EXHIBIT 10(a)


                                      $125,000,000


                        Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation


                    7 1/4% Convertible Subordinated Debentures due 2005


                                   PURCHASE AGREEMENT


                                                               October 7, 1997


Lazard Freres & Co. LLC
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, New York 10020


Ladies and Gentlemen:


     SECTION 1. INTRODUCTORY.  The Coeur d'Alene Mines  Corporation,  an Idaho
corporation  (the  "Company"),   proposes  to  issue  and  sell  to  you  (the
"Purchaser") an aggregate of $125,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 7 1/4%
Convertible  Subordinated  Debentures due 2005 (the "Firm  Debentures")  to be
issued  under an  indenture  dated as of October 14,  1997 (the  "Indenture"),
between the Company and Bankers Trust Company, as trustee (the "Trustee"). The
Company also proposes to sell to the Purchaser,  upon the terms and conditions
set forth in  Section  3 hereof,  up to an  additional  $18,750,000  aggregate
principal  amount of its 7 1/4% Convertible  Subordinated  Debentures due 2005
(the "Optional  Debentures").  The Firm Debentures and the Optional Debentures
are  convertible  into  shares of  common  stock,  par  value  $1.00 per share
("Common Stock"), of the Company, at a conversion price of $17.45 per share of
Common  Stock  (which  price is subject  to  adjustment  in certain  events as
described in the Indenture).  The Firm Debentures and the Optional  Debentures
are hereinafter sometimes  collectively  referred to as the "Securities".




     The Purchaser and other holders  (including  subsequent  transferees)  of
Securities  will  be  entitled  to the  benefits  of the  registration  rights
agreement,  to be  dated  as of the  Closing  Date  (as  defined  below)  (the
"Registration Rights Agreement") between the Company and the Purchaser, in the
form  attached  hereto as  Exhibit  B.  Pursuant  to the  Registration  Rights
Agreement,  the Company will agree to file with the United  States  Securities
and Exchange  Commission (the "Commission")  under the circumstances set forth
therein  a shelf  registration  statement  pursuant  to  Rule  415  under  the
Securities  Act  relating  to the resale of (i) such  Securities  and (ii) the
shares of Common Stock initially issuable upon conversion of the Securities by
holders thereof,  and to use its best efforts to cause such shelf registration
statement to be declared effective.

     The Company hereby agrees with the Purchaser as follows:

     SECTION 2. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND AGREEMENTS OF THE COMPANY. The
Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Purchaser that:

     (a)  A  preliminary  offering  circular,  issued  October  3,  1997  (the
   "Preliminary Offering Circular") and an offering circular, dated October 7,
   1997  (the  "Offering  Circular",  in each  case  including  the  documents
   incorporated therein by reference as described below, have been prepared in
   connection  with the offering of the  Securities and shares of Common Stock
   issuable upon conversion thereof. Any reference to the Preliminary Offering
   Circular or the Offering  Circular  shall be deemed to refer to and include
   the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December
   31, 1996 and the Company's  Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters
   ended March 31,  1997,  and June 30, 1997,  respectively,  each having been
   filed with the Commission pursuant to the United States Securities Exchange
   Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") on or prior to the date of the
   Preliminary Offering Circular or the Offering Circular, as the case may be,
   and any  reference  to the  Preliminary  Offering  Circular or the Offering
   Circular,  as the  case  may be,  as  amended  or  supplemented,  as of any
   specified date, shall be deemed to include (i) any documents filed with the
   Commission  pursuant to Section  13(a),  13(c) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act
   after  the  date  of the


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   Preliminary Offering Circular or the Offering Circular, as the case may be,
   and prior to such specified date and (ii) any Additional Issuer Information
   (as  defined  in  Section  5(d))  furnished  by the  Company  prior  to the
   completion of the  distribution of the Securities;  and all documents filed
   under the  Exchange  Act and so deemed to be  included  in the  Preliminary
   Offering  Circular  or the  Offering  Circular,  as the case may be, or any
   amendment or supplement  thereto are  hereinafter  called the "Exchange Act
   Reports".  The Exchange  Act Reports,  when they were or are filed with the
   Commission,  conformed  or will  conform in all  material  respects  to the
   applicable  requirements  of the Exchange Act and the applicable  rules and
   regulations of the Commission thereunder. The Preliminary Offering Circular
   or the Offering Circular and any amendments or supplements  thereto and the
   Exchange  Act Reports did not and will not, as of their  respective  dates,
   contain an untrue  statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
   fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
   circumstances  under  which  they  were  made,  not  misleading;  PROVIDED,
   HOWEVER,  that  this  representation  and  warranty  shall not apply to any
   statements  or  omissions  made in  reliance  upon and in  conformity  with
   information  furnished in writing to the Company by the Purchaser expressly
   for use therein.

     (b) When  the  Securities  are  issued  and  delivered  pursuant  to this
   Agreement, the Securities will not be of the same class (within the meaning
   of Rule 144A under the United  States  Securities  Act of 1933,  as amended
   (the  "Securities  Act")),  as  securities  which are  listed on a national
   securities  exchange  registered  under  Section 6 of the  Exchange  Act or
   quoted in a U.S. automated inter-dealer quotation system.

     (c) The Company is not, and after giving  effect to the offering and sale
   of the Securities, will not be required to be registered or regulated as an
   "investment  company",  within the meaning of the United States  Investment
   Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act").

     (d) Within the  preceding  six months,  neither the Company nor any other
   person  acting on behalf of the  Company  has offered or sold to any person
   any  Securities,  or any  securities  of the same or a similar class as the
   Securities,


                                      3



   other than  Securities  offered or sold to the  Purchasers  hereunder.  The
   Company will take reasonable  precautions designed to insure that any offer
   or sale, direct or indirect, in the United States or to any U.S. person (as
   defined  in Rule 902 under the  Securities  Act) of any  Securities  or any
   substantially  similar  security  issued by the Company,  within six months
   subsequent to the date on which the distribution of the Securities has been
   completed  (as notified to the Company by Lazard Freres & Co. LLC), is made
   under  restrictions  and other  circumstances  reasonably  designed  not to
   affect  the  status of the offer and sale of the  Securities  in the United
   States and to U.S.  persons  contemplated by this Agreement as transactions
   exempt from the registration provisions of the Securities Act.

     SECTION 3. PURCHASE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF SECURITIES. On the basis of the
representations,  warranties and agreements herein  contained,  but subject to
the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and the Purchaser agree
that the Purchaser will purchase from the Company at the purchase price of 97%
of the principal  amount thereof the principal  amount of Firm  Debentures set
forth opposite such Purchaser's name in Schedule I hereto.

     The Company  hereby agrees to issue and sell to the Purchaser and, on the
basis of the representations,  warranties and agreements herein contained, but
subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Purchaser shall have
the right to purchase from the Company,  pursuant to an option to be exercised
in the  30-day  period  commencing  on  the  date  of  this  Agreement,  up to
$18,750,000  aggregate principal amount of Optional Debentures at the purchase
price of 97% of the  principal  amount  thereof.  Optional  Debentures  may be
purchased  solely  for  the  purpose  of  covering   over-allotments  made  in
connection with the offering of the Firm Debentures.

     The Company will deliver the Firm  Debentures to you,  against payment of
the purchase price therefor by wire transfer in immediately available funds to
an  account  specified  in  writing  by the  Company.  Payment  for  the  Firm
Debentures  shall be made at the offices of  Cravath,  Swaine & Moore at 10:00
A.M.,  New York Time,  on October  14, 1997 or at such other place or time not
later  than  three  full  business  days  thereafter  as you and  the  Company
determine (the "Initial Closing Date").


                                      4



     The Company will deliver the Optional  Debentures to be purchased to you,
against payment of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer in immediately
available  funds to an account  specified  in writing by the  Company,  at the
offices of Cravath,  Swaine & Moore on such date and at such time (the "Option
Closing  Date"),  as shall be specified in the notice from Lazard Freres & Co.
LLC to the Company exercising the option to purchase Optional Debentures.  The
Option  Closing Date may be the same as the Initial  Closing Date but shall in
no event be earlier  than the Initial  Closing  Date nor earlier  than two nor
later  than ten  business  days  after the  giving of the  notice  hereinafter
referred  to.  Such  notice may be given,  by letter or by  telecopy  or other
facsimile transmission or by telephone (if subsequently confirmed in writing),
to the  Company at any time  within 30 days after the date of this  Agreement.
The Option  Closing Date may be varied by agreement  between the Purchaser and
the Company.  The Initial  Closing Date and the Option Closing Date are herein
collectively referred to as the "Closing Date."

     The certificates for all the Firm Debentures and the Optional  Debentures
to be delivered will be in such  denominations and registered in such names as
you request two full  business  days prior to the Initial  Closing Date or the
Option  Closing  Date,  as the case may be, and will be made  available at the
office of Lazard  Freres & Co. LLC, New York,  New York or, upon your request,
through the  facilities  of The  Depository  Trust  Company,  for checking and
packaging at least one full business day prior to the Initial  Closing Date or
the Option Closing Date, as the case may be.

     SECTION 4. OFFERING BY PURCHASER.  Upon the  authorization  by you of the
release  of the Firm  Debentures,  the  Purchaser  proposes  to offer the Firm
Debentures  for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement
and the Offering Circular and the Purchaser hereby represents and warrants to,
and agrees with the Company that:

     (a) It will offer and sell the  Securities  only to: (i)  persons  who it
   reasonably believes are "qualified  institutional  buyers") ("QIBS") within
   the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act in  transactions  meeting
   the  requirements  of Rule 144A or (ii) upon the terms and  conditions  set
   forth in Annex A to this Agreement;

     (b) It is an Institutional Accredited Investor.


                                      5



     SECTION 5.  COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.  The Company  covenants  and agrees
with the Purchaser that:

     (a) To prepare the Offering  Circular in a form  approved by you; to make
   no amendment or any  supplement  to the  Offering  Circular  which shall be
   reasonably disapproved by you promptly after reasonable notice thereof; and
   to furnish you with copies thereof.

     (b) To furnish the Purchasers with 5 copies of the Offering  Circular and
   each amendment or supplement thereto signed by an authorized officer of the
   Company  with  the  independent  accountants'  report(s)  in  the  Offering
   Circular,  and any  amendment or  supplement  containing  amendments to the
   financial statements covered by such report(s),  signed by the accountants,
   and additional  copies  thereof in such  quantities as you may from time to
   time reasonably request, and if, at any time prior to the completion of the
   distribution of the  Securities,  any event shall have occurred as a result
   of which the  Offering  Circular  as then  amended  or  supplemented  would
   include  an  untrue  statement  of a  material  fact or omit to  state  any
   material fact  necessary in order to make the  statements  therein,  in the
   light of the  circumstances  under which they were made when such  Offering
   Circular is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall
   be necessary or  desirable  during such same period to amend or  supplement
   the Offering  Circular,  to notify you and upon your request to prepare and
   furnish  without charge to the Purchaser and to any dealer in securities as
   many copies as you may from time to time  reasonably  request of an amended
   Offering  Circular or a  supplement  to the  Offering  Circular  which will
   correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.

     (c) Not to be or become, at any time prior to the expiration of two years
   after  the  Time  of  Delivery,  an  open-  end  investment  company,  unit
   investment trust,  closed-end investment company or face-amount certificate
   company  that is or is required  to be  registered  under  Section 8 of the
   Investment Company Act.

     (d) At any time when the Company is not subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of
   the  Exchange  Act,  for  the  benefit  of  holders  from  time  to time of
   Securities,  to  furnish  at its 


                                      6



   expense,  upon  request,  to holders  of  Securities  and the Common  Stock
   issuable upon conversion  thereof and prospective  purchasers of securities
   information   (the   "Additional   Issuer   Information")   satisfying  the
   requirements of subsection (d)(4)(i) of Rule 144A under the Securities Act.

     (e) During the period of two years  after the Time of  Delivery  (or such
   shorter  period  following  the latest  date of  original  issuance  of the
   Securities  after  which  resales  of the  Securities  may be  effected  by
   non-affiliates  of the  Company in reliance  on  paragraph  (k) of Rule 144
   under the Securities Act, or any successor provision thereto),  the Company
   will not, and will not permit any of its  "affiliates"  (as defined in Rule
   144  under the  Securities  Act) to,  resell  any of the  Securities  which
   constitute "restricted securities" under Rule 144 that have been reacquired
   by any of them.

     (f) Until such time as any  Security or any Common  Stock  issuable  upon
   conversion  thereof is registered  under the Securities Act pursuant to the
   Registration   Rights   Agreement   and   transferred   pursuant   to  such
   registration,  to include a legend on the  Securities  and the Common Stock
   issuable upon the conversion  thereof to the effect set forth under "Notice
   to Investors" in the Offering Circular.

     (g) The Company will take such action as you may reasonably  request,  in
   cooperation with you, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under
   the applicable  securities laws of such states and other  jurisdictions  of
   the  United   States  as  you  may   designate,   and  will  maintain  such
   qualifications   in  effect  for  as  long  as  may  be  required  for  the
   distribution of the  Securities.  The Company will file such statements and
   reports as may be  required by the laws of each  jurisdiction  in which the
   Securities have been qualified as above provided.

     (h) During the period  beginning  from the date hereof and  continuing to
   the date 90 days after the date of the Offering Circular,  the Company will
   not offer,  sell,  contract to sell or otherwise dispose of, (i) any shares
   of Common  Stock or other  capital  stock of the Company or any  securities
   convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable


                                      7



   for its Common Stock or other capital stock, other than (A) the Securities,
   (B) Common Stock to be issued upon conversion of the Securities, (C) Common
   Stock (or  options or rights to  purchase  the same) which may be issued or
   granted  in  connection  with  existing  employee  or  director  benefit or
   compensation  plans, (D) Common Stock issued upon  conversion,  exchange or
   exercise of securities  outstanding  on the date hereof or (E) Common Stock
   issued in connection with a business  combination  transaction  approved by
   the Company's  shareholders  or (ii) any debt  securities of, or guaranteed
   by, the Company, in each case without your prior written consent.

   (i) Between the date hereof and the Closing  Date,  the Company will not do
   or authorize  any act or thing which would result in an  adjustment  of the
   conversion price of the Securities.

   (j) The Company  will  reserve  and keep  available  at all times,  free of
   pre-emptive rights, the full number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon
   conversion of the Securities.

   (k) The Company will use its good faith efforts to list,  subject to notice
   of issuance and passage of appropriate  time periods,  the shares of Common
   Stock  issuable  upon  conversion  of the  Securities  on the New  York and
   Pacific Stock Exchanges.

   (l) To use its best efforts to cause the  Securities to be eligible for the
   PORTAL  trading system of the National  Association of Securities  Dealers,
   Inc.

     SECTION  6.  CONDITIONS  OF  THE   OBLIGATIONS  OF  THE  PURCHASER.   The
obligations  of the  Purchaser to purchase and pay for the  Securities  on the
Initial  Closing Date will be subject to the  accuracy of the  representations
and  warranties on the part of the Company herein as of the date hereof and as
of the  Initial  Closing  Date with the same force and effect as if made as of
that date,  to the  accuracy  of the  statements  of the  Company  made in any
certificates  pursuant to the  provisions  hereof,  to the  performance by the
Company  of  their  obligations  hereunder  and  to the  following  additional
conditions precedent:

     (a) You shall not have advised the Company that the Offering Circular, or
   any amendment or supplement thereto,


                                      8



   contains any untrue statement of fact or omits to state any fact which, you
   have  concluded,  is material and in the case of an omission is required to
   be stated  therein  or is neces  sary to make the  statements  therein  not
   misleading.

     (b) You shall have received a favorable opinion of Freedman,  Levy, Kroll
   & Simonds,  counsel for the Company, dated the Initial Closing Date, to the
   effect that:

        (i) Each of the Company,  Coeur Alaska,  Inc., Coeur Rochester,  Inc.,
     CDE Chilean Mining Corporation,  Callahan Mining  Corporation,  Coeur New
     Zealand,  Inc., and Silver Valley Resources  Corporation  (individually a
     "Subsidiary"  and  collectively   the   "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 its properties and conduct
     its business as described in the Offering Circular, 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  wherein it
     owns or leases material prop erties or conducts material business.

        (ii) All the  outstanding  shares of capital stock of each  Subsidiary
     have been duly and validly  authorized  and issued and are fully paid and
     nonassessable,  and,  except  as  otherwise  set  forth  in the  Offering
     Circular, all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Subsidiaries are
     owned by the Company either directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries
     free and clear of any perfected  security  interest and, to the knowledge
     of such counsel, after due inquiry, any other security interests, claims,
     liens or encumbrances.

        (iii) This Agreement and the  Registration  Rights Agreement have been
     duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

        (iv) The  Securities  and the capital stock of the Company  conform in
     all  material  respects  to  the  description  thereof  contained  in the
     Offering Circular;  the Indenture has been duly authorized,  executed and


                                      9



     delivered by the Company and the Trustee,  and constitutes a legal, valid
     and binding obligation of the Company  enforceable against the Company in
     accordance with its terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy,  insolvency,
     fraudulent   transfer,   reorganization,   moratorium  and  similar  laws
     affecting  creditors'  rights generally from time to time in effect,  and
     subject,   as  to  enforceability,   to  general  principles  of  equity,
     regardless of whether such  enforceability  is considered in a proceeding
     in law or at equity);  and the Securities have been duly authorized,  and
     when executed and  authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the
     Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Purchaser pursuant to this
     Agreement,  the Securities will  constitute the legal,  valid and binding
     obligations  of the  Company  entitled to the  benefits of the  Indenture
     enforceable  against the Company in accordance  with their terms (subject
     to    applicable    bankruptcy,    insolvency,    fraudulent    transfer,
     reorganization,  moratorium and similar laws affecting  creditors' rights
     generally from time to time in effect, and subject, as to enforceability,
     to  general   principles   of   equity,   regardless   of  whether   such
     enforceability is considered in a proceeding in law or at equity).

        (v) The shares of Common Stock  initially  issuable upon conversion of
     the  Securities  have been duly and validly  authorized  and reserved for
     issuance upon such conversion and, when issued upon  conversion,  will be
     validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

        (vi) Such counsel has no reason to believe that the Offering  Circular
     includes  any untrue  statement  of a  material  fact or omits to state a
     material fact necessary to make the statements  therein,  in the light of
     the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

        (vii) The  statements  set forth in the  Offering  Circular  under the
     headings  "Description  of the Debentures"  and,  "Description of Capital
     Stock",  insofar  as such  statements  constitute  a summary of the legal
     matters,  documents or proceedings referred to therein fairly present the
     information called for with


                                      10



     respect to such legal matters, documents and proceedings.

        (viii)   No   consent,   approval,   authorization,   order,   filing,
     registration  or  qualification  of or with  any  court  or  governmental
     authority or agency is required for the issue and sale of the  Securities
     or the consummation of the  transactions  contemplated by this Agreement,
     except such as may be required and have been  obtained  under the Act and
     such as may be  required  under  state  securities  or Blue  Sky  laws in
     connection with the distribution of the Securities by the Purchaser; and,
     the issue and sale of the  Securities,  the execution and delivery of the
     Indenture,  this Agreement and the  Registration  Rights Agreement by the
     Company and the consummation of the transactions  contemplated herein and
     therein  will not  conflict  with or  constitute  a breach of, or default
     under any contract,  indenture,  mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or
     other instrument known to such counsel to which the Company or any of its
     subsidiaries  is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound,  nor
     will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter
     or by-laws  of the  Company,  or any law,  administrative  regulation  or
     administrative  or court decree or order applicable to the Company or any
     of its subsidiaries.

        (ix) To the best  knowledge of such counsel and except as set forth in
     the Offering Circular,  there is no pending or threatened action, suit or
     proceeding before any court or governmental agency,  authority or body or
     any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries which, if
     determined  adversely  to the Company or any of its  subsidiaries,  would
     individually  or in the aggregate  have a material  adverse effect on the
     current or future consolidated  financial position,  stockholders' equity
     or results of operation of the Company and its  subsidiaries,  taken as a
     whole.

        (x) The Exchange Act Reports and any other  documents  incorporated by
     reference in the Offering Circular as amended or supplemented (other than
     the financial  statements and related schedules therein, as to which such
     counsel need express no opinion), when


                                      11



     they were filed with the Commission,  complied as to form in all material
     respects  with the  requirements  of the Exchange  Act, and the rules and
     regulations of the Commission thereunder;  and such counsel has no reason
     to believe that any of such documents, when they were so filed, contained
     an untrue  statement  of a  material  fact or omitted to state a material
     fact necessary in order to make the statements  therein,  in the light of
     the circumstances  under which they were made when such documents were so
     filed, not misleading.

        (xi)  Assuming  (i)  the  accuracy  of,  and   compliance   with,  the
     representations,  warranties  and  covenants  by the  Company in Sections
     2(b),  2(d),  2(e), 5(d), 5(e) and 5(f) and by you contained in Section 3
     and  Annex A of this  Agreement,  (ii)  the  compliance  by you  with the
     offering  and  transfer  procedures  and  restrictions  described  in the
     Offering  Circular and the Purchase  Agreement and (iii) the accuracy of,
     and  compliance  with, the  representations,  warranties and covenants of
     each of the  purchasers  to whom you initially  resell the  Securities as
     specified in the Offering  Circular,  no  registration  of the Securities
     under the Securities Act, and no qualification of the Indenture under the
     TIA with  respect  thereto,  is  required  for the  offer and sale by the
     Company  and the  offer  and  initial  resale  of the  Securities  by the
     Purchasers  in the  manner  contemplated  by  this  Agreement;  PROVIDED,
     HOWEVER,  we  express  no  opinion  as to any  subsequent  resale  of the
     Securities.

        (xii) The Company is not required to be  registered or regulated as an
     "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment Company Act.

In rendering such opinion,  such counsel may rely (x) as to matters  involving
the application of laws of any  jurisdiction  other than the State of Idaho or
the United  States,  to the extent  they deem  proper  and  specified  in such
opinion,  upon the opinion of other counsel of good standing whom they believe
to be reliable and who are  satisfactory  to counsel for the Purchaser and (y)
as to matters of fact,  to the extent they deem  proper,  on  certificates  of
responsible  officers of the Company and public  officials.  References to the
Offering Circular in this paragraph (c) include any supplements thereto at the
Closing Date.


                                      12



     (c) You shall have received from Cravath, Swaine & Moore, counsel for the
   Purchaser, an opinion, dated the Initial Closing Date, with respect to such
   matters as you may reasonably request.

     (d) You  shall  have  received  from the  President  or any  Senior  Vice
   President and a principal  financial or accounting officer of the Company a
   certificate, dated the Initial Closing Date, in which such officers, to the
   best of their knowledge and after reasonable investigation, shall state (i)
   such officers have carefully examined the Offering Circular,  (ii) in their
   opinion,  as of its date, the Offering  Circular did not include any untrue
   statement  of a  material  fact and did not omit to state a  material  fact
   necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
   under which they were made,  not  misleading  and since such date, no event
   has occurred  which should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment
   to the  Offering  Circular,  (iii)  that  there  has not  been,  since  the
   respective dates as of which information is given in the Offering Circular,
   any material  adverse  change in the  condition,  financial  or  otherwise,
   earnings,  business  or  prospects  of the  Company  and  its  subsidiaries
   considered  as a whole,  whether or not arising in the  ordinary  course of
   business  and  (iv)  the  representations  and  warranties  of the  Company
   contained  in Section 2 are true and correct with the same force and effect
   as though  made on and as of the Initial  Closing  Date and the Company has
   complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be
   performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Initial Closing Date.

     (e) You shall have received from Ernst & Young, independent auditors, two
   letters,  the first  dated the date of this  Agreement  and the other dated
   such Initial Closing Date, addressed to the Purchaser, substantially in the
   form of Annex B hereto with such variations as are reasonably acceptable to
   you.

     (f) At the Initial Closing Date counsel for the Purchaser shall have been
   furnished with such further  information,  other  documents and opinions as
   they may reasonably require.


                                      13



     (g) The Common Stock  issuable upon  conversion of the  Securities  shall
   have been duly listed,  subject to notice of issuance,  on the New York and
   Pacific Stock Exchanges.

     (h)  Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior
   to the Closing Date, there shall not have been any  downgrading,  nor shall
   any notice have been given of any intended or potential  downgrading  or of
   any review for a possible  change that does not indicate  the  direction of
   the possible change, in the rating accorded any of the Company's securities
   (including the Securities) by any "nationally recognized statistical rating
   organization", as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under
   the Act.

     The  several  obligations  of the  Purchaser  to  purchase  the  Optional
Debentures  hereunder are subject to (i) the accuracy of and  compliance  with
the  representations  and warranties of the Sellers contained herein on and as
of the Option Closing Date, (ii)  satisfaction on and as of the Option Closing
Date of the conditions  set forth in subsections  (a) to (i) of this Section 6
inclusive  (and for  purposes  thereof each  reference  therein to the Initial
Closing  Date shall be deemed to refer to the Option  Closing  Date) and (iii)
the  absence of  circumstances  on or prior to the Option  Closing  Date which
would permit termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 10.

     SECTION 7. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES. The Company will pay all costs, expenses,
fees,  disbursements and taxes incident to (i) the preparation by the Company,
printing and distribution of the Preliminary  Offering Circular,  the Offering
Circular  and all  amendments  and  supplements  to either  of them,  (ii) the
printing,  reproduction and  distribution of this Agreement,  the Registration
Rights  Agreement,  and all other  underwriting and selling group documents by
mail,  telex  or  other  means,  (iii)  the  issuance  by the  Company  of the
Securities,  (iv),  if required,  the  registration  or  qualification  of the
Securities  for offer and sale  under the  securities  or Blue Sky laws of the
several states and the  preparation,  printing and distribution of Preliminary
and Supplemental Blue Sky Memoranda and Legal Investment Survey (including the
reasonable fees and  disbursements of your counsel relating to the foregoing),
(v) fees and expenses,  if any, incurred in connection with the listing of the
Securities or the Common Stock  issuable upon  conversion of the Securities on
any stock exchange, (vi) filings and clearance with the National


                                      14



Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. in connection with the offering, (vii)
the fees and expenses of the Registrar and Transfer  Agent for the  Securities
and its  counsel  and  (viii)  the  performance  by the  Company  of its other
obligations under this Agreement.

     If the sale of the  Securities  provided  for  herein is not  consummated
because of the  failure to satisfy any  condition  to the  obligations  of the
Purchaser set forth in Section 6 hereof,  because of any termination  pursuant
to Section 10 hereof or because of any  refusal,  failure or  inability of the
Company to perform any agreement  herein or comply with any  provision  hereof
other  than by  reason  of a  default  by the  Purchaser,  the  Company  shall
reimburse you for all of your  out-of-pocket  expenses  incurred in connection
with marketing and preparing for the offering of the Securities, including the
reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Purchaser.

     SECTION 8. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION.

     (a) The Company  agrees to indemnify  and hold harmless the Purchaser and
each person,  if any, who controls the Purchaser  within the meaning of either
Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange  Act, from and against any
and all  losses,  claims,  damages  and  liabilities  (or  actions  in respect
thereof) (including,  without limiting the foregoing, the reasonable legal and
other  expenses  incurred in  connection  with  investigating  or defending or
preparing to defend or appearing as a third party witness in  connection  with
any such loss,  claim,  damage,  liability  or action,  as such  expenses  are
incurred)  arising out of or based on any untrue  statement or alleged  untrue
statement  of a  material  fact  contained  in the  Offering  Circular  or any
Preliminary  Offering Circular,  or caused by any omission or alleged omission
to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the  statements  therein not  misleading,  except insofar as such losses,
claims,  damages,  liabilities  or  expenses  are  caused  by any such  untrue
statement or omission or alleged  untrue  statement or omission based upon the
following  information  furnished  to the  Company  by you  in  (i)  the  last
paragraph of text on the cover page of the Offering  Circular  concerning  the
terms of the offering by the Purchaser,  (ii) the first paragraph on page 3 of
the Offering  Circular  concerning  over-allotment  and  stabilization  by the
Purchaser  and (iii) the third  paragraph  of text under the caption  "Plan of
Distribution" in the Offering Circular concerning the terms of


                                      15



the  offering  by  the  Purchaser  (all  of  the  foregoing  the  "Purchaser's
Information").  This indemnity  agreement will be in addition to any liability
which the Company may otherwise have to the persons  referred to above in this
Section 8(a).

     (b) The Purchaser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company,  the
officers and  directors  of the Company and each person,  if any, who controls
the Company  within the meaning of either  Section 15 of the Act or Section 20
of the Exchange Act from and against any and all losses,  claims,  damages and
liabilities (or actions in respect  thereof) caused by any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Offering Circular
or any  Preliminary  Offering  Circular,  or caused by any omission or alleged
omission to state  therein a material  fact  required to be stated  therein or
necessary  to make the  statements  therein  not  misleading,  but  only  with
reference to the Purchaser's Information.  This indemnity agreement will be in
addition  to any  liability  which the  Purchaser  may  otherwise  have to the
persons referred to above in this Section 8(b).

     (c) In case any  action or  proceeding  (including  any  governmental  or
regulatory  investigation  or  proceeding)  shall be instituted  involving any
person in respect of which  indemnity may be sought  pursuant to either of the
two preceding  paragraphs,  such person  (hereinafter  called the  indemnified
party) shall  promptly  notify the person  against whom such  indemnity may be
sought (hereinafter called the indemnifying  party) in writing;  however,  the
omission to so notify the  indemnifying  party shall relieve the  indemnifying
party from liability only to the extent prejudiced  thereby.  The indemnifying
party,  upon  request of the  indemnified  party,  shall  assume  the  defense
thereof,  including the employment of counsel  reasonably  satisfactory to the
indemnified  party to represent the indemnified  party and any others that the
indemnifying  party may designate and shall pay the fees and  disbursements of
such counsel related to such proceeding.  In any such action or proceeding any
indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees
and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party
unless  (i) the  indemnifying  party  and the  indemnified  party  shall  have
mutually  agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to
any  such  proceeding  (including  any  impleaded  parties)  include  both the
indemnifying  party  and the  indemnified  party  and  representation  of both
parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual


                                      16



or potential  differing  interests  between them.  It is  understood  that the
indemnifying  party shall not, in  connection  with any  proceeding or related
proceedings in the same  jurisdiction,  be liable for (a) the reasonable  fees
and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel)
for the  Purchaser and all persons,  if any, who control the Purchaser  within
the meaning of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act,
(b) the  reasonable  fees and  expenses  of more  than one  separate  firm (in
addition  to any local  counsel)  for the  Company,  its  directors,  and each
person,  if any, who  controls  the Company  within the meaning of either such
Section of the Act, and that all fees and expenses to be paid pursuant to each
of  clauses  (a) and (b) of this  sentence  shall  be  reimbursed  as they are
incurred.  In the case of any such  separate  firm for the  Purchaser and such
control persons of the Purchaser,  such firm shall be designated in writing by
Lazard  Freres  & Co.  LLC.  In the  case of any  such  separate  firm for the
Company, and such directors, officers and control persons of the Company, such
firm shall be designated in writing by the Company.

     (d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is insufficient
or  unavailable  to an  indemnified  party in respect of any  losses,  claims,
damages or liabilities  (or actions in respect  thereof)  referred to therein,
then each indemnifying  party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party,
shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified  party as a
result of such losses, claims,  damages,  liabilities and expenses (i) in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative  benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and the  Purchaser  on the other from the  offering of
the Securities or (ii) if the  allocation  provided by clause (i) above is not
permitted by applicable law or if the  indemnified  party shall have failed to
the prejudice of the indemnifying party to give the notice required by Section
8(c), in such  proportion as is  appropriate  to reflect not only the relative
benefits  referred to in clause (i) above but also the  relative  fault of the
Company on the one hand and the Purchaser on the other in connection  with the
statements  or  omissions  which  resulted in such  losses,  claims,  damages,
liabilities   or   expenses,   as  well  as  any  other   relevant   equitable
considerations.  The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand
and the  Purchaser on the other shall be deemed to be in the same  proportions
as the  total net  proceeds  from the  offering  (before  deducting  expenses)
received  by  the  Company  bear  to  the  total  underwriting  discounts  and
commission  received by the Purchaser,  in each case as set


                                      17



forth in the table on the cover page of the  Offering  Circular.  The relative
fault of the Company on the one hand and the  Purchaser  on the other shall be
determined by reference to, among other things,  whether the untrue or alleged
untrue  statement of a material  fact or the  omission or alleged  omission to
state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the
Purchaser and the parties, relative intent,  knowledge,  access to information
and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

     (e) The  Company  and the  Purchaser  agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contribution pursuant to Section 8(d) were determined by pro rata
allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of
the  equitable   considerations  referred  to  in  the  immediately  preceding
paragraph.  The amount paid or payable by an indemnified  party as a result of
the losses,  claims,  damages or liabilities  (or actions in respect  thereof)
referred to in the immediately  preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include
any legal or other expenses  reasonably  incurred by such indemnified party in
connection  with   investigating  or  defending  any  such  action  or  claim.
Notwithstanding  the  provisions  of  Section  8(e),  in no  event  shall  the
Purchaser  be  required  to  contribute  any amount in excess of the amount by
which  the  total  price  at  which  the  Securities  underwritten  by it  and
distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any
damages which such  Purchaser has otherwise  been required to pay by reason of
such untrue or alleged untrue  statement or omission or alleged  omission.  No
person guilty of fraudulent  misrepresentation  (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Act) shall be  entitled to  contribution  from any person who was
not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

     SECTION  9.   REPRESENTATIONS,   WARRANTIES  AND  AGREEMENTS  TO  SURVIVE
DELIVERY.  All  representations,  warranties and  agreements  contained in the
Agreement,  or contained in certificates of officers of the Company  submitted
pursuant hereto, including indemnity and contribution agreements, shall remain
operative and in full force and effect,  regardless of any termination of this
Agreement,  or any investigation,  or any statement as to the results thereof,
made by or on behalf of the Purchaser or any person  controlling the Purchaser
or by or on behalf of the Company,  its  officers or directors or  controlling
persons, and shall survive acceptance of and payment for Securities hereunder.


                                      18



     SECTION 10. TERMINATION.  This Agreement may be terminated for any reason
at any time prior to the  delivery of and payment  for the  Securities  on the
Initial Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, by Lazard
Freres & Co. LLC upon the giving of written notice of such  termination to the
Company,  if prior to such time (i) there has been, since the respective dates
as of which  information  is  given in the  Offering  Circular,  any  material
adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, earnings, business or
prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries  considered as a whole,  whether
or not arising in the  ordinary  course of business or (ii) there has occurred
any  outbreak or  escalation  of  hostilities  or other  calamity or crisis or
material change in existing  national or international  financial,  political,
economic or securities  market  conditions,  the effect of which is such as to
make it,  in the  judgment  of  Lazard  Freres  & Co.  LLC,  impracticable  or
inadvisable  to  market  the  Securities  in the  manner  contemplated  in the
Offering  Circular or enforce  contracts  for the sale of the  Securities,  or
(iii) trading of the Common Stock of the Company has been suspended by the New
York Stock  Exchange,  or the Commission,  or trading  generally on either the
American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange has been suspended,  or
minimum or maximum  prices for trading have been fixed,  or maximum ranges for
prices for securities  have been  required,  by either of said exchanges or by
order of the  Commission  or any other  governmental  authority,  or a banking
moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities. In the
event of any such  termination,  the  provisions  of Section 7, the  indemnity
agreement  and  contribution  provisions  set  forth  in  Section  8,  and the
provisions of Sections 9 and 13 shall remain in effect.

     SECTION 11. NOTICES. All notices and other communications hereunder shall
be in  writing  and  shall be  deemed  to have  been  duly  given if mailed or
transmitted  by  any  standard  form  of  telecommunication.  Notices  to  the
Purchaser shall be directed to you c/o Lazard Freres & Co. LLC, 30 Rockefeller
Plaza, New York, NY 10020, Attention: Syndicate Department; and notices to the
Company  shall be  directed to it at 505 Front  Avenue  Coeur  d'Alene,  Idaho
83814, telex no. (208) 667-2213, attention of the Secretary with a copy to the
Treasurer.

     SECTION 12. PARTIES.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the Company,  the Purchaser,  any controlling persons referred to
herein and their respective


                                      19



successors  and assigns.  Nothing  expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is
intended or shall be construed to give any other person,  firm or  corporation
any legal or  equitable  right,  remedy or claim  under or in  respect of this
Agreement or any provision herein  contained.  No purchaser of Securities from
the  Purchaser  shall be deemed  to be a  successor  by reason  merely of such
purchase.

     SECTION 13.  GOVERNING  LAW.  This  Agreement  shall be governed  by, and
construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

     SECTION 14.  COUNTERPARTS.  This Agreement may be executed in two or more
counterparts,  each of which shall be an original,  with the same effect as if
the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

     If  the  foregoing  is in  accordance  with  your  understanding  of  our
agreement, please sign this Agreement and return to us counterparts hereof.


                                      Very truly yours,

                                      COEUR D'ALENE MINES CORPORATION,



                                      By___________________________________
                                        Name:
                                        Title:


Confirmed and Accepted, as of the
date first above written:

LAZARD FRERES & CO. LLC.


Lazard Freres & Co. LLC


                                      20




                                  SCHEDULE I



                                                                   Aggregate
                          Purchasers                           Principal Amount
                          ----------                             Of Securities
                                                                To Be Purchased
                                                               ----------------
                                                               
Lazard Freres & Co. LLC....................................       $125,000,000

                                                                ---------------
     Total.................................................       $125,000,000
                                                                ===============





                                                                       ANNEX A


     (1) The  Securities  have not been and will not be  registered  under the
Securities  Act and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to,
or for the account or benefit  of,  U.S.  persons  except in  accordance  with
Regulation S under the  Securities  Act or pursuant to an  exemption  from the
registration requirements of the Securities Act. The Purchaser represents that
it has offered and sold the Securities, and will offer and sell the Securities
(i) as part of their distribution at any time and (ii) otherwise until 40 days
after the later of the  commencement of the offering and the Time of Delivery,
only in  accordance  with Rule 903 of  Regulation  S or,  Rule 144A  under the
Securities  Act.  Accordingly,  the  Purchaser  agrees  that  neither  it, its
affiliates  nor any persons  acting on its or their behalf has engaged or will
engage in any directed selling efforts with respect to the Securities,  and it
and  they  have  complied  and will  comply  with  the  offering  restrictions
requirement  of  Regulation  S.  The  Purchaser  agrees  that,  at or prior to
confirmation of sale of Securities  (other than a sale pursuant to Rule 144A),
it will have sent to each  distributor,  dealer or person  receiving a selling
concession, fee or other remuneration that purchases Securities from it during
the restricted  period a confirmation or notice to substantially the following
effect:

     "The Securities  covered hereby have not been  registered  under the U.S.
   Securities  Act of 1933 (the  "Securities  Act") and may not be offered and
   sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S.
   persons  (i) as part of their  distribution  at any time or (ii)  otherwise
   until 40 days after the later of the  commencement  of the offering and the
   closing  date,  except in either case in accordance  with  Regulation S (or
   Rule 144A if available) under the Securities Act. Terms used above have the
   meaning given to them by Regulation S."

Terms used in this paragraph have the meanings given to them by Regulation S.

     The Purchaser  further  agrees that it has not entered and will not enter
into any contractual  arrangement with respect to the distribution or delivery
of the  Securities,  except  with its  affiliates  or with the  prior  written
consent of the Company.




     (2) Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  Securities in registered form may be
offered, sold and delivered by the Purchasers in the United States and to U.S.
persons  pursuant  to  Section 3 of this  Agreement  without  delivery  of the
written statement required by paragraph (1) above.

     (3) The  Purchaser  further  represents  and  agrees  that (i) it has not
offered  or sold and prior to the date six  months  after the date of issue of
the Securities  will not offer or sell any Securities to persons in the United
Kingdom except to persons whose ordinary activities involve them in acquiring,
holding,  managing or disposing of investments (as principal or agent) for the
purposes of their  businesses  or  otherwise in  circumstances  which have not
resulted  and will not result in an offer to the public in the United  Kingdom
within the meaning of the Public Offers of Securities Regulations 1995, (b) it
has complied, and will comply, with all applicable provisions of the Financial
Services Act of 1986 of Great  Britain with respect to anything  done by it in
relation to the Securities in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom,
and (c) it has only  issued or passed on and will only issue or pass on in the
United Kingdom any document  received by it in connection with the issuance of
the  Securities to a person who is of a kind described in Article 11(3) of the
Financial  Services Act 1986 (Investment  Advertisements)  (Exemptions)  Order
1996 of Great  Britain  or is a  person  to whom the  document  may  otherwise
lawfully be issued or passed on.

     (4) The Purchaser  agrees that it will not offer,  sell or deliver any of
the  Securities  in any  jurisdiction  outside the United  States except under
circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable laws thereof,
and that it will take at its own expense whatever action is required to permit
its purchase and resale of the Securities in such jurisdictions. The Purchaser
understands  that no action has been taken to permit a public  offering in any
jurisdiction outside the United States where action would be required for such
purpose.  The Purchaser agrees to cause any advertisement of the Securities to
be published in any  newspaper or periodical or posted in any public place and
to issue any  circular  relating to the  Securities,  only at its own risk and
expense.