UPDATE 1-Hecla halts gold production at Venezuelan mine

(Adds detail, New York dateline)

NEW YORK, May 21 (Reuters) - Hecla Mining Co. (HL.N) said on Monday it has halted gold mining at Mina Isidora in Venezuela as local residents have blocked access to the mine.

Hecla said in a statement it anticipated the temporary closure would have a negligible impact on its gross profit for the year, and a 10 percent effect on gold production.

Second-quarter results could be negatively impacted by about 12,000 ounces of gold, Hecla added.

The company said protesting residents were asking it to address issues, such as community infrastructure and unemployment in the rural area around the mine.

Hecla claimed to have the majority support of the area's communities and its own employees. It said it had decided not to send workers through a protest roadblock, resulting in the temporary halt to operations. (Reporting by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty in Bangalore; additional reporting by Lilla Zuill in New York)