1
                                                                   EXHIBIT 24(a)


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned officer and director of both Eagle-Picher Holdings, Inc. and
Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc. and as director of Eagle-Picher Technologies, LLC,
hereby consents to and appoints Andries Ruijssenaars and David G. Krall, and
each of them, as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with all power
of substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 1999 fiscal year of
both Eagle-Picher Holdings, Inc. and Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc., corporations
organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware and the State of
Ohio respectively, and Eagle-Picher Technologies, LLC, a limited liability
company organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, and any
and all amendments thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and
all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power
and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
necessary to be done in and about the same as fully to all intents and purposes
as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or either of them, or their or his substitute or
substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

In Witness Whereof, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand on this 23rd day
of February, 2000.



/s/ Joel P. Wyler
- ----------------------------------
Joel P. Wyler
Director and Chairman of the Board