Note 6 - Business Segments

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

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. On June 1, 2013 we completed the acquisition of Aurizon, giving us 100% ownership of the Casa Berardi mine in Quebec, Canada. As a result, we 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 months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 (in thousands):

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2014			2013
Net sales to unaffiliated customers:
Greens Creek	$	63,596		$	72,649
Lucky Friday		20,096			3,801
Casa Berardi		42,095			—
	$	125,787		$	76,450
Income (loss) from operations:
Greens Creek	$	11,046		$	27,189
Lucky Friday		4,700			(3,847	)
Casa Berardi		3,441			—
Other		(11,276	)		(25,555	)
	$	7,911		$	(2,213	)

The following table presents identifiable assets by reportable segment as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 (in thousands):

	March 31, 2014		December 31, 2013
Identifiable assets:
Greens Creek	$	746,357	$	744,027
Lucky Friday		325,927		313,793
Casa Berardi		805,166		821,058
Other		372,831		353,241
	$	2,250,281	$	2,232,119