<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2014-12-12</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000066649</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MINES MANAGEMENT INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MGN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001281821</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BABCOCK RUSSELL C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1418 E. KRISTIANNA CIRCLE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SALT LAKE CITY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>UT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>84103</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.54</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-12-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>50000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>50000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>50000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Vesting of the stock options is as follows: (i) 50% upon the issuance of the Notice of Availability for the Final Environmental Impact Statement by the U.S. Forest Service and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality in connection with the Montanore Project of Mines Management, Inc. (the &quot;Company&quot;) and (ii) 50% upon the issuance of a Final Record of Decision by the U.S. Forest Service and the Montana Department of the Environmental Quality in connection with the Company's Montanore Project.  The stock options were granted pursuant to a Company equity incentive plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The expiration date of the stock options is the five year anniversary of the date on which the stock options vest.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Glenn M. Dobbs for Russell C. Babcock Pursuant to Power of Attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-12-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
