The Murray Innovation Award was presented to Hecla Mining Co. for its innovation of the underhand closed bench (UCB) mining method at the Lucky Friday Mine in Idaho. The 80-year-old mine is the deepest underground mine in the United States. It is also a mine with significant seismic activity. Leaning on a culture of innovation, Hecla developed the patent-pending UCB, a mining method that controls the release of seismic energy in a deep, narrow-vein mining front while improving safety and productivity.
Hecla Mining Co. president and chief executive officer Phillips S. Baker Jr. and Lucky Friday operations manager Chris Neville accepted the award on behalf of the company and presented the Murray Innovation Lecture during the keynote.
