The turmoil in the markets makes it too easy to justify selling any stock these days. Yet while their own panic never helps investors, it's still a good idea to play devil's advocate with investments. Consider silver miner Hecla Mining (NYSE:HL). Though precious metals have scored big gains recently, you'll find bearish opinions coming from a few of the 805 Motley Fool CAPS members rating the stock.

Here at The Motley Fool, we like to consider both the good and bad sides of an investment. In this article I've highlighted three of the main bearish arguments on Hecla Mining, but be sure to read the bullish side in this other article. And then weigh in with your own comments below or rate Hecla Mining in CAPS.                                           

1. Premium price
Hecla's shares have had a huge boost in recent months, resulting in shares trading for more than 70 times forward earnings estimates, far higher than peers such as Coeur d'Alene Mines (NYSE:CDE) or Silver Wheaton (NYSE:SLW). With the company having an estimated growth rate of just 5% over the next five years, some CAPS members point out that it is important to buy such opportunities at the right price if you want to get the best returns.

2. Extreme speculation
A long-term bullish outlook for precious-metals prices may support higher share prices of gold producers like Barrick Gold (NYSE:ABX) and Goldcorp (NYSE:GG) or heavy silver producers like Silvercorp Metals (NYSE:SVM) and Hecla. But one of London's top precious-metals forecasters, an analyst at UBS, warned of a surge in speculation in gold and silver visible in the futures markets recently, and is advising investors to liquidate until the fever subsides.

3. Low near-term inflation risk
While sinking money into gold and silver stocks like those of Agnico-Eagle Mines (NYSE:AEM) or Hecla may be a good inflation play, the potential pending inflation that's helped drive precious-metals prices higher may not have arrived just yet. Recent economic data show little risk of inflation in the near term, and one Morgan Stanley analyst says inflation worries need to take hold much more strongly to keep the party going.

To see details of what CAPS members are saying now about Hecla Mining, just click on over to Motley Fool CAPS and have a look. Or add your thoughts in the comments box below.