PIKOGAN, QC, February 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Abitibiwinni First Nation (hereinafter “Abitibiwinni”) calls on Hecla Mining Company (NYSE: HL) (“Hecla”) and Orezone Gold Corporation (TSX: ORE) (ASX: ORE) (OTCQX: ORZCF) (“Orezone”) to ensure a smooth and equitable transition that respects its ancestral rights and aligns its future operations with current economic and environmental realities in the part of the Hecla sale project. subsidiary “Hecla Québec” and its Casa Berardi mine in Orezone.
These concerns were raised by Abitibiwinni in a letter sent to the presidents of Hecla and Orezone on February 3.rd2026, concerns which were largely dismissed and ignored by Hecla in its response of February 16, 2026. Orezone, to date, has not responded to Abitibiwinni’s letter.
“The sale of Hecla Québec and Casa Berardi marks an important transition in our ongoing efforts to reconcile the sustainable development of our lands with our stewardship responsibilities,” said Chief Chantal Kistabish. “Abitibiwinni’s priority is to ensure that the sale, once finalized, brings us into a constructive dialogue aimed at ensuring that fairness is restored in terms of our relationship with the mine and its owner and to ensure that further development will only proceed responsibly and with appropriate environmental safeguards.”
The Casa Berardi mine is located entirely on traditional Abitibiwinni lands, lands over which it holds ancestral and treaty rights. The mine is currently the subject of an Impacts and Benefits Agreement (IBA) between Abitibiwinni and Hecla, but due to Hecla’s refusal to allow the agreement to take into account the sharp increase in the price of gold, the very foundations of the partnership between Hecla and the First Nation have been weakened.
In its letter, Abitibiwinni also expressed concerns about the impact of mining activities in the region on woodland caribou. Given the cultural importance of the species and its continued decline, Abitibiwinni plans to establish a network of protected areas in the region surrounding the Casa Berardi mine to protect the Détour-Kesagami caribou herd. Abitibiwinni expects both companies to support this initiative and insists that no further exploration or possible expansion of the project can take place without its free and informed consent.
Abitibiwinni therefore requests that Hecla and Orezone quickly engage in discussions in good faith in order to find a respectful and constructive way forward.
Contact for more information and interview requests: Mathilde Robitaille-Lefebvre, Media Relations, m.robitaille-lefebvre@seize03.ca819-852-4762
SOURCE Council of the Abitibiwinni First Nation
