Note 6 - Business Segments

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 6.    Business Segments

We are currently organized and managed in three reporting segments: the Greens Creek unit, the Lucky Friday unit and the Casa Berardi unit. As further discussed in Note 13, we completed the acquisition of Aurizon on June 1, 2013, giving us 100% ownership of the Casa Berardi mine in Quebec, Canada. As a result, we have added a new reporting segment for the Casa Berardi 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, 2013 and 2012 (in thousands):

	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2013			2012			2013			2012
Net sales to unaffiliated customers:
Greens Creek	$	64,845		$	81,871		$	207,576		$	239,794
Lucky Friday		14,395			—			23,324			249
Casa Berardi	$	27,389		$	—		$	37,509		$	—
	$	106,629		$	81,871		$	268,409		$	240,043
Income (loss) from operations:
Greens Creek	$	15,310		$	34,834		$	51,164		$	105,529
Lucky Friday		402			(6,147	)		(6,210	)		(18,588	)
Casa Berardi		572			—			(12,784	)		—
Other		(14,543	)		(19,961	)		(65,264	)		(55,260	)
	$	1,741		$	8,726		$	(33,094	)	$	31,681

The Lucky Friday segment had no and nominal sales during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, respectively, due to the mine being closed for most of the year. At the end of 2011, MSHA began a special impact inspection at the Lucky Friday mine which resulted in an order to remove loose cementitious material from the Silver Shaft. In response, we submitted a plan to MSHA and received approval to remove the material, and this work commenced in the first quarter of 2012. In addition, the plan included removal of unused utilities, construction of a water ring to prevent ice from forming in the winter, the installation of a metal brattice, repair of shaft steel, and installation of a new power cable, all of which should improve the shaft's functionality and possibly improve the shaft's hoisting capacity. When the Silver Shaft work was completed down to the 4900 foot level, work commenced on a haulage way bypassing an area at the 5900 foot level impacted by a rock burst in December 2011. Work on the Silver Shaft and haulage way was completed in early 2013, and we recommenced limited production at the Lucky Friday mine in February 2013. During late September 2013, the mine reached its historical full throughput rate of 900 tons per day, an average rate the mine is expected to maintain for the remainder of the year. For the third quarter and first nine months of 2013, we have realized income of $0.1 million and $1.4 million, respectively, as a result of business interruption insurance proceeds, net of certain suspension-related costs, which is reported in Lucky Friday suspension-related income (expense) on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Unaudited).

The following table presents identifiable assets by reportable segment as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 (in thousands):

	September 30, 2013		December 31, 2012
Identifiable assets:
Greens Creek	$	752,153	$	741,666
Lucky Friday		221,091		226,196
Casa Berardi		864,839		—
Other		430,929		410,428
	$	2,269,012	$	1,378,290