Note 4 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended			0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended
	Dec. 11, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Apr. 30, 2009	Sep. 30, 2014 Rio Grande Silver Inc And Emerald Mining And Leasing LLC [Member] Joint Venture [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Greens Creek [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Lucky Friday [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Casa Berardi [Member]	Apr. 12, 2013 Senior Notes [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Senior Notes [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 Johnny M Mine Area near San Mateo, New Mexico [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Johnny M Mine Area near San Mateo, New Mexico [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Carpenter Snow Creek Superfund Site, Cascade County, Montana [Member]	Apr. 30, 2013 Gilt Edge Mine Superfund Site [Member] Costs Incurred By The EPA [Member]	Jul. 30, 2010 Gilt Edge Mine Superfund Site [Member] Third Party Operator of Mine [Member]	Jul. 30, 2010 Gilt Edge Mine Superfund Site [Member] Third Mining Company [Member]	Apr. 30, 2013 Gilt Edge Mine Superfund Site [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Minimum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Maximum [Member]
Note 4 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details) [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage					70.00%
Maximum Environmental Remediation Obligation			$ 2,500,000
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss	1,000,000			177,500														0	10,000,000
Payment Of Response Costs											1,100,000	1,100,000
Estimated Response Costs													4,500,000
Estimated Future Response Cost													100,000,000
Litigation Settlement, Amount															26,000,000	4,200,000
Incurred Response Costs														191,000,000
Alleged Potential Response Costs																	191,000,000
Loss Contingency, Damages Sought, Value		5,000,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt									500,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage									6.875%
Debt Instrument, Increase (Decrease), Net										6,500,000
Contractual Obligations			4,000,000
Open Purchase Orders						3,900,000	2,200,000	500,000
Noncapital Costs						600,000	800,000	1,400,000
Commitments For Capital Lease Payments			19,400,000
Surety Bonds			68,900,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount			$ 8,700,000
Loss Contingency, Number of Plaintiffs	4