Note 12 - Fair Value Measurement (Details) - Assets And Liabilities Accounted For At Fair Value (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Trade accounts receivable:
Receivables from provisional concentrate sales	$ 17,263	$ 7,466
Restricted cash balances:
Total assets	304,771	224,630
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Cash and cash equivalents:
Money market funds and other bank deposits	237,836	190,984
Available for sale securities:
Equity securities – mining industry	8,364	9,614
Restricted cash balances:
Certificates of deposit and other bank deposits	5,378	871
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Trade accounts receivable:
Receivables from provisional concentrate sales	34,481	17,555
Restricted cash balances:
Base metal forward contracts	18,712	5,606
Base metal forward contracts		$ 2,483

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A savings certificate entitling the Entity (that is, bearer) to receive interest at an established maturity date, based upon a fixed interest rate. A certificate of deposit may be issued in any denomination. Certificates of deposit are generally issued by commercial banks and, therefore, insured by the FDIC (up to the prescribed limit). Certificates of deposit generally restrict holders from withdrawing funds on demand without the incurrence of penalties. Generally, only certificates of deposit with original maturities of three months or less qualify as cash equivalents. Original maturity means original maturity to the entity holding the investment. As a related example, both a three-month US Treasury bill and a three-year Treasury note purchased three months from maturity qualify as cash equivalents. However, a Treasury note purchased three-years ago does not become a cash equivalent when its remaining maturity is three months.

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Amount of deposits in accounts that offer many of the same services as checking accounts although transactions may be somewhat more limited, share some of the characteristics of a money market fund and are insured by the Federal government, also known as money market accounts.

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Aggregate fair value of all derivative assets designated as hedging instruments. Includes instruments designated as cash flow hedges, fair value hedges, and hedges of net investments in foreign operations.

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Fair value, after the effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial liability or contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes assets not subject to a master netting arrangement and not elected to be offset.

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Fair value portion of other assets.

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Carrying amounts due as of the balance sheet date from parties or arising from transactions not otherwise specified in the taxonomy.

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Fair value of investments in trading equity securities and other forms of trading securities that provide ownership interests.

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