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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-09-13</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</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>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-09-13</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>230882</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Common stock disposed of pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 23, 2016, as amended on June 29, 2016 and July 29, 2016,  among Mines Management, Inc. (&quot;Mines Management&quot;), Hecla Mining Company (&quot;Hecla&quot;), and HL Idaho Corp. (&quot;Merger Sub&quot;), whereby Merger Sub was merged with and into Mines Management (the &quot;Merger&quot;) and each share of common stock of Mines Management was converted into 0.2218 (the &quot;Exchange Rate&quot;) of a share of Hecla common stock, resulting in the receipt of 51,209 shares of Hecla common stock plus cash paid in lieu of fractional shares. The closing price of Hecla common stock on September 13, 2016, the effective date of the Merger, was $5.40.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Glenn M. Dobbs for Russell C. Babcock Pursuant to Power of Attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-09-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
