Note 6. Business Segments

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 6.    Business Segments

We are currently organized and managed by two reporting segments: the Greens Creek unit and the Lucky Friday unit.

General corporate activities not associated with operating units and their various exploration activities, as well as discontinued operations and idle properties, are presented as “other.”  Interest expense, interest income and income taxes are considered general corporate items, and are not allocated to our segments.

The following tables present information about reportable segments for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010 (in thousands):

	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2011			2010			2011			2010
Net sales from operations to customers:
Greens Creek	$	77,031		$	88,843		$	260,650		$	212,326
Lucky Friday		43,512			27,004			114,117			72,027
	$	120,543		$	115,847		$	374,767		$	284,353
Income (loss) from operations:
Greens Creek	$	37,098		$	39,493		$	140,661		$	83,279
Lucky Friday		27,662			12,550			68,170			30,856
Other		(21,271	)		(10,542	)		(42,816	)		(32,388	)
	$	43,489		$	41,501		$	166,015		$	81,747

The following table presents identifiable assets by reportable segment as of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010 (in thousands):

	September 30, 2011		December 31, 2010
Identifiable assets:
Greens Creek	$	729,415	$	740,573
Lucky Friday		214,945		170,928
Other		571,360		470,992
	$	1,515,720	$	1,382,493