Note 8 - Shareholders' Equity (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended		15 Months Ended	26 Months Ended				0 Months Ended							1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Jul. 29, 2014	Feb. 28, 2012	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	May 08, 2012	Jun. 30, 2014 Series 3 Warrants [Member]	Jun. 25, 2014 Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member] Recognized Over the Next 12 Months [Member] Vesting in June 2015 [Member]	Jun. 25, 2014 Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member] Recognized Over the Next 24 Months [Member] Vesting in June 2016 [Member]	Jun. 25, 2014 Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member] Recognized Over the Next 36 Months [Member] Vesting in June 2017 [Member]	Jun. 25, 2014 Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member] Vesting: One Third in June 2015, One Third in June 2016, and One Third in June 2017 [Member]	Jun. 25, 2014 Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member] Vesting: One Half in June 2015 and One Half in June 2016 [Member]	Jun. 25, 2014 Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member] Vesting in June 2015 [Member]	Mar. 03, 2014 Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Silver Priced Linked Component [Member]	Jul. 30, 2014 Subsequent Event [Member] Coeur d'Alene Basin Environmental Litigation [Member]	Jul. 29, 2014 Subsequent Event [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Minimum [Member]
Note 8 - Shareholders' Equity (Details) [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period																1,251,213	107,576	87,872	1,345,072
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense (in Dollars)						$ 2,600,000	$ 1,900,000						$ 3,100,000	$ 1,700,000	$ 1.7					$ 4,600,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Shares Issued in Period			150,378					122,250
Stock Repurchased During Period, Shares						533,800,000,000			934,100												11,090
Stock Repurchased During Period, Value (in Dollars)				40,000
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share (in Dollars per share)				$ 3.57
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared (in Dollars per share)		$ 0.01	$ 0.0025		$ 0.0025	$ 0.0050	$ 0.0050															$ 0		$ 0.0025
Dividends, Common Stock (in Dollars)	900,000
Average Realized Silver Price (in Dollars)			19.62																						30
Payments of Dividends (in Dollars)						1,991,000	4,553,000															0
Class of Warrant or Right, Outstanding										22,307,623		16,451,531
Warrants Exercised, Shares						5,856,092
Proceeds from Warrant Exercises (in Dollars)						14,112,000
Class of Warrant or Right, Exercise Price of Warrants or Rights (in Dollars per share)												$ 2.45
Payments for Legal Settlements (in Dollars)																							$ 14,100,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized											20,000,000
Accelerated Share Repurchases, Final Price Paid Per Share (in Dollars per share)						$ 2.81			$ 3.99
Stock Repurchase Program, Remaining Number of Shares Authorized to be Repurchased			19,100,000			19,100,000		19,100,000	19,100,000
Share Price (in Dollars per share)	$ 3.26