EXHIBIT 99(A)


PRESS RELEASE


                      COEUR D'ALENE MINES SETTLES LAWSUIT

      Coeur  d'Alene,   Idaho,   September  8,  1999  -  Coeur  d'Alene  Mines
Corporation  (NYSE:CDE)  announced  today  that it has  reached agreement with
Cyprus  Minerals  Company to settle Coeur's lawsuit against Cyprus relating to
the Golden Cross Mine in New Zealand for $31.5 million.

      Coeur's lawsuit against Cyprus,  instituted in July 1996 in the District
Court of Kooteani  County,  Idaho,  arose from  Cyprus'  sale in April 1993 to
Coeur of the New  Zealand-based  corporation that owned an 80% interest in the
Golden Cross Mine located in that country. Coeur's lawsuit, as amended, sought
damages  arising  from  ground  movement  and  instability,   threatening  the
integrity of the mine site. Due to such ground movement and instability, Coeur
effected a $53 million write-down of its interest in the Golden Cross Mine and
a nearby property during the second quarter of 1996.

      During the second quarter of 1997, Coeur received its 80% share of a $10
million flood insurance  recovery  relating to the business  interruption  and
property  damage at the mine,  which  proceeds were recorded by Coeur as other
income in 1997.

      As announced by Coeur  earlier this year,  in May 1999 Coeur settled the
class action  lawsuit filed by certain  purchasers of its common stock in July
1997 in the Federal  District Court for the District of Colorado against Coeur
and certain of its officers.  The plaintiffs in that lawsuit  alleged that the
defendants knew but did not publicly  disclose adverse  financial  information
relating  to certain  mining  properties,  including  the Golden  Cross  Mine.
Although Coeur denied the plaintiffs'  allegations,  it determined it would be
in the best  interests  of Coeur to settle the class action and entered into a
settlement agreement that was approved by the Court in July 1999.

      The settlement  contained an acknowledgement by the plaintiffs that they
were  unable to identify  evidence  to support a charge  that the  officers of
Coeur had been responsible for violations of the federal  securities laws. The
terms of that settlement provided that the plaintiffs would be entitled to 50%




of the net  proceeds,  up to a maximum of $6 million,  recovered by Coeur from
its  lawsuit  against  Cyprus  after  Coeur has first  recouped  its costs and
expenses  incurred  in  litigating  the  lawsuit  and after the  payment of $4
million to settle the subrogation claim of Coeur's flood insurance carrier.

      As a result of the  settlement of this lawsuit,  Coeur expects to record
other income of  approximately  $19 million  during the third quarter of 1999.
(This is the net amount of settlement  proceeds after deducting the $4 million
payment  to  Coeur's  flood  insurance  carrier,  $6  million  payment  to the
plaintiffs in the class action and $2.5 million for estimated legal costs.)