Warrant, in whole or part, prior to such Optional Exercise Date.

ii. Pro Rata Exercise Requirement. If the Company elects to cause an Optional Exercise pursuant to this Section 3(g), then it must simultaneously take the same action with respect to the other outstanding Warrants. If the Company elects to cause an Optional Exercise pursuant to Section 3(g) (or similar provisions under the outstanding Warrants) with

 

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respect to less than all of the Warrant Shares underlying the Warrants then outstanding, then the Company shall require exercise of the Warrant Shares from each of the holders of the outstanding Warrants equal to the product of (i) the aggregate number of Warrant Shares which the Company has elected to cause to be exercised pursuant to Section 3(g), multiplied by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the sum of the aggregate number of Warrant Shares underlying the Warrants issued to such holder pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement and the denominator of which is the sum of the aggregate number of Warrant Shares underlying the Warrants issued to all holders pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement (such fraction with respect to each holder is referred to as its “Exercise Allocation Percentage”, and such amount with respect to each holder is referred to as its “Pro Rata Exercise Amount”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event the Company sends an Optional Exercise Notice and the Holder already exercised any portion of its Warrant prior to the Optional Exercise Date (such exercised portion with respect to each Holder is referred to as its “Exercised Portion”), such Exercise Portion shall be applied against such Holder’s Pro Rata Exercise Amount and the Holder will only be required to exercise the difference, if any, between such Holder’s Pro Rata Exercise Amount and such Holder’s Exercised Portion. In the event that the initial holder of any Warrants shall sell or otherwise transfer any of such holder’s outstanding Warrants, the transferee shall be allocated a pro rata portion of such Holder’s Exercise Allocation Percentage and Pro Rata Exercise Amount.

As used herein, (x) “Equity Conditions” means: (i) on each day during the period beginning ten (10) Trading Days prior to the Optional Exercise Notice Date and ending on and including the Optional Exercise Notice Date (the “Equity Conditions Measuring Period”), the Registration Statement filed pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement shall be effective for the resale of all of the Registrable Securities, in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement; (ii) on each day during the Equity Conditions Measuring Period, the Common Stock is designated for quotation on an Eligible Market and shall not have been suspended from trading on such Eligible Market (other than suspensions of not more than three (3) days and occurring prior to the applicable date of determination due to business announcements by the Company) nor shall proceedings for such delisting or suspension by such Eligible Market have been commenced, threatened or pending either (A) in writing by such Eligible Market or (B) by falling below the minimum listing maintenance requirements of such Eligible Market; (iii) on each day during the Equity Conditions Measuring Period, the Company shall have delivered Common Stock upon any exercise of the Warrants to the Holders on a timely basis as set forth in Section 2(d) hereof; (iv) any applicable shares of Common Stock to be issued in connection with the event requiring determination may be issued in full without violating Section 2(d) hereof or the rules or

 

10


regulations of the applicable Eligible Market; (v) during the Equity Conditions Measuring Period, there shall not have occurred either the public announcement of a pending, proposed or intended Fundamental Transaction which has not been abandoned, terminated or consummated; and (vi) the Company shall have no knowledge of any fact that would cause the Registration Statement(s) required pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement not to be effective and available for the resale of at least all of the Registrable Securities, in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, (y) “Equity Conditions Failure” means that during the period commencing on the first Trading Day of the Equity Conditions Measuring Period through the Optional Exercise Date, the Equity Conditions have not been satisfied (or waived in writing by the Holder).

Section 4. Transfer of Warrant.

a) Transferability. Subject to compliance with any applicable securities laws and the conditions set forth in Section 4(d) hereof and to the provisions of Section 4.1 of the Purchase Agreement, this Warrant and all rights hereunder (including, without limitation, any registration rights) are transferable, in whole or in part, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of the Company or its designated agent, together with a written assignment of this Warrant substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder or its agent or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes payable upon the making of such transfer, and compliance with any applicable laws. Upon such surrender and, if required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the assignee or assignees, as applicable, and in the denomination or denominations specified in such instrument of assignment, and shall issue to the assignor a new Warrant evidencing the portion of this Warrant not so assigned, and this Warrant shall promptly be cancelled. The Warrant, if properly assigned, may be exercised by a new holder for the purchase of Warrant Shares without having a new Warrant issued.

b) New Warrants. This Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants upon presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of the Company, together with a written notice specifying the names and denominations in which new Warrants are to be issued, signed by the Holder or its agent or attorney. Subject to compliance with Section 4(a), as to any transfer which may be involved in such division or combination, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided or combined in accordance with such notice, if permitted by applicable law. All Warrants issued on transfers or exchanges shall be dated the Initial Exercise Date and shall be identical with this Warrant except as to the number of Warrant Shares issuable pursuant thereto.

c) Warrant Register. The Company shall register this Warrant, upon records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose (the “Warrant Register”), in the name of the record Holder hereof from time to time. The Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary.

 

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d) Transfer Restrictions. If, at the time of the surrender of this Warrant in connection with any transfer of this Warrant, the transfer of this Warrant shall not be either (i) registered pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act and under applicable state securities or blue sky laws or (ii) eligible for resale without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions or current public information requirements pursuant to Rule 144, the Company may require, as a condition of allowing such transfer, that the Holder or transferee of this Warrant, as the case may be, comply with the provisions of Section 5.7 of the Purchase Agreement.

e) Representation by the Holder. The Holder, by the acceptance hereof, represents and warrants that it is acquiring this Warrant and, upon any exercise hereof, will acquire the Warrant Shares issuable upon such exercise, for its own account and not with a view to or for distributing or reselling such Warrant Shares or any part thereof in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law, except pursuant to sales registered or exempted under the Securities Act.

f) Residual Obligation. In the event of any transfer of this Warrant, the initial Holder hereby guarantees payment of any liability of the Holder that arises pursuant to Section 3(g) hereof.

Section 5. Miscellaneous.

a) No Rights as Stockholder Until Exercise. This Warrant does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights or other rights as a stockholder of the Company prior to the exercise hereof as set forth in Section 2(e)(i).

b) Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant. The Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant or any stock certificate relating to the Warrant Shares, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it, and upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant or stock certificate of like tenor and dated as of such cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or stock certificate.

c) Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Business Day, then, such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.

d) Authorized Shares.

The Company covenants that, during the period the Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant Shares

 

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upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of executing stock certificates to execute and issue the necessary certificates for the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Trading Market upon which the Common Stock may be listed. The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).

Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder as set forth in this Warrant against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will (i) not increase the par value of any Warrant Shares above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof, as may be, necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.

Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number of Warrant Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable or in the Exercise Price, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.

e) Jurisdiction. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Warrant shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Purchase Agreement.

f) Restrictions. The Holder acknowledges that the Warrant Shares acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not registered and the Holder does not utilize cashless exercise, will have restrictions upon resale imposed by state and federal securities laws.

 

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g) Nonwaiver and Expenses. No course of dealing or any delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice Holder’s rights, powers or remedies. Without limiting any other provision of this Warrant or the Purchase Agreement, if the Company willfully and knowingly fails to comply with any provision of this Warrant, which results in any material damages to the Holder, the Company shall pay to Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover any costs and expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, including those of appellate proceedings, incurred by Holder in collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder.

h) Notices. Any notice, request or other document required or permitted to be given or delivered to the Holder by the Company shall be delivered in accordance with the notice provisions of the Purchase Agreement.

i) Limitation of Liability. Other than pursuant to an Optional Exercise in conformity with the requirements of Section 3(g), no provision hereof, in the absence of any affirmative action by Holder to exercise this Warrant to purchase Warrant Shares, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of Holder, shall give rise to any liability of Holder for the purchase price of any Common Stock or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company.

j) Remedies. The Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Warrant. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.

k) Successors and Assigns. Subject to applicable securities laws, if any, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors of the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of all Holders from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by the Holder or holder of Warrant Shares.

l) Amendment. This Warrant (together with all other Warrants of this series) may be modified or amended or the provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company and the Holder.

m) Severability. Wherever possible, each provision of this Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining provisions of this Warrant.

 

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n) Headings. The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant.

********************

(Signature Pages Follow)

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated.

 

HECLA MINING COMPANY

By:

 

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

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NOTICE OF EXERCISE

TO:     HECLA MINING COMPANY

(1) The undersigned hereby elects to purchase              Warrant Shares of the Company pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant (only if exercised in full), and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any.

(2) Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box):

[    ] in lawful money of the United States; or

[    ] [if permitted] the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in subsection 2(c), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in subsection 2(c).

(3) Please issue a certificate or certificates representing said Warrant Shares in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:

The Warrant Shares shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number or by physical delivery of a certificate to:

 

 

 

     
 

 

     
 

 

     

(3) Accredited Investor. The undersigned is an “accredited investor” as defined in Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]

Name of Investing Entity:                                                                                                                                                                             

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity:                                                                                                                                

Name of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                                                                                                    

Title of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                                                                                                      

Date:                                                                                                                                                                                                               


ASSIGNMENT FORM

(To assign the foregoing warrant, execute

this form and supply required information.

Do not use this form to exercise the warrant.)

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, [        ] all of or [            ] shares of the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to                                                                                                                                                                         whose address is                                                                                                                                                                                                     .

 

 

 

         

Dated:

              ,     
  

Holder’s Signature:

 

 

  

Holder’s Address:

 

 

Signature Guaranteed:                                         

NOTE: The signature to this Assignment Form must correspond with the name as it appears on the face of the Warrant, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever, and must be guaranteed by a bank or trust company. Officers of corporations and those acting in a fiduciary or other representative capacity should file proper evidence of authority to assign the foregoing Warrant.


EXHIBIT 10.1

SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

This Securities Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”) is dated as of June 2, 2009, between Hecla Mining Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and each purchaser identified on the signature pages hereto (each, including its successors and assigns, a “Purchaser” and collectively the “Purchasers”).

WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Rule 506 promulgated thereunder, the Company desires to issue and sell to each Purchaser, and each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, desires to purchase from the Company, securities of the Company as more fully described in this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each Purchaser agree as follows:

ARTICLE I.

DEFINITIONS

1.1 Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, for all purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings set forth in this Section 1.1:

Acquiring Person” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.5.

Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

Bloomberg L.P.” means Bloomberg L.P. or, if Bloomberg L.P. no longer reports the applicable pricing or other information, such other data service as may in the future replace Bloomberg L.P. as the primary industry source of stock market data.

Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.

Business Day” means any day except Saturday, Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.

Closing” means the closing of the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to Section 2.1.

Closing Date” means the Trading Day on which all of the Transaction Documents have been executed and delivered by the applicable parties thereto, and all conditions precedent to (i) the Purchasers’ obligations to pay the Subscription Amount and (ii) the Company’s obligations to deliver the Securities, in each case, have been satisfied or waived.

 

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Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.25 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed into.

Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, rights, options, warrants or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

Company Counsel” means Michael B. White, General Counsel of the Company and/or K&L Gates LLP.

Credit Agreement” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(c).

Disclosure Schedules” shall mean any schedule delivered by the Company to the Purchasers setting forth any qualification or exception to any of the Company’s representations or warranties in Article III of this Agreement.

Effective Date” means the earlier of the date that (a) all of the Registrable Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) have been registered for resale by the holders thereof pursuant to a registration statement(s) declared effective by the Commission and (b) all of the Registrable Securities have been sold pursuant to Rule 144 or may be sold pursuant to Rule 144 without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information required under Rule 144 and without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Exempt Issuance” means the issuance of (a) shares of Common Stock or options to former or current employees, officers, directors or other eligible recipients of the Company pursuant to any stock or option plan duly adopted for such purpose, by a majority of the non-employee members of the Board of Directors or a majority of the members of a committee of non-employee directors established for such purpose, (b) securities upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any Securities issued hereunder and/or other securities exercisable or exchangeable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement, provided that such securities have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise, exchange or conversion price of such securities, (c) securities issued as dividends on shares of the Company’s 6.5% Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement, (d) securities issued pursuant to the Credit Agreement, as it may be amended or restated from time to time, and (e) securities issued pursuant to acquisitions or

 

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strategic transactions approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company, provided that any such issuance shall only be to a Person which is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating company in a business synergistic with the business of the Company or the owner or lessee of real property or mineral rights which the Company believes are usable in or related to the Company’s existing lines of business, and in which the Company receives benefits in addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in securities.

knowledge of the Company” means the actual knowledge of an executive officer of the Company.

Legend Removal Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.1(c).

Material Adverse Effect” means any event that (i) would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (ii) would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business.

Per Share Purchase Price” equals $3.45, subject to appropriate adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the Common Stock that occur after the date of this Agreement but before the Closing.

Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

Placement Agent” means Rodman & Renshaw, LLC.

Proceeding” means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an informal investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or overtly threatened.

Public Information Failure” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.3(b).

Public Information Failure Payments” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.3(b).

Purchaser Party” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.7.

 

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Registration Rights Agreement” means the Registration Rights Agreement, dated the date hereof, among the Company and the Purchasers, in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto.

Registration Statement” means a registration statement meeting the requirements set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement and covering the resale of the Shares and Warrant Shares by each Purchaser as provided for in the Registration Rights Agreement.

Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.

Rule 424” means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.

SEC Reports” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(a).

Securities” means the Shares, the Warrants and the Warrant Shares.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issued or issuable to each Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement.

Short Sales” means all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act (but shall not be deemed to include the location and/or reservation of borrowable shares of Common Stock).

Significant Subsidiary” means each significant subsidiary of the Company as defined by Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.

Subscription Amount” means, as to each Purchaser, the aggregate amount to be paid for Shares and Warrants purchased hereunder as specified below such Purchaser’s name on the signature page of this Agreement and next to the heading “Subscription Amount,” in United States dollars and in immediately available funds.

Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Company as set forth in the Registration Statement and shall, where applicable, also include any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company formed or acquired after the date hereof.

Trading Day” means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading.

 

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Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE AMEX, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

Transaction Documents” means this Agreement, the Warrants, the Registration Rights Agreement, all exhibits and schedules thereto and hereto and any other documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.

Transfer Agent” means American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the current transfer agent of the Company, with a mailing address of 6201 15th Avenue, 3rd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11219 and a facsimile number of 718-921-8327, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.

VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if the OTC Bulletin Board is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the OTC Bulletin Board, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on the OTC Bulletin Board and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported in the “Pink Sheets” published by Pink OTC Markets, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Purchasers of a majority in interest of the Securities then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

Warrants” means, collectively, the Common Stock purchase warrants (delivered to the Purchasers at the Closing in accordance with Section 2.2(a) hereof, which Warrants shall be exercisable commencing on December 1, 2009 and have a term of exercise equal to 181 days, in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto.

Warrant Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.

WS” means Weinstein Smith LLP with offices located at 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 2620, New York, New York 10170-0002.

 

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ARTICLE II.

PURCHASE AND SALE

2.1 Closing. On the Closing Date, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, substantially concurrent with the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the parties hereto, the Company agrees to sell, and the Purchasers, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase, up to an aggregate of 17,391,302 of Shares and Warrants to purchase up to 12,173,913 shares of Common Stock; provided, however, that such securities shall not be issued until compliance with the covenant set forth in Section 4.9. Each Purchaser shall deliver to the Company, via wire transfer, immediately available funds equal to its Subscription Amount and the Company shall deliver to each Purchaser its respective Shares and Warrants as determined pursuant to Section 2.2(a), and the Company and each Purchaser shall deliver the other items set forth in Section 2.2 deliverable at the Closing. Upon satisfaction of the covenants and conditions set forth in Sections 2.2 and 2.3, the Closing shall occur at the offices of WS or such other location as the parties shall mutually agree.

2.2 Deliveries.

(a) On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to each Purchaser the following:

(i) this Agreement duly executed by the Company;

(ii) a legal opinion of Company Counsel, substantially in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto;

(iii) a copy of the irrevocable instructions to the Company’s transfer agent instructing the transfer agent to deliver to each Purchaser Shares equal to such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount divided by the Per Share Purchase Price, registered in the name of such Purchaser;

(iv) a Warrant registered in the name of such Purchaser to purchase up to a number of shares of Common Stock equal to 70% of the number of Shares purchased by such Purchaser, with an exercise price equal to $3.68, subject to adjustment therein (such Warrant certificate may be delivered within three Trading Days of the Closing Date);

(v) receipt of a waiver in the form satisfactory to the Company from each purchaser of the Company securities pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement dated December 10, 2008 (the “December SPA”); and

(vi) the Registration Rights Agreement duly executed by the Company.

(b) On or prior to the Closing Date, each Purchaser shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Company the following:

(i) this Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser;

 

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(ii) the Registration Rights Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser; and

(iii) such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount by wire transfer to the account as specified in writing by the Company.

2.3 Closing Conditions.

(a) The obligations of the Company hereunder in connection with the Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:

(i) the accuracy in all material respects on the Closing Date (without giving effect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) of the representations and warranties of the Purchasers contained herein (unless as of a specific date therein);

(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of each Purchaser required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed; and

(iii) the delivery by each Purchaser of the items set forth in Section 2.2(b) of this Agreement.

(b) The respective obligations of the Purchasers hereunder in connection with the Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:

(i) the accuracy in all material respects on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein (unless as of a specific date therein);

(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of the Company required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed;

(iii) the delivery by the Company of the items set forth in Section 2.2(a) of this Agreement;

(iv) the approval of the Listing of Additional Shares application by The New York Stock Exchange upon notice of issuance;

(v) there shall have been no Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company since the date hereof; and

(vi) from the date hereof to the Closing Date, trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended by the Commission or the Company’s principal Trading Market (except for any suspension of trading of limited duration agreed to by the Company, which suspension shall be terminated prior to the Closing), and, at any time prior to the Closing Date, trading in securities generally as reported by Bloomberg L.P. shall not have been suspended or limited, or

 

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minimum prices shall not have been established on securities whose trades are reported by such service, or on any Trading Market, nor shall a banking moratorium have been declared either by the United States or New York State authorities nor shall there have occurred any material outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other national or international calamity of such magnitude in its effect on, or any material adverse change in, any financial market which, in each case, in the reasonable judgment of each Purchaser, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to purchase the Securities at the Closing.

ARTICLE III.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

3.1 Representations and Warranties of the Company. Except as set forth in any publicly issued press release, SEC Report (or as is not required to be disclosed in any SEC Report) or Disclosure Schedule, which press releases, SEC Reports and Disclosure Schedules shall qualify any representation or otherwise made herein to the extent of the disclosure contained in the SEC Reports or Disclosure Schedules, as shall the fact that disclosure of any item is not required by an SEC Report, the Company hereby makes the following representations and warranties to each Purchaser:

(a) SEC Reports; Financial Statements. The Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the two years preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required by law or regulation to file such material) (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein being collectively referred to herein as the “SEC Reports”) on a timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension. As of their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and none of the SEC Reports, when filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(b) Due Incorporation. Each of the Company and its material domestic Subsidiaries has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is chartered or organized with full corporate power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the SEC Reports, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction which requires such qualification, except where the failure to qualify would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) Subsidiaries. All the outstanding shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and all outstanding shares of capital stock of the

 

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Company’s Subsidiaries (other than qualifying shares for foreign Subsidiaries) are owned by the Company either directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries free and clear of any security interests, claims, liens or encumbrances, except for the interests of the Company’s Subsidiaries that have been pledged on a term facility pursuant to an amended and restated credit agreement, dated as of April 16, 2008, as amended to the date hereof, among the Company, the various Lenders named therein, The Bank of Nova Scotia and Scotia Capital (the “Credit Agreement”), as disclosed in the SEC Reports.

(d) Capitalization. The Company’s authorized equity capitalization is materially as set forth in the SEC Reports as of the dates therein referenced, and without giving effect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The share capital of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the SEC Reports as of the dates therein referenced, and without giving effect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The outstanding shares of capital stock have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and nonassessable. The holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are not entitled to preemptive or other rights to subscribe for the Securities (except for the Prior Purchasers); and except as set forth in the SEC Reports or subsequent issuance, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, the December SPA, the Credit Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the SEC Reports or pursuant to the exercise of warrants, convertible securities or options referred to in the SEC Reports, no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights to convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for, shares of capital stock of or ownership interests in the Company are outstanding as of the date of the information set forth in the SEC Reports in respect of the capitalization of the Company.

(e) Due Authorization. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(f) Validity of Securities. The Securities being sold hereunder by the Company have been duly and validly authorized, and, when issued and delivered to and paid for by the Purchasers pursuant to this Agreement, will be fully paid and nonassessable and conform in all material respects with the description of the Securities set forth in the SEC Reports. The certificates for the Securities are in valid and sufficient form.

(g) No Material Adverse Events. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the SEC Reports any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, material to the Company taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth as set forth as have occurred or may occur or contemplated in the SEC Reports; and, except as disclosed in the SEC Reports, there has not been any material change in the capital stock (other than employee benefit plan issuances or conversion or exercise of outstanding securities of the Company) or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any material

 

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adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, except as set forth as have occurred or may occur or contemplated in the SEC Reports.

(h) Material Contracts. There is no franchise, contract or other document of a character required to be described in the SEC Reports, or to be filed as an exhibit thereto, which is not described or filed as required.

(i) Investment Company. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(j) Regulatory Approvals. No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein, except (1) such as have been obtained or may be required under the Act, (2) such as may be required by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the New York Stock Exchange, and (3) such as may be required under the blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares in the manner contemplated herein.

(k) No Conflicts. Other than breaches, conflicts, violations and encumbrances which singly or in the aggregate are not reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect under clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv) below, none of the issue and sale of the Securities, the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof will conflict with, result in a breach or violation of, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to: (i) the organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or bound or to which its or their property is subject, (iii) any statute, law, rule, or regulation, or (iv) any judgment, writ, injunction, ruling, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or their properties.

(l) Financial Statements. The consolidated historical financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and the Greens Creek Joint Venture included or incorporated by reference in the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates and for the periods indicated in such report, comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and have been prepared in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein).

 

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(m) No Litigation. No action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or its or their property is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, overtly threatened that are reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in the SEC Reports.

(n) Title to Assets. Each of the Company and each of its Significant Subsidiaries owns or leases all such properties as are necessary to the conduct of its operations as presently conducted; the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned by them, and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except as provided for in the Credit Agreement or as set forth in the SEC Reports or such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries.

(o) No Default. Neither the Company nor any subsidiary of the Company is in violation or default of (1) any provision of its organizational documents, (2) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which it is a party or bound or to which its property is subject, or (3) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or such subsidiary or any of its properties, as applicable, any of which defaults or violations described in clauses (2) through (3) will have, or after any required notice and passage of any applicable grace period, is reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(p) Accountants. Each of BDO Seidman, LLP and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have audited certain financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and delivered their report with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements and schedules included or incorporated by reference in the SEC Reports, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder.

(q) Taxes. Except as described in the SEC Reports and except as would not singly or in the aggregate reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company has filed all foreign, federal, state and local tax returns that are required to be filed or has requested extensions thereof, and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for any such assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested in good faith.

 

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(r) Labor Relations. Except as described in the SEC Reports, no labor problem or dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries exists or to the knowledge of the Company is overtly threatened or imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or its Significant Subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, that is reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(s) Insurance. The Company and each of its Significant Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; all policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect, except where the failure to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; and except as described in the SEC Reports and except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, there are no claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; neither the Company nor any such Significant Subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any such Significant Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that is not reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(t) Rights in Subsidiaries. No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or, except as prohibited by the Credit Agreement and as disclosed in the SEC Reports, from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company.

(u) Permits etc. The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, concessions, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses (“Permits”); the Company and its subsidiaries have fulfilled and performed in all material respects all of their respective obligations with respect to such Permits and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Permit which, singly or in the aggregate, is reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in the SEC Reports (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

 

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(v) Internal Controls. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintains and will maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (1) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (2) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (3) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (4) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company and its subsidiaries’ internal controls over financial reporting are effective and the Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of any material weakness in their internal controls over financial reporting. The Company maintains and will maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as defined as Rule 13a-15 and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act); such disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

(w) Regulation M Compliance. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(x) Compliance with Laws. Except as described in the SEC Reports and except as is not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending or threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (D) there are no events or circumstances that are reasonably expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.

(y) ERISA. The minimum funding standard under Section 302 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and

 

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published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”), has been satisfied by each “pension plan” (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) which has been established or maintained by the Company and/or one or more of its subsidiaries, and the trust forming part of each such plan which is intended to be qualified under Section 401 of the Code is so qualified except in any case in which the failure to maintain such minimum funding standard or such qualification is not reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; each of the Company and its subsidiaries has fulfilled its obligations, if any, under Section 515 of ERISA; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries maintains or is required to contribute to a “welfare plan” (as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA) which provides for retiree or other post-employment welfare benefits or insurance coverage as to which the Company has not reserved its right to amend or terminate the plan in its discretion (other than “continuation coverage” (as defined in Section 602 of ERISA)); each pension plan and welfare plan established or maintained by the Company and/or one or more of its subsidiaries is in compliance in all material respects with the currently applicable provisions of ERISA; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred or is reasonably expected to incur any withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA, any liability under Section 4062, 4063, or 4064 of ERISA, or any other liability under Title IV of ERISA.

(z) Sarbanes Oxley Compliance. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

(aa) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (“FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA and the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

(bb) AML Compliance. The operations of the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any

 

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governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, overtly threatened.

(cc) OFAC. Neither the Company nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent or employee of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

(dd) Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess, license or have other rights to use or can acquire, on reasonable terms, all patents, patent applications, trade and service marks, trade and service mark registrations, trade names, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets, technology, know-how and other intellectual property (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”) necessary for the conduct of the Company’s business as now conducted or as proposed in the SEC Reports to be conducted. (1) To the Company’s knowledge, there are no rights of third parties to any such Intellectual Property (other than licensors of such Intellectual Property and their affiliates); (2) to the Company’s knowledge, there is no material infringement by third parties of any such Intellectual Property; (3) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Company’s rights in or to any such Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (4) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (5) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company infringes or otherwise violates any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of others.

(ee) Registration Rights. Other than pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, no Person has any right to cause the Company to effect the registration under the Securities Act of any securities of the Company.

(ff) Listing and Maintenance Requirements. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. The Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date hereof, received notice from the Trading Market to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of such Trading Market. Other than with respect to the trading

 

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price of the Common Stock, the Company is, and has no reason to believe that it will not in the foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance with all such listing and maintenance requirements.

(gg) Acknowledgment Regarding Purchasers’ Purchase of Securities. The Company acknowledges and agrees that each of the Purchasers is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby. The Company further acknowledges that no Purchaser is acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby and any advice given by any Purchaser or any of their respective representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby is merely incidental to the Purchasers’ purchase of the Securities. The Company further represents to each Purchaser that the Company’s decision to enter into this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents has been based solely on the independent evaluation of the transactions contemplated hereby by the Company and its representatives.

(hh) Acknowledgment Regarding Purchaser’s Trading Activity. Anything in this Agreement or elsewhere herein to the contrary notwithstanding (except for Sections 3.2(f) and 4.13 hereof), it is understood and acknowledged by the Company that: (i) none of the Purchasers have been asked by the Company to agree, nor has any Purchaser agreed, to desist from purchasing or selling, long and/or short, securities of the Company, or “derivative” securities based on securities issued by the Company or to hold the Securities for any specified term; (ii) past or future open market or other transactions by any Purchaser, specifically including, without limitation, Short Sales or “derivative” transactions, before or after the closing of this or future private placement transactions, may negatively impact the market price of the Company’s publicly-traded securities; (iii) any Purchaser, and counter-parties in “derivative” transactions to which any such Purchaser is a party, directly or indirectly, presently may have a “short” position in the Common Stock, and (iv) each Purchaser shall not be deemed to have any affiliation with or control over any arm’s length counter-party in any “derivative” transaction. The Company further understands and acknowledges that (y) one or more Purchasers may engage in hedging activities at various times during the period that the Securities are outstanding, including, without limitation, during the periods that the value of the Warrant Shares deliverable with respect to Securities are being determined, and (z) such hedging activities (if any) could reduce the value of the existing stockholders’ equity interests in the Company at and after the time that the hedging activities are being conducted. The Company acknowledges that such aforementioned hedging activities do not constitute a breach of any of the Transaction Documents.

(ii) Disclosure. Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, the Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided any of the Purchasers or their agents or counsel with any information that it believes constitutes or might constitute material, non-public information. The Company understands and confirms that the Purchasers will rely on the foregoing representation in effecting transactions in

 

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securities of the Company. All of the disclosure furnished by or on behalf of the Company to the Purchasers regarding the Company, its business and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Disclosure Schedules to this Agreement, is true and correct and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The press releases disseminated by the Company during the twelve months preceding the date of this Agreement taken as a whole do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made and when made, not misleading. The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Purchaser makes or has made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in Section 3.2 hereof.

(jj) No Integrated Offering. Assuming the accuracy of the Purchasers’ representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.2, neither the Company, nor any of its Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause this offering of the Securities to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of (i) the Securities Act which would require the registration of any such securities under the Securities Act, or (ii) any applicable shareholder approval provisions of any Trading Market on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated.

(kk) No General Solicitation. Neither the Company nor any person acting on behalf of the Company has offered or sold any of the Securities by any form of general solicitation or general advertising. The Company has offered the Securities for sale only to the Purchasers and certain other “accredited investors” within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act.

(ll) Certain Fees. Other than the fees payable to the Placement Agent, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Purchasers shall have no obligation with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made by or on behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section that may be due in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

(mm) Private Placement. Assuming the accuracy of the Purchasers’ representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.2, no registration under the Securities Act is required for the offer and sale of the Securities by the Company to the Purchasers as contemplated hereby. The issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder does not contravene the rules and regulations of the Trading Market.

 

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3.2 Representations and Warranties of the Purchasers. Each Purchaser, for itself and for no other Purchaser, hereby represents and warrants as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date to the Company as follows (unless as of a specific date therein):

(a) Organization; Authority. Such Purchaser is an entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization with full right, corporate or partnership power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and performance by such Purchaser of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar action, as applicable, on the part of such Purchaser. Each Transaction Document to which it is a party has been duly executed by such Purchaser, and when delivered by such Purchaser in accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of such Purchaser, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except: (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

(b) Own Account. Such Purchaser understands that the Securities are “restricted securities” and have not been registered under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities laws and is acquiring the Securities as principal for its own account and not with a view to or for distributing or reselling such Securities or any part thereof in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law, has no present intention of distributing any of such Securities in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and has no direct or indirect arrangement or understandings with any other persons to distribute or regarding the distribution of such Securities in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law (this representation and warranty not limiting such Purchaser’s right to sell the Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws). Such Purchaser is acquiring the Securities hereunder in the ordinary course of its business. Such Purchaser understands that the Securities are not immediately free tradable and that the Purchaser may be required to hold such Securities for a period of time.

(c) Purchaser Status. At the time such Purchaser was offered the Securities, it was, and as of the date hereof it is, and on each date on which it exercises any Warrants, it will be either: (i) an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7) or (a)(8) under the Securities Act or (ii) a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A(a) under the Securities Act. Such Purchaser is not required to be registered as a broker-dealer under Section 15 of the Exchange Act.

(d) Experience of Such Purchaser. Such Purchaser, either alone or together with its representatives, has such knowledge, sophistication and experience in business

 

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and financial matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment in the Securities, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment. Such Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities and, at the present time, is able to afford a complete loss of such investment.

(e) General Solicitation. Such Purchaser is not purchasing the Securities as a result of any advertisement, article, notice or other communication regarding the Securities published in any newspaper, magazine or similar media or broadcast over television or radio or presented at any seminar or, to its knowledge, any other general solicitation or general advertisement.

(f) Certain Transactions and Confidentiality. Other than consummating the transactions contemplated hereunder, such Purchaser has not directly or indirectly, nor has any Person acting on behalf of or pursuant to any understanding with such Purchaser, executed any purchases or sales, including Short Sales, of the securities of the Company during the period commencing as of the time that such Purchaser first received a term sheet (written or oral) as of the Company or any other Person representing the Company setting forth the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereunder and ending immediately prior to the execution hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of such Purchaser’s assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of such Purchaser’s assets, the representation set forth above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Securities covered by this Agreement. Other than to other Persons party to this Agreement, such Purchaser has maintained the confidentiality of all disclosures made to it in connection with this transaction (including the existence and terms of this transaction). Notwithstanding the foregoing, for avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall constitute a representation or warranty, or preclude any actions, with respect to the identification of the availability of, or securing of, available shares to borrow in order to effect Short Sales or similar transactions in the future.

(g) Certain Fees. Other than the fees payable to the Placement Agent, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company or such Purchaser to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Such Purchaser shall have no obligation with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made by or on behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section that may be due in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

(h) Access to Information. Such Purchaser acknowledges that Purchaser has had access to and has reviewed all information, documents and records included in the SEC Reports that Purchaser has deemed necessary in order to make an informed investment decision with respect to an investment in the Securities. Purchaser has had the opportunity to ask representatives of the Company certain questions and request certain

 

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additional information regarding the terms and conditions of such investment and the finances, operations, business and prospects of the Company and has had any and all such questions and requests answered to Purchaser’s satisfaction; and that Purchaser understands the risk and other considerations relating to such investment.

(i) Due Diligence. Purchaser acknowledges that it has sole responsibility for its own due diligence investigation and its own investment decision. Purchaser understands that nothing in this Agreement or any other materials presented to such Purchaser in connection with the purchase and sale of the Securities constitutes legal, tax or investment advice. Such Purchaser has consulted such legal, tax and investment advisors as it, in its sole discretion, has deemed necessary or appropriate in connection with its purchase of Securities.

ARTICLE IV.

OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

4.1 Transfer Restrictions.

(a) The Securities may only be pledged, transferred, secured or disposed of in compliance with state and federal securities laws. In connection with any transfer of Securities other than pursuant (i) to an effective registration statement or Rule 144, (ii) to the Company or (iii) to an Affiliate of a Purchaser or in connection with a pledge as contemplated in Section 4.1(b), in either case to the extent permitted by law (including Rule 144) the Company may require the transferor thereof to provide to the Company an opinion of counsel selected by the transferor and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the form and substance of which opinion shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that such transfer does not require registration of such transferred Securities under the Securities Act. As a condition of transfer, any such transferee shall agree in writing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and shall have the rights and obligations of a Purchaser under this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.

(b) The Purchasers agree to the imprinting, so long as is required by this Section 4.1, of a legend on any of the Securities in substantially the following form:

[NEITHER] THIS SECURITY [NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THIS SECURITY IS [EXERCISABLE] [CONVERTIBLE]] HAS [NOT] BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS AND, UNLESS SOLD PURSUANT TO RULE 144 OR RULE 144A UNDER SAID ACT, AS

 

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EVIDENCED BY A LEGAL OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE TRANSFEROR TO SUCH EFFECT, THE SUBSTANCE OF WHICH SHALL BE REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY. THIS SECURITY [AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON [EXERCISE] [CONVERSION] OF THIS SECURITY] MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT WITH A REGISTERED BROKER-DEALER OR OTHER LOAN WITH A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THAT IS AN “ACCREDITED INVESTOR” AS DEFINED IN RULE 501(a) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.

The Company acknowledges and agrees that a Purchaser may, if done in compliance with all applicable laws and rules, from time to time pledge pursuant to a bona fide margin agreement with a registered broker-dealer or grant a security interest in some or all of the Securities to a financial institution that is an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act and who agrees to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and, if required under the terms of such arrangement, such Purchaser may transfer, if done in compliance with all applicable laws and rules, pledged or secured Securities to the pledgees or secured parties. Such a pledge or transfer would not be subject to approval of the Company and no legal opinion of legal counsel of the pledgee, secured party or pledgor shall be required in connection therewith. Further, no notice shall be required of such pledge. At the appropriate Purchaser’s expense, the Company will execute and deliver such reasonable documentation as a pledgee or secured party of Securities may reasonably request in connection with a pledge or transfer of the Securities, including, if the Securities are subject to registration pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the preparation and filing of any required prospectus supplement under Rule 424(b)(3) under the Securities Act or other applicable provision of the Securities Act to appropriately amend the list of Selling Stockholders (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) thereunder.

(c) Certificates evidencing the Shares and Warrant Shares shall not contain any legend (including the legend set forth in Section 4.1(b) hereof): (i) while a registration statement (including the Registration Statement) covering the resale of such security is effective under the Securities Act, (ii) following any sale of such Shares or Warrant Shares pursuant to and in compliance with Rule 144 or (iii) if such Shares or Warrant Shares are eligible for sale under Rule 144, without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information required under Rule 144 as to such Shares and Warrant Shares and without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions. The Company shall cause its counsel to issue a legal opinion to the Transfer Agent promptly after the Effective Date if required by the Transfer Agent to effect the removal of the legend hereunder. If all or any portion of a Warrant is exercised at a time when there is an effective registration statement to cover the resale of the Warrant Shares, or if such Warrant Shares may be sold under Rule 144 and the Company is then in compliance with the current public information required under Rule 144, or if the Warrant Shares may be sold under Rule 144 without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information required under Rule 144 as to such Warrant Shares and without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions then such Warrant

 

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Shares shall be issued free of all legends. The Company agrees that following the Effective Date or at such time as such legend is no longer required under this Section 4.1(c), it will, no later than three Trading Days following the delivery by a Purchaser to the Company or the Transfer Agent of a certificate representing Shares and Warrant Shares, as applicable, issued with a restrictive legend (such third Trading Day, the “Legend Removal Date”), deliver or cause to be delivered to such Purchaser a certificate representing such shares that is free from all restrictive and other legends. The Company may not make any notation on its records or give instructions to the Transfer Agent that enlarge the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Section 4. Certificates for Shares and Warrant Shares subject to legend removal hereunder shall be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Purchaser by crediting the account of the Purchaser’s prime broker with the Depository Trust Company System as directed by such Purchaser.

(d) In addition to any other rights available to a Purchaser, if the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to such Purchaser a certificate or the certificates representing the Shares or Warrant Shares without restrictive legend as required by this Section 4.1 on or before the Legend Removal Date (provided that such Purchaser has provided the Company with at least 1 Trading Day’s prior written notice of such failure to deliver certificates without legends), and if after such date such Purchaser is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or such Purchaser’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by such Purchaser of the Shares or Warrant Shares, as the case may be, which such Purchaser anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to such Purchaser the amount by which (x) such Purchaser’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Shares or Warrant Shares, as the case may be, that the Company was required to deliver to such Purchaser in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price per share at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) if applicable and at the option of such Purchaser, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored or deliver to such Purchaser the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder against payment of the Exercise Price. For example, if such Purchaser purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of shares of Common Stock with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (1) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay such Purchaser $1,000. Such Purchaser shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to such Purchaser in respect of the Buy-In and evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Purchaser’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver certificates without legend as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

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(e) Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, agrees with the Company that such Purchaser will pledge, secure, transfer or sell any Securities pursuant to either the registration requirements of the Securities Act, including any applicable prospectus delivery requirements, or an exemption therefrom, and that if Securities are sold pursuant to a Registration Statement, they will be sold in compliance with the plan of distribution set forth therein, and acknowledges that the removal of the restrictive legend from certificates representing Securities as set forth in this Section 4.1 is predicated upon the Company’s reliance upon this understanding.

4.2 Furnishing of Information; Public Information.

(a) Until the earliest of the time that (i) no Purchaser owns Securities or (ii) the Warrant Shares may be sold without registration or the availability of current public information under Rule 144, the Company covenants to timely file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to the Exchange Act even if the Company is not then subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. As long as any Purchaser owns Securities, if the Company is not required to file reports pursuant to the Exchange Act, it will prepare and furnish to the Purchasers and make publicly available in accordance with Rule 144(c) such information as is required for the Purchasers to sell the Securities under Rule 144. The Company further covenants that it will take such further action as any holder of Securities may reasonably request, to the extent required from time to time to enable such Person to sell such Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the requirements of the exemption provided by Rule 144.

(b) At any time during the period commencing from the six (6) month anniversary of the date hereof and ending at such time that all of the Securities may be sold without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with Rule 144(c)(1) and otherwise without restriction or limitation pursuant to Rule 144, including, without limitation, Rule 144(i), if the Company shall fail for any reason to satisfy the current public information requirement under Rule 144(c) (a “Public Information Failure”) then, in addition to such Purchaser’s other available remedies, the Company shall pay to a Purchaser, in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, by reason of any such delay in or reduction of its ability to sell the Securities, an amount in cash equal to one percent (1.0%) of the aggregate Subscription Amount of such Purchaser’s Securities (not to exceed, in the aggregate, 3.0% of such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount) plus any amount paid by such Purchaser upon exercise of any of the Warrants on the day of a Public Information Failure and on every thirtieth (30th) day (pro rated for periods totaling less than thirty days) thereafter until the earlier of (a) the date such Public Information Failure is cured and (b) such time that such public information is no longer required for the Purchasers to transfer the Shares and Warrant Shares pursuant to Rule 144. The payments to which a Purchaser shall be entitled pursuant to this Section 4.2(b) are referred to herein as “Public Information Failure Payments.” Public Information Failure Payments shall be paid on the earlier of (i) the last day of the calendar month during which such Public Information Failure Payments are incurred and (ii) the third (3rd) Business Day after the event or failure giving rise to the Public Information Failure

 

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Payments is cured. In the event the Company fails to make Public Information Failure Payments in a timely manner, such Public Information Failure Payments shall bear interest at the rate of 1.5% per month (prorated for partial months) until paid in full. Nothing herein shall limit such Purchaser’s right to pursue actual damages for the Public Information Failure, and such Purchaser shall have the right to pursue all remedies available to it at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief.

4.3 Integration. The Company shall not sell, offer for sale or solicit offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in respect of any security (as defined in Section 2 of the Securities Act) that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities in a manner that would require the registration under the Securities Act of the sale of the Securities or that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities for purposes of the rules and regulations of any Trading Market such that it would require shareholder approval prior to the closing of such other transaction unless shareholder approval is obtained before the closing of such subsequent transaction.

4.4 Securities Laws Disclosure; Publicity. The Company shall, by 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) on the Trading Day immediately following the date hereof, issue a press release disclosing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby, and within 4 Trading Days of the date hereof file a Current Report on Form 8-K, including the Transaction Documents as exhibits thereto. From and after the issuance of such press release, the Company shall have publicly disclosed all material, non-public information delivered to any of the Purchasers by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees or agents in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Company and each Purchaser shall consult with each other in issuing any other press releases with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, and neither the Company nor any Purchaser shall issue any such press release nor otherwise make any such public statement without the prior consent of the Company, with respect to any press release of any Purchaser, or without the prior consent of each Purchaser, with respect to any press release of the Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld or delayed, except if such disclosure is required by law or Trading Market regulation, in which case the disclosing party shall promptly provide the other party with prior notice of such public statement or communication. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not publicly disclose the name of any Purchaser, or include the name of any Purchaser in any filing with the Commission or any regulatory agency or Trading Market, without the prior written consent of such Purchaser, except (a) as required by federal securities law in connection with (i) any registration statement contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement and (ii) the filing of final Transaction Documents (including signature pages thereto) with the Commission and (b) to the extent such disclosure is required by law or Trading Market regulations, in which case the Company shall provide the Purchasers with prior notice of such disclosure permitted under this clause (b).

4.5 Non-Public Information. Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, the Company covenants and agrees that neither it, nor any other Person acting on its behalf will provide any Purchaser or its agents or counsel with any information that the Company believes constitutes material non-public information, unless prior thereto such Purchaser shall have executed a written agreement regarding the confidentiality and use of such information. The Company understands and confirms that each Purchaser shall be relying on the foregoing covenant in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.

 

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4.6 RESERVED.

4.7 Indemnification of Purchasers. Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.8, the Company will indemnify and hold each Purchaser and its directors, officers, shareholders, members, partners, employees and agents (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title), each Person who controls such Purchaser (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, shareholders, agents, members, partners or employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling persons (each, a “Purchaser Party”) harmless from any and all losses, liabilities, obligations, claims, contingencies, damages, costs and expenses, including all judgments, amounts paid in settlements, court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of investigation that any such Purchaser Party may suffer or incur as a result of or relating to (a) any breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Company in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents or (b) any action instituted against a Purchaser in any capacity, or any of them or their respective Affiliates, by any stockholder of the Company who is not an Affiliate of such Purchaser, with respect to any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (unless such action is based upon a breach of any Purchaser Party’s representations, warranties or covenants under the Transaction Documents or any agreements or understandings such Purchaser may have with any such stockholder or any violations by any Purchaser Party of state or federal securities laws or any conduct by any Purchaser Party which constitutes fraud, gross negligence, willful misconduct or malfeasance). If any action shall be brought against any Purchaser Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Agreement, such Purchaser Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing, and the Company shall have the right to assume the defense thereof with counsel of its own choosing reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser Party. Any Purchaser Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Purchaser Party except to the extent that (i) the employment thereof has been specifically authorized by the Company in writing, (ii) the Company has failed after a reasonable period of time to assume such defense and to employ counsel or (iii) in such action there is, in the reasonable opinion of such separate counsel, a material conflict on any material issue between the position of the Company and the position of such Purchaser Party, in which case the Company shall be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one such separate counsel. The Company will not be liable to any Purchaser Party under this Agreement (y) for any settlement by a Purchaser Party effected without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; or (z) to the extent, but only to the extent that a loss, claim, damage or liability is attributable to any Purchaser Party’s breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by such Purchaser Party in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents.

4.8 Reservation of Common Stock. As of the date hereof, the Company has reserved and the Company shall continue to reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive

 

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rights, a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock for the purpose of enabling the Company to issue Shares pursuant to this Agreement and Warrant Shares pursuant to any exercise of the Warrants.

4.9 Listing of Common Stock. The Company hereby agrees to use its best efforts to cause the Shares and Warrant Shares to be approved for listing upon notice of issuance by The New York Stock Exchange as promptly as practicable, but in no later than the close of trading on the Closing Date and shall use best efforts to maintain the listing and quotation of the Common Stock on a Trading Market. The Company further agrees, if the Company applies to have the Common Stock traded on any other Trading Market, it will then include in such application all of the Shares and Warrant Shares, and will take such other action as is necessary to cause all of the Shares and Warrant Shares to be listed or quoted on such other Trading Market as promptly as possible. The Company will then take all action reasonably necessary to continue the listing and trading of its Common Stock on a Trading Market and will comply in all respects with the Company’s reporting, filing and other obligations under the bylaws or rules of the Trading Market.

4.10 Equal Treatment of Purchasers. No consideration shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of this Agreement (but only to the extent such waiver or modification effects the right of such Purchaser) unless the same consideration is also offered to all of the parties to this Agreement. For clarification purposes, this provision constitutes a separate right granted to each Purchaser by the Company and negotiated separately by each Purchaser, and is intended for the Company to treat the Purchasers as a class and shall not in any way be construed as the Purchasers acting in concert or as a group with respect to the purchase, disposition or voting of Securities or otherwise.

4.11 RESERVED.

4.12 Subsequent Equity Sales.

(a) From the date hereof until 30 days after the Effective Date, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary shall issue, enter into any agreement to issue or announce the issuance or proposed issuance of any shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents, other than Exempt Issuances.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 4.12 shall not apply in respect of an Exempt Issuance.

4.13 Certain Transactions and Confidentiality. Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, covenants that neither it, nor any Affiliate acting on its behalf or pursuant to any understanding with it will execute any purchases or sales, including Short Sales, of any of the Company’s securities during the period commencing with the execution of this Agreement and ending at such time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.4. Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, covenants that until such time as the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are publicly disclosed by the Company pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.4, such Purchaser will maintain the

 

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confidentiality of the existence and terms of this transaction and the information included in the Transaction Documents and the Disclosure Schedules. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that (i) no Purchaser makes any representation, warranty or covenant hereby that it will not engage in effecting transactions in any securities of the Company after the time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.4, (ii) no Purchaser shall be restricted or prohibited by the terms of this Agreement from effecting any transactions in any securities of the Company in accordance with applicable securities laws from and after the time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.4 and (iii) no Purchaser shall have any duty of confidentiality to the Company or its Subsidiaries after the issuance of the initial press release as described in Section 4.4. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of such Purchaser’s assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of such Purchaser’s assets, the covenant set forth above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Securities covered by this Agreement.

4.14 Form D; Blue Sky Filings. The Company agrees to timely file a Form D with respect to the Securities as required under Regulation D and to provide a copy thereof, promptly upon request of any Purchaser. The Company shall take such action as the Company shall reasonably determine is necessary in order to obtain an exemption for, or to qualify the Securities for, sale to the Purchasers at the Closing under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the United States, and shall provide evidence of such actions promptly upon request of any Purchaser.

ARTICLE V.

MISCELLANEOUS

5.1 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated by any Purchaser, as to such Purchaser’s obligations hereunder only and without any effect whatsoever on the obligations between the Company and the other Purchasers, by written notice to the other parties, if the Closing has not been consummated on or before June 9, 2009; provided, however, that no such termination will affect the right of any party to sue for any breach by the other party (or parties).

5.2 Fees and Expenses. Except as expressly set forth in the Transaction Documents to the contrary, each party shall pay the fees and expenses of its advisers, counsel, accountants and other experts, if any, and all other expenses incurred by such party incident to the negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees, stamp taxes and other taxes and duties levied in connection with the delivery of any Securities to the Purchasers, including but not limited to in connection with the removal of the Legend pursuant to Section 4.1 and electronic delivery of Shares and Warrant Shares.

 

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5.3 Entire Agreement. The Transaction Documents, together with the exhibits and schedules thereto, contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and schedules.

5.4 Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of: (a) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number set forth on the signature pages attached hereto prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (c) the 2nd Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto.

5.5 Amendments; Waivers. No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified, supplemented or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Company and all of the Purchasers holding at least 67% of the Shares then outstanding or, in the case of a waiver, by the party against whom enforcement of any such waived provision is sought. No waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right.

5.6 Headings. The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

5.7 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns. The Company may not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Purchaser (other than by merger). Any Purchaser may assign any or all of its rights under this Agreement to any Person to whom such Purchaser assigns or transfers any Warrants, upon notice to the Company, provided such transferee is an “accredited investor” and agrees in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred Warrants, by the provisions of the Transaction Documents that apply to the “Purchasers.”

5.8 No Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person, except as otherwise set forth in Section 4.8.

5.9 Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of the Transaction Documents shall be governed by and construed and

 

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enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any other Transaction Documents (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. If either party shall commence an action or proceeding to enforce any provisions of the Transaction Documents, then the prevailing party in such action or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding.

5.10 Survival. The representations and warranties contained herein shall survive the Closing and the delivery of the Securities for the applicable statute of limitations under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.

5.11 Execution. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party, it being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or “.pdf” signature page were an original thereof.

5.12 Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

 

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5.13 Replacement of Securities. If any certificate or instrument evidencing any Securities is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation thereof (in the case of mutilation), or in lieu of and substitution therefor, a new certificate or instrument, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of such loss, theft or destruction. The applicant for a new certificate or instrument under such circumstances shall also pay any reasonable third-party costs (including customary bond or indemnity) associated with the issuance of such replacement Securities.

5.14 Remedies. In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, each of the Purchasers and the Company will be entitled to specific performance under the Transaction Documents. The parties agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of obligations contained in the Transaction Documents and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert in any action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

5.15 Payment Set Aside. To the extent that the Company makes a payment or payments to any Purchaser pursuant to any Transaction Document or a Purchaser enforces or exercises its rights thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver or any other person under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred.

5.16 Independent Nature of Purchasers’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Purchaser under any Transaction Document are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be responsible in any way for the performance or non-performance of the obligations of any other Purchaser under any Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Each Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights including, without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose. Each Purchaser has been represented by its own separate legal counsel in their review and negotiation of the Transaction Documents. For reasons of administrative convenience only, Purchasers and their respective counsel have chosen to communicate with the Company through WS. WS does not represent all of the Purchasers but only Rodman & Renshaw, LLC, the placement agent for the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company has elected to provide all Purchasers with the same terms and Transaction Documents for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by the Purchasers.

 

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5.17 Liquidated Damages. The Company’s obligations to pay any partial liquidated damages or other amounts owing under the Transaction Documents is a continuing obligation of the Company and shall not terminate until all unpaid partial liquidated damages and other amounts have been paid notwithstanding the fact that the instrument or security pursuant to which such partial liquidated damages or other amounts are due and payable shall have been canceled.

5.18 Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Business Day, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.

5.19 Construction. The parties agree that each of them and/or their respective counsel has reviewed and had an opportunity to revise the Transaction Documents and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of the Transaction Documents or any amendments hereto. In addition, each and every reference to share prices in any Transaction Document shall be subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the Common Stock that occur after the date of this Agreement.

5.20 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. IN ANY ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING IN ANY JURISDICTION BROUGHT BY ANY PARTY AGAINST ANY OTHER PARTY, THE PARTIES EACH KNOWINGLY AND INTENTIONALLY, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, HEREBY ABSOLUTELY, UNCONDITIONALLY, IRREVOCABLY AND EXPRESSLY WAIVES FOREVER TRIAL BY JURY.

(Signature Pages Follow)

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

 

HECLA MINING COMPANY     Address for Notice:
By:  

/s/ James A. Sabala

    Fax:
Name:   James A. Sabala    
Title:   Senior Vice President and CFO    
With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):    

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

SIGNATURE PAGE FOR PURCHASER FOLLOWS]

 

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[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO HL SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

Name of Purchaser: BAM Opportunity Fund, L.P.

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser:                                                              

Name of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                           

Title of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                             

Email Address of Authorized Signatory:                                                                            

Fax Number of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                

Address for Notice of Purchaser:

Address for Delivery of Securities for Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):

Subscription Amount: $5,000,000

Shares: 1,449,275

Warrant Shares: 1,014,493

EIN Number: [PROVIDE THIS UNDER SEPARATE COVER]

[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]

 

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[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO HL SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

Name of Purchaser: Capital Ventures International

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser:                                                              

Name of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                           

Title of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                             

Email Address of Authorized Signatory:                                                                            

Fax Number of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                

Address for Notice of Purchaser:

Address for Delivery of Securities for Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):

Subscription Amount: $20,000,000

Shares: 5,797,101

Warrant Shares: 4,057,971

EIN Number: [PROVIDE THIS UNDER SEPARATE COVER]

[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]

 

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[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO HL SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

Name of Purchaser: Cranshire Capital, L.P.

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser:                                                              

Name of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                           

Title of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                             

Email Address of Authorized Signatory:                                                                            

Fax Number of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                

Address for Notice of Purchaser:

Address for Delivery of Securities for Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):

Subscription Amount: $5,999,998.50

Shares: 1,739,130

Warrant Shares: 1,217,391

EIN Number: [PROVIDE THIS UNDER SEPARATE COVER]

[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]

 

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[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO HL SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

Name of Purchaser: Hartz Capital Investments, LLC

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser:                                                              

Name of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                           

Title of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                             

Email Address of Authorized Signatory:                                                                            

Fax Number of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                

Address for Notice of Purchaser:

Address for Delivery of Securities for Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):

Subscription Amount: $5,000,000

Shares: 1,449,275

Warrant Shares: 1,014,493

EIN Number: [PROVIDE THIS UNDER SEPARATE COVER]

[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]

 

36


[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO HL SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

Name of Purchaser: Hudson Bay Fund LP

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser:                                                              

Name of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                           

Title of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                             

Email Address of Authorized Signatory:                                                                            

Fax Number of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                

Address for Notice of Purchaser:

Address for Delivery of Securities for Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):

Subscription Amount: $1,799,999.55

Shares: 521,739

Warrant Shares: 365,217

EIN Number: [PROVIDE THIS UNDER SEPARATE COVER]

[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]

 

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[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO HL SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

Name of Purchaser: Hudson Bay Overseas Fund, LTD.

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser:                                                              

Name of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                           

Title of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                             

Email Address of Authorized Signatory:                                                                            

Fax Number of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                

Address for Notice of Purchaser:

Address for Delivery of Securities for Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):

Subscription Amount: $3,200,002.65

Shares: 927,537

Warrant Shares: 649,276

EIN Number: [PROVIDE THIS UNDER SEPARATE COVER]

[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]

 

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[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO HL SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

Name of Purchaser: Ramius Enterprise Master Fund Ltd

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser:                                                              

Name of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                           

Title of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                             

Email Address of Authorized Signatory:                                                                            

Fax Number of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                

Address for Notice of Purchaser:

Address for Delivery of Securities for Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):

Subscription Amount: $1,799,999.55

Shares: 521,739

Warrant Shares: 365,217

EIN Number: [PROVIDE THIS UNDER SEPARATE COVER]

[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]

 

39


[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO HL SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

Name of Purchaser: RCG PB, Ltd

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser:                                                              

Name of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                           

Title of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                             

Email Address of Authorized Signatory:                                                                            

Fax Number of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                

Address for Notice of Purchaser:

Address for Delivery of Securities for Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):

Subscription Amount: $4,199,998.95

Shares: 1,217,391

Warrant Shares: 852,174

EIN Number: [PROVIDE THIS UNDER SEPARATE COVER]

[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]

 

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[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO HL SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

Name of Purchaser: Rockmore Investment Master Fund Ltd

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser:                                                              

Name of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                           

Title of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                             

Email Address of Authorized Signatory:                                                                            

Fax Number of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                

Address for Notice of Purchaser:

Address for Delivery of Securities for Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):

Subscription Amount: $6,000,000

Shares: 1,739,130

Warrant Shares: 1,217,391

EIN Number: [PROVIDE THIS UNDER SEPARATE COVER]

[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]

 

41


[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO HL SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

Name of Purchaser: Sprott Asset Management

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser:                                                              

Name of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                           

Title of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                             

Email Address of Authorized Signatory:                                                                            

Fax Number of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                

Address for Notice of Purchaser:

Address for Delivery of Securities for Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):

Subscription Amount: $2,000,000

Shares: 579,710

Warrant Shares: 405,797

EIN Number: [PROVIDE THIS UNDER SEPARATE COVER]

[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]

 

42


[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO HL SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

Name of Purchaser: Visium Equity Global Master Fund, LTD

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser:                                                              

Name of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                           

Title of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                             

Email Address of Authorized Signatory:                                                                            

Fax Number of Authorized Signatory:                                                                                

Address for Notice of Purchaser:

Address for Delivery of Securities for Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):

Subscription Amount: $5,000,000

Shares: 1,449,275

Warrant Shares: 1,014,493

EIN Number: [PROVIDE THIS UNDER SEPARATE COVER]

[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]

 

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EXHIBIT 10.2

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This Registration Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of June 2, 2009, between Hecla Mining Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and each of the several purchasers signatory hereto (each such purchaser, a “Purchaser” and, collectively, the “Purchasers”).

This Agreement is made pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, between the Company and each Purchaser (the “Purchase Agreement”).

The Company and each Purchaser hereby agrees as follows:

1. Definitions.

Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein that are defined in the Purchase Agreement shall have the meanings given such terms in the Purchase Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

Advice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(d).

Effectiveness Date” means, with respect to the Initial Registration Statement required to be filed hereunder, the 90th calendar day following the date of the Closing (or, in the event of a “full review” by the Commission, the 120th calendar day following the date of the Closing) and with respect to any additional Registration Statements which may be required pursuant to Section 3(c), the 60th calendar day following the date on which an additional Registration Statement is required to be filed hereunder; provided, however, that in the event the Company is notified by the Commission that one or more of the above Registration Statements will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to further review and comments, the Effectiveness Date as to such Registration Statement shall be the fifth Trading Day following the date on which the Company is so notified if such date precedes the dates otherwise required above, or such reasonable later date if as to permit the filing of an imminent periodic report under the Exchange Act.

Effectiveness Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

Event” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).

Event Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).

Filing Date” means, with respect to the Initial Registration Statement required hereunder, the 10th Trading Day following the date hereof and, with respect to any additional Registration Statements which may be required pursuant to Section 3(c), the earliest practical date on which the Company is permitted by SEC Guidance to file such additional Registration Statement related to the Registrable Securities.

 

1


Holder” or “Holders” means the holder or holders, as the case may be, from time to time of Registrable Securities.

Indemnified Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).

Indemnifying Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).

Initial Registration Statement” means the initial Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement.

Initial Shares” means a number of Registrable Securities equal to the lesser of (a) the total number of Registrable Securities and (b) one-third of the number of issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock that are held by non-Affiliates of the Company on the day immediately prior to the filing date of the Initial Registration Statement.

Losses” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).

Plan of Distribution” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

Prospectus” means the prospectus included in a Registration Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement, and all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.

Registrable Securities” means, as of any date of determination, (a) all of the Shares, (b) all Warrant Shares then issuable upon exercise of the Warrants (assuming on such date the Warrants are exercised in full without regard to any exercise limitations therein), (c) any additional shares of Common Stock issuable in connection with any anti-dilution provisions in the Warrants (without giving effect to any limitations on exercise set forth in the Warrants) and (d) any securities issued or then issuable upon any stock split, dividend or other distribution, recapitalization or similar event with respect to the foregoing; provided, however, that any such Registrable Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities (and the Company shall not be required to maintain the effectiveness of any, or file any post-effective amendment, any prospectus supplement or another Registration Statement hereunder with respect thereto) for

 

2


so long as (a) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such Registrable Securities is declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act and such Registrable Securities have been disposed of by the Holder in accordance with such effective Registration Statement, (b) such Registrable Securities have been previously sold in accordance with Rule 144, or (c) such securities become eligible for resale without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions and without current public information pursuant to Rule 144 (assuming that such securities and any securities issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of which, or as a dividend upon which, such securities were issued or are issuable, were at no time held by any Affiliate of the Company, and all Warrants are exercised by “cashless exercise” as provided in Section 2(c) of each of the Warrants), as reasonably determined by the Company, upon the advice of counsel to the Company.

Registration Statement” means any registration statement required to be filed hereunder pursuant to Section 2(a) and any additional registration statements contemplated by Section 3(c), including (in each case) the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to any such registration statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in any such registration statement.

Rule 415” means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.

Rule 424” means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.

Selling Stockholder Questionnaire” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).

SEC Guidance” means (i) any publicly-available written or oral guidance of the Commission staff, or any comments, requirements or requests of the Commission staff and (ii) the Securities Act.

2. Shelf Registration.

(a) On or prior to each Filing Date, the Company shall prepare and file with the Commission a Registration Statement covering the resale of all or such maximum portion of the Registrable Securities as permitted by SEC Guidance that are not then registered on an effective Registration Statement for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415. Each Registration

 

3


Statement filed hereunder shall be on Form S-3 (except if the Company is not then eligible to register for resale the Registrable Securities on Form S-3, in which case such registration shall be on another appropriate form in accordance herewith) and shall contain (unless otherwise directed by at least an 85% majority in interest of the Holders) substantially the “Plan of Distribution” attached hereto as Annex A. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause a Registration Statement filed hereunder to be declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as reasonably practicable after the filing thereof, but in any event prior to the applicable Effectiveness Date, and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective (subject to any required post-effective amendment filings) under the Securities Act until all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement (i) have been sold, thereunder or pursuant to Rule 144, or (ii) (A) may be sold without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 and (B) may be sold without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144, as reasonably determined by the counsel to the Company (the “Effectiveness Period”). The Company shall telephonically request effectiveness of a Registration Statement as of 5:00 p.m. New York City time on a Trading Day. The Company shall promptly notify the Holders via facsimile or by e-mail of the effectiveness of a Registration Statement on the same Trading Day that the Company telephonically confirms effectiveness with the Commission, which shall be the date requested for effectiveness of such Registration Statement. The Company shall, by 9:30 a.m. New York City time on the Trading Day after the effective date of such Registration Statement, file a final Prospectus with the Commission as required by Rule 424. Failure to so notify the Holder within one (1) Trading Day of such notification of effectiveness or failure to file a final Prospectus as foresaid shall be deemed an Event under Section 2(b). Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement and subject to the payment of liquidated damages pursuant to Section 2(b), if any SEC Guidance sets forth a limitation on the number of Registrable Securities permitted to be registered on a particular Registration Statement, unless otherwise directed in writing by a Holder as to its Registrable Securities, the number of Registrable Securities to be registered on such Registration Statement will first be reduced by Registrable Securities represented by Warrant Shares (applied, in the case that some Warrant Shares may be registered, to the Holders on a pro rata basis based on the total number of unregistered Warrant Shares held by such Holders), and second by Registrable Securities represented by Shares (applied, in the case that some Shares may be registered, to the Holders on a pro rata basis based on the total number of unregistered Conversion Shares held by such Holders). In the event of a cutback hereunder, the Company shall give the Holder at least five (5) Trading Days prior written notice along with the calculations as to such Holder’s allotment.

(b) If: (i) the Initial Registration Statement is not filed on or prior to its Filing Date (if the Company files the Initial Registration Statement without

 

4


affording the Holders the opportunity to review and comment on the same as required by Section 3(a) herein, the Company shall be deemed to have not satisfied this clause (i)), or (ii) the Company fails to file with the Commission a request for acceleration of a Registration Statement in accordance with Rule 461 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, or otherwise request effectiveness, within ten Trading Days of the date that the Company is notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the Commission that such Registration Statement will not be “reviewed” or will not be subject to further review, or (iii) prior to the effective date of a Registration Statement, the Company fails to file a pre-effective amendment and otherwise respond in writing to comments made by the Commission in respect of such Registration Statement within 20 Trading Days after the receipt of comments by or notice from the Commission that such amendment is required in order for such Registration Statement to be declared effective, or (iv) as to, in the aggregate among all Holders on a pro-rata basis based on their purchase of the Securities pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, a Registration Statement registering for resale all of the Initial Shares is not declared effective by the Commission by the Effectiveness Date of the Initial Registration Statement, or (v) after the effective date of a Registration Statement, such Registration Statement ceases for any reason to remain continuously effective as to all Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement, or the Holders are otherwise not permitted to utilize the Prospectus therein to resell such Registrable Securities (including, without limitation, because of the suspension of trading or any other limitation imposed by a Trading Market, a failure to keep such Registration Statement effective, a failure to disclose such information as is necessary for sales to be made pursuant to such Registration Statement, a failure to register a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock or a failure to maintain the listing of the Common Stock), for more than ten (10) consecutive calendar days or more than an aggregate of fifteen (15) calendar days (which need not be consecutive calendar days) during any 12-month period, or (vi) the Company shall fail for any reason to satisfy the current public information requirement under Rule 144 as to the applicable Registrable Securities (any such failure or breach being referred to as an “Event”, and for purposes of clauses (i), (iv), and (vi), the date on which such Event occurs, and for purpose of clause (ii) the date on which such ten (10) Trading Day period is exceeded, as applicable, and for purpose of clause (iii) the date which such twenty Trading Day period is exceeded, and for purpose of clause (v) the date on which such ten (10) or fifteen (15) calendar day period, as applicable, is exceeded being referred to as “Event Date”), then, in addition to any other rights the Holders may have hereunder or under applicable law, on each such Event Date and on each monthly anniversary of each such Event Date (if the applicable Event shall not have been cured by such date) until the applicable Event is cured, the Company shall pay to each Holder an amount in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, equal to 1.0% of the aggregate purchase price paid by such Holder pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (but not to exceed, in the aggregate, 3% of the aggregate purchase price paid by such Holder) for any unregistered Registrable Securities then held by such Holder. If the Company fails to pay any

 

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partial liquidated damages pursuant to this Section in full within seven days after the date payable, the Company will pay interest thereon at a rate of 18% per annum (or such lesser maximum amount that is permitted to be paid by applicable law) to the Holder, accruing daily from the date such partial liquidated damages are due until such amounts, plus all such interest thereon, are paid in full. The partial liquidated damages pursuant to the terms hereof shall apply on a daily pro rata basis for any portion of a month prior to the cure of an Event. Each Holder acknowledges that the Commission has recently given enhanced scrutiny to registration statements attempting to register the resale of shares and warrant shares obtained by purchasers in private placements and that such Commission reviews have resulted in registrants being denied the use of Rule 415(a)(1)(i), or otherwise having conditions imposed on such resale registration statements. Accordingly, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company and each Holder agrees that (i) the Company shall be obligated to pay any amount of liquidated damages under Section 2(b)(iv) or (v) in the event the Initial Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto is not declared effective on or prior to the Effectiveness Date (in the case of Section 2(b)(iv)), or is not continuously effective (in the case of Section 2(b)(v)), in each case solely as a result of or in connection with a determination by the Commission that either the Company or the Purchasers are ineligible to rely on Rule 415(a)(1)(i) under the Securities Act with respect to the registration of any of the Registrable Securities for resale by the Purchasers on a continuous or delayed basis; provided, that the Company shall thereafter use its commercially reasonable efforts to find alternative methods to register the Registrable Securities with the Commission for resale; and (ii) in the event the Company, after conducting a pre-filing conference with the Commission, if possible, reasonably determines that it is unable to, or it is inadvisable for the Company to attempt to, register all of the Registrable Securities in a single Registration Statement, the Company may elect to fulfill the registration requirements of Sections 2 and 3 by registering the Registrable Securities in two or more Registration Statements, provided that the Company shall use commercially efforts to file each subsequent Registration Statement no later than the earlier of (A) 60 days following the date on which the last of the Registrable Securities registered under the preceding Registration Statement were sold or (B) 6 months following the date on which the preceding Registration Statement was declared effective.

3. Registration Procedures.

In connection with the Company’s registration obligations hereunder, the Company shall:

(a) Not less than two (2) Trading Days prior to the filing of each Registration Statement and not less than two (2) Trading Days prior to the filing of any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (including any document that would be incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, but not including any Exchange Act filing that is filed under Rule 424

 

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as part of a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement that is not primarily related to the Registrable Securities), the Company shall (i) furnish to each Holder copies of all such documents proposed to be filed, which documents (other than those incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference) will be subject to the review of such Holders, and (ii) cause its officers and directors, counsel and independent registered public accountants to respond to such inquiries as shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of respective counsel to each Holder, to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of the Securities Act. Each Holder agrees to furnish to the Company a completed questionnaire in the form attached to this Agreement as Annex B (a “Selling Stockholder Questionnaire”) on a date that is not less than two (2) Trading Days prior to the Filing Date or by the end of the fourth (4th) Trading Day following the date on which such Holder receives draft materials in accordance with this Section.

(b) (i) Prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective amendments, to a Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep a Registration Statement continuously effective (subject to any requirement that a post-effective amendment be declared effective by the Commission) as to the applicable Registrable Securities for the Effectiveness Period and prepare and file with the Commission such additional Registration Statements in order to register for resale under the Securities Act all of the Registrable Securities, (ii) cause the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement (subject to the terms of this Agreement), and, as so supplemented or amended, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424, (iii) respond as promptly as reasonably possible to any comments received from the Commission with respect to a Registration Statement or any amendment thereto and provide as promptly as reasonably possible to the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to the Commission relating to a Registration Statement (provided that, the Company shall excise any information contained therein which would constitute material non-public information as to any Holder which has not executed a confidentiality agreement with respect thereto with the Company), and (iv) comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance (subject to the terms of this Agreement) with the intended methods of disposition by the Holders thereof set forth in such Registration Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented.

(c) If during the Effectiveness Period, the number of Registrable Securities at any time exceeds 100% of the number of shares of Common Stock then registered in a Registration Statement, then the Company shall file as soon as reasonably practicable, but in any case prior to the applicable Filing Date, an additional Registration Statement covering the resale by the Holders of not less than the number of such Registrable Securities not then registered.

 

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(d) Notify the Holders of Registrable Securities to be sold (which notice shall, pursuant to clauses (iii) through (vi) hereof, be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the Prospectus until the requisite changes have been made) as promptly as reasonably possible (and, in the case of (i)(A) below, not less than one (1) Trading Day prior to such filing) and (if requested by any such Person) confirm such notice in writing no later than one (1) Trading Day following the day (i)(A) other than in connection with any Exchange Act filing that is filed under Rule 424 as part of a Registration Statement, when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement is proposed to be filed, (B) when the Commission notifies the Company whether there will be a “review” of such Registration Statement and whenever the Commission comments in writing on such Registration Statement, and (C) with respect to a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective, (ii) of any request by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information, except in connection with post-effective amendments not primarily related to Registrable Securities, (iii) of the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation of any Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such purpose, (v) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes the financial statements included in a Registration Statement ineligible for inclusion therein or any statement made in a Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to a Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of a Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (vi) of the occurrence or existence of any pending corporate development with respect to the Company that the Company believes may be material (provided that in each notice the Company will not disclose the content of such material, non-public information to the Holders) and that, in the determination of the Company, makes it not in the best interest of the Company to allow continued availability of a Registration Statement or Prospectus, provided that, any and all of such information shall remain confidential to each Holder until such information otherwise becomes public, unless disclosure by a Holder is required by law other than due to Holder’s voluntary act triggering such requirement; provided, further, that notwithstanding each Holder’s agreement to keep such information confidential, each such Holder makes no acknowledgement that any such information is material, non-public information.

 

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(e) Use its commercially reasonable efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order stopping or suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.

(f) Furnish to each Holder, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each such Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference to the extent requested by such Person, and all exhibits to the extent requested by such Person (including those previously furnished or incorporated by reference) promptly after the filing of such documents with the Commission; provided, that any such item which is available on the EDGAR system (or successor thereto) need not be furnished in physical form.

(g) Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company hereby consents to the use of such Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, except after the giving of any notice pursuant to Section 3(d).

(h) The Company shall cooperate with any broker-dealer through which a Holder proposes to resell its Registrable Securities in effecting a filing with the FINRA Corporate Financing Department pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110, as requested by any such Holder, and the Company shall pay the filing fee required by such filing within two (2) Business Days of request therefor.

(i) [RESERVED].

(j) If requested by a Holder, cooperate with such Holder to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be delivered to a transferee pursuant to a Registration Statement, which certificates shall be free, to the extent permitted by the Purchase Agreement, of all restrictive legends, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as any such Holder may request.

(k) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(d), as promptly as reasonably possible under the circumstances taking into account the Company’s good faith assessment of any adverse consequences to the Company and its stockholders of the premature disclosure of such event, prepare a supplement or amendment, including a post-effective amendment, to a

 

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Registration Statement or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered, neither a Registration Statement nor such Prospectus will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Company notifies the Holders in accordance with clauses (iii) through (vi) of Section 3(d) above to suspend the use of any Prospectus until the requisite changes to such Prospectus have been made, then the Holders shall suspend use of such Prospectus. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as is practicable. The Company shall be entitled to exercise its right under this Section 3(k) to suspend the availability of a Registration Statement and Prospectus, subject to the payment of partial liquidated damages otherwise required pursuant to Section 2(b), for a period not to exceed 60 calendar days (which need not be consecutive days) in any 12-month period.

(l) Comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission relating to a Registration Statement.

(m) The Company may require each selling Holder to furnish to the Company a certified statement as to the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such Holder and, if required by the Commission, the natural persons thereof that have voting and dispositive control over the shares. During any periods that the Company is unable to meet its obligations hereunder with respect to the registration of the Registrable Securities solely because any Holder fails to furnish such information within three Trading Days of the Company’s request, any liquidated damages that are accruing at such time as to such Holder only shall be tolled and any Event that may otherwise occur solely because of such delay shall be suspended as to such Holder only, until such information is delivered to the Company.

(n) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary or affiliate thereof shall identify any Holder as an underwriter in any public disclosure or filing with the Commission, or any Trading Market and any Holder being deemed an underwriter by the Commission shall not relieve the Company of any obligations it has under this Agreement or any other Transaction Document; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit the Company from including the disclosure found in the “Plan of Distribution” section attached hereto as Annex A in the Registration Statement.

4. Registration Expenses. All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with, this Agreement by the Company shall be borne by the Company whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to a Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, fees and

 

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expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent registered public accountants) (A) with respect to filings made with the Commission, (B) with respect to filings required to be made with any Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed for trading, and (C) in compliance with applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws reasonably agreed to by the Company in writing (including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company in connection with Blue Sky qualifications or exemptions of the Registrable Securities), (ii) printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of printing certificates for Registrable Securities), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, (v) Securities Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, and (vi) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required hereunder. In no event shall the Company be responsible for any broker or similar commissions of any Holder or any legal fees or other costs of the Holders.

5. Indemnification.

(a) Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, the officers, directors, members, partners, agents, investment advisors and employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles, notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of each of them, each Person who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the officers, directors, members, stockholders, partners, agents and employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles, notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of each such controlling Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees) and expenses (collectively, “Losses”), as incurred, arising out of or relating to (1) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading or (2) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder, in connection with the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, except to the extent, but

 

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only to the extent, that (i) such untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein (including, without limitation, information included on such Holder’s Selling Shareholder Questionnaire), or to the extent that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder’s proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in a Registration Statement, such Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto (it being understood that the Holder has approved Annex A hereto for this purpose) or (ii) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3(d)(iii)-(vi), the use by such Holder of an outdated, defective or otherwise unavailable Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated, defective or otherwise unavailable for use by such Holder and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section 6(d). The Company shall notify the Holders promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding arising from or in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement of which the Company is aware.

(b) Indemnification by Holders. Each Holder shall, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers, agents and employees, each Person who controls the Company (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, agents or employees of such controlling Persons, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses, as incurred, to the extent arising out of or based solely upon: (x) such Holder’s failure to comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act or (y) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (i) to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information so furnished in writing by such Holder to the Company specifically for inclusion in such Registration Statement or such Prospectus (including, without limitation, any information included on such Holder’s Selling Shareholder Questionnaire) or (ii) to the extent that such information relates to such Holder’s proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in a Registration Statement (it being understood that the Holder has approved Annex A hereto for this purpose), such Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (iii) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3(d)(iii)-(vi), the use by such Holder of an outdated, defective or otherwise unavailable Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated, defective or otherwise unavailable for use by such Holder and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section 6(d). In no event shall the liability of any selling Holder under this Section 5(b) be greater in amount than

 

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the dollar amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation, except in the case of fraud or willful misconduct as determined by a final, nonappealable judicial determination.

(c) Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. If any Proceeding shall be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an “Indemnified Party”), such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Person from whom indemnity is sought (the “Indemnifying Party”) in writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to assume the defense thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of all fees and expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defense thereof; provided, that, the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement, except (and only) to the extent that it shall be finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) that such failure shall have materially prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.

An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ a single separate counsel in any such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or Parties unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses, (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding, or (3) the named parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and counsel to the Indemnified Party shall reasonably believe that a material conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof and the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one separate counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party). The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability from such parties on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.

Subject to the terms of this Agreement, all reasonable fees and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable fees and expenses to the extent

 

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incurred in connection with investigating or preparing to defend such Proceeding in a manner not inconsistent with this Section) shall be paid to the Indemnified Party, as incurred, within ten Trading Days of written notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party; provided, that, the Indemnified Party shall promptly reimburse the Indemnifying Party for that portion of such fees and expenses applicable to such actions for which such Indemnified Party is judicially determined not to be entitled to indemnification hereunder.

(d) Contribution. If the indemnification under Section 5(a) or 5(b) is unavailable to an Indemnified Party or insufficient to hold an Indemnified Party harmless for any Losses, then each Indemnifying Party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement, any reasonable attorneys’ or other fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any Proceeding to the extent such party would have been indemnified for such fees or expenses if the indemnification provided for in this Section was available to such party in accordance with its terms.

The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5(d), except in the case of fraud or willful misconduct as determined by a final, nonappealable judicial determination, no Holder shall be required to contribute pursuant to this Section 5(d), in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds actually received by such Holder from the sale of the Registrable Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section are in addition to any other liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the Indemnified Parties, provided, no amount shall be reimbursed twice in any event.

 

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6. Miscellaneous.

(a) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company or by a Holder of any of their respective obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages, shall be entitled to injunctive relieve under this Agreement. Each of the Company and each Holder agrees that monetary damages would not provide adequate compensation for any losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any action for injunctive relief in respect of such breach, it shall not assert or shall waive the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

(b) No Piggyback on Registrations; Prohibition on Filing Other Registration Statements. Neither the Company nor any of its security holders (other than the Holders in such capacity pursuant hereto) may include securities of the Company in any Registration Statements other than the Registrable Securities. Prior to the 30th day following the Effective Date, the Company shall not file any other registration statements registering Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents until all Registrable Securities are registered pursuant to a Registration Statement that is declared effective by the Commission, provided that this Section 6(b) shall not prohibit the Company from filing registration statements on Form S-4 or S-8 or from filing amendments to registration statements filed prior to the date of this Agreement, provided that no such amendment shall increase the amount of securities registered thereunder.

(c) Compliance. Each Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act as applicable to it in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement.

(d) Discontinued Disposition. By its acquisition of Registrable Securities, each Holder agrees that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in Section 3(d)(iii) through (vi), such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities under a Registration Statement until it is advised in writing (the “Advice”) by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus (as it may have been supplemented or amended) may be resumed. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed and shall deliver the Advice to the Holders as promptly as is practicable. The Company agrees and acknowledges that any periods during which the Holder is required to discontinue the disposition of the Registrable Securities hereunder shall be subject to the provisions of Section 2(b).

(e) [RESERVED]

(f) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company and the Holders of 66% or more of the then outstanding Registrable Securities (including, for this purpose any Registrable

 

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Securities issuable upon exercise or conversion of any Security). If a Registration Statement does not register all of the Registrable Securities pursuant to a waiver or amendment done in compliance with the previous sentence, then the number of Registrable Securities to be registered for each Holder shall be reduced pro rata among all Holders and each Holder shall have the right to designate which of its Registrable Securities shall be omitted from such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of a Holder or some Holders and that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of other Holders may be given by such Holder or Holders of all of the Registrable Securities to which such waiver or consent relates; provided, however, that the provisions of this sentence may not be amended, modified, or supplemented except in accordance with the provisions of the first sentence of this Section 6(f).

(g) Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be delivered as set forth in the Purchase Agreement.

(h) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of the parties and shall inure to the benefit of each Holder. The Company may not assign (except by merger) its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of all of the Holders of the then outstanding Registrable Securities. Each Holder may assign their respective rights hereunder in the manner and to the Persons as permitted under Section 5.9 of the Purchase Agreement.

(i) No Inconsistent Agreements. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has entered, as of the date hereof, nor shall the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on or after the date of this Agreement, enter into any agreement with respect to its securities, that would have the effect of impairing the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. Except as set forth in the SEC Reports or Disclosure Schedules to the Purchase Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has previously entered into any agreement granting any registration rights with respect to any of its securities to any Person that have not been satisfied in full.

(j) Execution and Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party, it being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or “.pdf” signature page were an original thereof.

 

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(k) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Purchase Agreement.

(l) Cumulative Remedies. The remedies provided herein are cumulative and not exclusive of any other remedies provided by law.

(m) Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

(n) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of the Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

(o) Independent Nature of Holders’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Holder hereunder are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Holder hereunder, and no Holder shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Holder hereunder. Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement or document delivered at any closing, and no action taken by any Holder pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Holders as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Holders are in any way acting in concert with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Each Holder shall be entitled to protect and enforce its rights, including without limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be necessary for any other Holder to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.

********************

(Signature Pages Follow)

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

HECLA MINING COMPANY
By:  

/s/ James A. Sabala

Name:   James A. Sabala
Title:   Senior Vice President and CFO

[SIGNATURE PAGE OF HOLDERS FOLLOWS]

 

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[SIGNATURE PAGE OF HOLDERS TO HL RRA]

Name of Holder:                                         

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Holder:                                         

Name of Authorized Signatory:                                         

Title of Authorized Signatory:                                         

[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]

 

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Annex A

Plan of Distribution

Each Selling Stockholder (the “Selling Stockholders”) of the common stock and any of their pledgees, assignees and successors-in-interest may, from time to time, sell any or all of their shares of common stock covered hereby on the [principal Trading Market] or any other stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the shares are traded or in private transactions. These sales may be at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of the sale, at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or negotiated prices. A Selling Stockholder may use any one or more of the following methods when selling shares:

 

   

ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers;

 

   

block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;

 

   

purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account;

 

   

an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange;

 

   

privately negotiated transactions;

 

   

settlement of short sales entered into after the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part;

 

   

in transactions through broker-dealers that agree with the Selling Stockholders to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share;

 

   

through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise;

 

   

a combination of any such methods of sale; or

 

   

any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.

The Selling Stockholders may also sell shares under Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), if available, rather than under this prospectus.

 

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Broker-dealers engaged by the Selling Stockholders may arrange for other brokers-dealers to participate in sales. Broker-dealers may receive commissions or discounts from the Selling Stockholders (or, if any broker-dealer acts as agent for the purchaser of shares, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated, but, except as set forth in a supplement to this Prospectus, in the case of an agency transaction not in excess of a customary brokerage commission in compliance with FINRA Rule 2440; and in the case of a principal transaction a markup or markdown in compliance with FINRA IM-2440.

In connection with the sale of the common stock or interests therein, the Selling Stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the common stock in the course of hedging the positions they assume. The Selling Stockholders may also sell shares of the common stock short and deliver these securities to close out their short positions or to return borrowed shares in connection with such short sales, or loan or pledge the common stock to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these securities. The Selling Stockholders may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or create one or more derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of shares offered by this prospectus, which shares such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).

The Selling Stockholders and any broker-dealers or agents that are involved in selling the shares may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any commissions received by such broker-dealers or agents and any profit on the resale of the shares purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. Each Selling Stockholder has informed the Company that it does not have any written or oral agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the Common Stock. In no event shall any broker-dealer receive fees, commissions and markups which, in the aggregate, would exceed eight percent (8%).

The Company is required to pay certain fees and expenses incurred by the Company incident to the registration of the shares. The Company has agreed to indemnify the Selling Stockholders against certain losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

The Selling Stockholders will be subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act including Rule 172 thereunder unless an exemption therefrom is available.

The Selling Stockholders have advised us that there is no underwriter or coordinating broker acting in connection with the proposed sale of the resale shares by the Selling Stockholders.

We agreed to keep this prospectus effective until the earlier of (i) the date on which the shares may be resold by the Selling Stockholders without registration and

 

21


without regard to any volume or manner-of-sale limitations by reason of Rule 144 and without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information under Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any other rule of similar effect or (ii) all of the shares have been sold pursuant to this prospectus or Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any other rule of similar effect. The resale shares will be sold only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers if required under applicable state securities laws. In addition, in certain states, the resale shares of Common Stock covered hereby may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and is complied with.

Under applicable rules and regulations under the Exchange Act, any person engaged in the distribution of the resale shares may not simultaneously engage in market making activities with respect to the common stock for the applicable restricted period, as defined in Regulation M, prior to the commencement of the distribution. In addition, the Selling Stockholders will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including Regulation M, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of shares of the common stock by the Selling Stockholders or any other person. We will make copies of this prospectus available to the Selling Stockholders and have informed them of the need to deliver a copy of this prospectus to each purchaser at or prior to the time of the sale (including by compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act).

There can be no assurance that any selling stockholder will sell any or all of the shares of common stock registered pursuant to the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part.

Once sold under the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, the shares of common stock will be freely tradable in the hands of persons other than our affiliates.

 

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Annex B

HECLA MINING COMPANY

Selling Stockholder Notice and Questionnaire

The undersigned beneficial owner of common stock (the “Registrable Securities”) of Hecla Mining Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), understands that the Company has filed or intends to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement (the “Registration Statement”) for the registration and resale under Rule 415 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of the Registrable Securities, in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) to which this document is annexed. A copy of the Registration Rights Agreement is available from the Company upon request at the address set forth below. All capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Registration Rights Agreement.

Certain legal consequences arise from being named as a selling stockholder in the Registration Statement and the related prospectus. Accordingly, holders and beneficial owners of Registrable Securities are advised to consult their own securities law counsel regarding the consequences of being named or not being named as a selling stockholder in the Registration Statement and the related prospectus.

NOTICE

The undersigned beneficial owner (the “Selling Stockholder”) of Registrable Securities hereby elects to include the Registrable Securities owned by it in the Registration Statement.

 

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The undersigned hereby provides the following information to the Company and represents and warrants that such information is accurate:

QUESTIONNAIRE

 

1. Name.

 

  (a) Full Legal Name of Selling Stockholder

 

 

 

  (b) Full Legal Name of Registered Holder (if not the same as (a) above) through which Registrable Securities are held:

 

 

 

  (c) Full Legal Name of Natural Control Person (which means a natural person who directly or indirectly alone or with others has power to vote or dispose of the securities covered by this Questionnaire):

 

 

 

2. Address for Notices to Selling Stockholder:

 

 

 

 

Telephone:  

 

Fax:  

 

Contact Person:  

 

 

3. Broker-Dealer Status:

 

  (a) Are you a broker-dealer?

Yes  ¨        No  ¨

 

  (b) If “yes” to Section 3(a), did you receive your Registrable Securities as compensation for investment banking services to the Company?

Yes  ¨        No  ¨

 

Note:   If “no” to Section 3(b), the Commission’s staff has indicated that you should be identified as an underwriter in the Registration Statement.

 

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  (c) Are you an affiliate of a broker-dealer?

Yes  ¨        No  ¨

 

  (d) If you are an affiliate of a broker-dealer, do you certify that you purchased the Registrable Securities in the ordinary course of business, and at the time of the purchase of the Registrable Securities to be resold, you had no agreements or understandings, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the Registrable Securities?

Yes  ¨        No  ¨

 

Note:   If “no” to Section 3(d), the Commission’s staff has indicated that you should be identified as an underwriter in the Registration Statement.

 

4. Beneficial Ownership of Securities of the Company Owned by the Selling Stockholder.

Except as set forth below in this Item 4, the undersigned is not the beneficial or registered owner of any securities of the Company other than the securities issuable pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.

 

  (a) Type and Amount of other securities beneficially owned by the Selling Stockholder:

 

 

 

 

25


5. Relationships with the Company:

Except as set forth below, neither the undersigned nor any of its affiliates, officers, directors or principal equity holders (owners of 5% of more of the equity securities of the undersigned) has held any position or office or has had any other material relationship with the Company (or its predecessors or affiliates) during the past three years.

State any exceptions here:

 

 

 

The undersigned agrees to promptly notify the Company of any inaccuracies or changes in the information provided herein that may occur subsequent to the date hereof at any time while the Registration Statement remains effective.

By signing below, the undersigned consents to the disclosure of the information contained herein in its answers to Items 1 through 5 and the inclusion of such information in the Registration Statement and the related prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto. The undersigned understands that such information will be relied upon by the Company in connection with the preparation or amendment of the Registration Statement and the related prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned, by authority duly given, has caused this Notice and Questionnaire to be executed and delivered either in person or by its duly authorized agent.

 

Date:  

 

    Beneficial Owner:  

 

    By:  

 

    Name:  
    Title:  

PLEASE FAX A COPY (OR EMAIL A .PDF COPY) OF THE COMPLETED AND EXECUTED NOTICE AND QUESTIONNAIRE, AND RETURN THE ORIGINAL BY OVERNIGHT MAIL, TO:

 

26


EXHIBIT 10.3

LOGO

June 2, 2009

STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

Hecla Mining Company

6500 North Mineral Drive

Suite 200

Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815-9408

 

Attn: James A. Sabala

  Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

Dear Mr. Sabala:

This letter (the “Agreement”) constitutes the agreement between Hecla Mining Company (the “Company”) and Rodman & Renshaw, LLC (“Rodman”) that Rodman shall serve as the exclusive placement agent (the “Services”) for the Company, on a “best efforts” basis, in connection with the proposed offer and placement (the “Offering”) by the Company of 17,391,302 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.25 per share (the “Common Stock”) and Series 4 warrants (the “Warrants”) to purchase up to 12,173,913 shares of Common Stock (the “Warrant Shares”, and together with the Warrant and the Shares, the “Securities”). The terms of the Offering and the Securities shall be mutually agreed upon by the Company and the investors and nothing herein implies that Rodman would have the power or authority to bind the Company or an obligation for the Company to issue any Securities or complete the Offering. The Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that Rodman’s obligations hereunder are on a reasonable best efforts basis only and that the execution of this Agreement does not constitute a commitment by Rodman to purchase the Securities and does not ensure the successful placement of the Securities or any portion thereof or the success of Rodman with respect to securing any other financing on behalf of the Company.

A. Fees and Expenses. In connection with the Services described above, the Company shall pay to Rodman the following compensation:

1. Placement Agent’s Fee. The Company shall pay to Rodman a cash placement fee (the “Placement Agent’s Fee”) equal to 4% of the aggregate purchase price paid by each purchaser (“Purchaser”) of Securities that are placed in the Offering. The Placement Agent’s Fee shall be paid at the closing of the Offering (the “Closing”) from the gross proceeds of the Securities sold.

2. [Reserved].

3. Expenses. In addition to any fees payable to Rodman hereunder, but only if an Offering is consummated, the Company hereby agrees to reimburse Rodman for all reasonable travel and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with Rodman’s engagement, including the reasonable fees and expenses of Rodman’s counsel. Such reimbursement shall be limited to $25,000 without prior written approval by the Company and shall be paid at the Closing from the gross proceeds of the Securities sold.

Rodman & Renshaw, LLC      1251 Avenue of the Americas, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10020

Tel: 212 356 0500      Fax: 212 581 5690      www.rodm.com      Member: FINRA, SIPC


B. Term and Termination of Engagement. The term (the “Term”) of Rodman’s engagement will be for the period of 30 days, or, if sooner, until the consummation of the Offering. The engagement may be terminated by either party at any time upon 5 days’ prior written notice. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the provisions concerning confidentiality, indemnification, contribution and the Company’s obligations to pay fees and reimburse expenses contained herein will survive any expiration or termination of this Agreement.

C. Fee Tail. Reference is made to that certain engagement letter, dated December 10, 2008 by and between the Company and Rodman (“December Engagement”). Rodman hereby waives Section 1(A)(2)(C) of the December Engagement solely as it relates only to this Offering and agrees that any fees payable on account of Purchasers subject to the December Engagement shall be paid pursuant to Section A(1) hereunder as it relates to this Offering. Any subsequent offerings by the Company, other than this Offering, shall be first subject to Section 1(A)(2)(C) of the December Engagement and then to this clause C. Rodman shall be entitled to a Placement Agent’s Fee, calculated in the manner provided in Paragraph A, with respect to any public or private offering or other financing or capital-raising transaction of any kind (“Tail Financing”) to the extent that, Rodman is not otherwise receiving a fee therefore and such financing or capital is provided to the Company by investors whom Rodman had introduced, directly or indirectly, to the Company during the Term and who invested in the Offering, if such Tail Financing is consummated at any time within the 12-month period following the expiration or termination of this Agreement (the “Tail Period”).

D. Use of Information. The Company will furnish Rodman such written information as Rodman reasonably requests in connection with the performance of its services hereunder. The Company understands, acknowledges and agrees that, in performing its services hereunder, Rodman will use and rely entirely upon such information as well as publicly available information regarding the Company and other potential parties to an Offering and that Rodman does not assume responsibility for independent verification of the accuracy or completeness of any information, whether publicly available or otherwise furnished to it, concerning the Company or otherwise relevant to an Offering, including, without limitation, any financial information, forecasts or projections considered by Rodman in connection with the provision of its services.

E. Confidentiality. In the event of the consummation or public announcement of any Offering, Rodman shall have the right to disclose its participation in such Offering, including, without limitation, the placement at its cost of “tombstone” advertisements in financial and other newspapers and journals. Rodman agrees not to use any confidential information concerning the Company provided to Rodman by the Company for any purposes other than those contemplated under this Agreement.

F. Securities Matters. The Company shall be responsible for any and all compliance with the securities laws applicable to it, including Regulation D and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Rule 506 promulgated thereunder, and unless otherwise agreed in writing, all state securities (“blue sky”) laws. Rodman agrees to cooperate with counsel to the Company in that regard.

G. Indemnity.

1. In connection with the Company’s engagement of Rodman as placement agent, the Company hereby agrees, to the extent permitted by law, to indemnify and hold harmless Rodman and its affiliates, and the respective controlling persons, directors, officers, shareholders, agents and employees of any of the foregoing (collectively the “Indemnified Persons”), from and against any and all claims, actions, suits, proceedings (including those of shareholders), damages, liabilities and expenses incurred by any of them (including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel), as incurred, (collectively a “Claim”),

 

2


that are (A) related to or arise out of (i) any actions taken or omitted to be taken (including any untrue statements made or any statements omitted to be made) by the Company in connection with the Offering, or (ii) any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any Indemnified Person in connection with the Company’s engagement of Rodman in connection with the Offering, or (B) otherwise relate to or arise out of Rodman’s activities on the Company’s behalf under Rodman’s engagement in connection with the Offering, and the Company shall reimburse any Indemnified Person for all reasonable expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) as incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with investigating, preparing or defending any such claim, action, suit or proceeding, in which any Indemnified Person is, or is threatened to be, a party. The Company will not, however, be responsible for any Claim, that is finally judicially determined to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of any person seeking indemnification for such Claim. The Company further agrees that no Indemnified Person shall have any liability to the Company for or in connection with the Company’s engagement of Rodman except for any Claim incurred by the Company as a result of such Indemnified Person’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.

2. The Company further agrees that it will not, without the prior written consent of Rodman, which will not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or denied, settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened Claim in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any Indemnified Person is an actual or potential party to such Claim), unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional, irrevocable release of each Indemnified Person from any and all liability arising out of such Claim.

3. Promptly upon receipt by an Indemnified Person of notice of any complaint or the assertion or institution of any Claim with respect to which indemnification is being sought hereunder, such Indemnified Person shall notify the Company in writing of such complaint or of such assertion or institution, but failure to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company from any obligation it may have hereunder, except and only to the extent the Company is materially prejudiced or disadvantaged thereby. If the Company so elects or is requested by such Indemnified Person, the Company will assume the defense of such Claim, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person and the payment of the fees and expenses of such counsel. In the event, however, that legal counsel to such Indemnified Person reasonably determines that having common counsel would present such counsel with a conflict of interest or if the defendant in, or target of, any such Claim, includes an Indemnified Person and the Company, and legal counsel to such Indemnified Person reasonably concludes that there may be legal defenses available to it or other Indemnified Persons different from or in addition to those available to the Company, then such Indemnified Person may employ its own separate counsel to represent or defend him, her or it in any such Claim and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. If the Company fails timely or diligently to defend, contest, or otherwise protect against any Claim, the relevant Indemnified Party shall have the right, but not the obligation, to defend, contest, compromise, settle, assert crossclaims, or counterclaims or otherwise protect against the same, and shall be indemnified hereunder by the Company therefor, including without limitation, for the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel and all amounts paid as a result of such Claim or the compromise or settlement thereof. In addition, with respect to any Claim in which the Company assumes the defense, the Indemnified Person shall have the right to participate in such Claim and to retain his, her or its own counsel therefor at his, her or its own expense.

4. The Company and Rodman agree that if any indemnity sought by an Indemnified Person hereunder is held by a court to be unavailable for any reason then (whether or not Rodman is the Indemnified Person), the Company and Rodman shall contribute to the Claim for which such indemnity is held unavailable in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits to the Company, on the one hand, and Rodman on the other, in connection with Rodman’s engagement referred to above, subject to the limitation that in no event shall the amount of Rodman’s contribution to such Claim exceed the

 

3


amount of fees actually received by Rodman from the Company pursuant to Rodman’s engagement. The Company hereby agrees that the relative benefits to the Company, on the one hand, and Rodman on the other, with respect to Rodman’s engagement shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as (a) the total value paid or proposed to be paid or received by the Company or its stockholders as the case may be, pursuant to the Offering (whether or not consummated) for which Rodman is engaged to render services bears to (b) the fee paid or proposed to be paid to Rodman in connection with such engagement.

5. The Company’s indemnity, reimbursement and contribution obligations under this Agreement (a) shall be in addition to, and shall in no way limit or otherwise adversely affect any rights that any Indemnified Party may have at law or at equity and (b) shall be effective whether or not the Company is at fault in any way, provided that the Company will not be responsible for any claim that is finally, judicially determined to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of any person seeking indemnity, reimbursement or contribution for such claim.

H. Limitation of Engagement to the Company. The Company acknowledges that Rodman has been retained only by the Company, that Rodman is providing services hereunder as an independent contractor (and not in any fiduciary or agency capacity) and that the Company’s engagement of Rodman is not deemed to be on behalf of, and is not intended to confer rights upon, any shareholder, owner or partner of the Company or any other person not a party hereto as against Rodman or any of its affiliates, or any of its or their respective officers, directors, controlling persons (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), employees or agents. Unless otherwise expressly agreed in writing by Rodman, no one other than the Company is authorized to rely upon this Agreement or any other statements or conduct of Rodman, and no one other than the Company is intended to be a beneficiary of this Agreement. The Company acknowledges that any recommendation or advice, written or oral, given by Rodman to the Company in connection with Rodman’s engagement is intended solely for the benefit and use of the Company’s management and directors in considering a possible Offering, and any such recommendation or advice is not on behalf of, and shall not confer any rights or remedies upon, any other person or be used or relied upon for any other purpose. Rodman shall not have the authority to make any commitment binding on the Company. The Company, in its sole discretion, shall have the right to reject any investor introduced to it by Rodman. The Company agrees that it will perform and comply with the covenants and other obligations set forth in the purchase agreement and related transaction documents between the Company and the investors in the Offering, and that Rodman will be entitled to rely on the representations, warranties, agreements and covenants of the Company contained in such purchase agreement and related transaction documents as if such representations, warranties, agreements and covenants were made directly to Rodman by the Company.

I. Limitation of Rodman’s Liability to the Company. Rodman and the Company further agree that neither Rodman nor any of its affiliates or any of its their respective officers, directors, controlling persons (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act), employees or agents shall have any liability to the Company, its security holders or creditors, or any person asserting claims on behalf of or in the right of the Company (whether direct or indirect, in contract, tort, for an act of negligence or otherwise) for any losses, fees, damages, liabilities, costs, expenses or equitable relief arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the Services rendered hereunder, except for losses, fees, damages, liabilities, costs or expenses that arise out of or are based on any action of or failure to act by Rodman or its affiliates or any of their respective officers, directors, controlling persons (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act), employees or agents that are finally judicially determined to have resulted solely from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Rodman.

 

4


J. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be fully performed therein. Any disputes that arise under this Agreement, even after the termination of this Agreement, will be heard only in the state or federal courts located in the City of New York, State of New York. The parties hereto expressly agree to submit themselves to the jurisdiction of the foregoing courts in the City of New York, State of New York. The parties hereto expressly waive any rights they may have to contest the jurisdiction, venue or authority of any court sitting in the City and State of New York. In the event of the bringing of any action, or suit by a party hereto against the other party hereto, arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the party in whose favor the final judgment or award shall be entered shall be entitled to have and recover from the other party the costs and expenses incurred in connection therewith, including its reasonable attorneys’ fees. Any rights to trial by jury with respect to any such action, proceeding or suit are hereby waived by Rodman and the Company.

K. Notices. All notices hereunder will be in writing and sent by certified mail, hand delivery, overnight delivery or fax, if sent to Rodman, to the address set forth on the first page hereof, fax number (646) 841-1640, Attention: General Counsel, and if sent to the Company, to the address on the first page hereof, fax number (208) 209-1285, Attention: James A. Sabala, Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer. Notices sent by certified mail shall be deemed received five days thereafter, notices sent by hand delivery or overnight delivery shall be deemed received on the date of the relevant written record of receipt, and notices delivered by fax shall be deemed received as of the date and time printed thereon by the fax machine.

L. Miscellaneous. This Agreement shall not be modified or amended except in writing signed by Rodman and the Company. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of both Rodman and the Company and their respective assigns, successors, and legal representatives. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of Rodman and the Company, and supersedes any prior agreements, with respect to the subject matter hereof. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable in any respect, such determination will not affect such provision in any other respect, and the remainder of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (including facsimile or .pdf counterparts), each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

M. Rodman Representations. Rodman represents, warrants and agrees to and with the Company that Rodman is registered or licensed with the Commission as a broker-dealer and is a member of FINRA, and that all appropriate registrations, licenses or filings have been made on its behalf in connection with its status as a registered or licensed broker-dealer. Rodman agrees to maintain the appropriate regulatory registrations and filings throughout the term of this Agreement. Neither Rodman nor any of its principals or affiliates have been the subject of any administrative, civil or criminal actions within the past five (5) years preceding the date hereof that could be material to an investor’s decision to purchase Shares.

 

5


In acknowledgment that the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding reached by Rodman and the Company, please sign in the space provided below, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding Agreement as of the date indicated above.

 

Very truly yours,
RODMAN & RENSHAW, LLC
By  

/s/ John Borer

Name:   John Borer
Title:   Sr. Managing Director

 

Accepted and Agreed:

HECLA MINING COMPANY
By  

/s/ James A. Sabala

Name:   James A. Sabala
Title:   Senior Vice President and CFO

 

6


Exhibit 99.1

News Release

Hecla Announces $60 Million Private Placement

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho, Jun 02, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) – Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL) today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell securities to selected institutional investors for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $60 million. The offering is expected to close on or about June 5, 2009, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Hecla is required to file a resale registration statement relating to the shares and warrants in the offering.

Under the terms of the offering, Hecla will sell approximately 17.4 million shares of common stock and Series 4 warrants to purchase approximately 12.2 million shares of common stock at a price of $3.45 per unit. The Series 4 warrants will have an exercise price of $3.68 per share and are exercisable for 181 days beginning 181 days after closing. Net proceeds from the share issuance will be used to repay a portion of the term debt.

Hecla Mining Company President and Chief Executive Officer Phillips S. Baker, Jr., said, “This transaction reduces term debt to about $55 million which significantly lowers borrowing costs. With this level of debt and an amortization schedule that does not begin until March 2010, our risks are reduced and the flexibility to grow reserves and production is improving.”

Rodman & Renshaw, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rodman & Renshaw Capital Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:RODM), acted as the exclusive placement agent for the offering.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities. The securities offered and sold in the private placement have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration, or an applicable exemption from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.

Hecla Mining Company, headquartered in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, mines, processes and explores for silver and gold in the United States and Mexico. A 118-year-old company, Hecla has long been well known in the mining world and financial markets as a quality producer of silver and gold. Hecla’s common and preferred shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols HL, HL-PrB and HL-PrC.

Statements made which are not historical facts, such as anticipated payments or purchases are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, anticipated, expected or implied. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, metals price volatility, volatility of metals production and costs, exploration risks and results, political risks, project development risks, labor issues and ability to raise financing. Refer to the company’s Form 8-K, Form 10-Q and 10-K reports for a more detailed discussion of factors that may impact expected future results. The company undertakes no obligation and has no intention of updating forward-looking statements.

Hecla’s Home Page can be accessed on the Internet at www.hecla-mining.com.

SOURCE: Hecla Mining Company

Hecla Mining Company

Don Poirier, vice president - corporate development, 208/769-4128