Note 8 - Employee Benefit Plans (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Defined Benefit Plans Disclosures [Table Text Block]

	Pension Benefits
	2014			2013
Change in benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	101,155		$	99,367
Service cost		4,312			4,025
Interest cost		4,859			3,889
Amendments		—			(4,208	)
Actuarial loss		12,575			2,428
Benefits paid		(4,617	)		(4,346	)
Benefit obligation at end of year		118,284			101,155
Change in fair value of plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year		69,051			68,515
Actual return on plan assets		3,402			3,479
Employer contributions		6,715			1,403
Benefits paid		(4,617	)		(4,346	)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year		74,551			69,051
Funded status at end of year	$	(43,733	)	$	(32,104	)

Pension Benefits Recognized Balance Sheet Location [Table Text Block]

	Pension Benefits
	2014			2013
Current liabilities:
Accrued benefit liability	$	(385	)	$	(342	)
Other non- current liabilities:
Accrued benefit liability		(43,348	)		(31,763	)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		41,041			29,768
Net amount recognized	$	(2,692	)	$	(2,337	)

Schedule of Assumptions Used [Table Text Block]

	Pension Benefits
	2014			2013
Discount rate: net periodic pension cost		4.81	%		4.00	%
Discount rate: projected benefit obligation		4.17	%		4.81	%
Expected rate of return on plan assets		7.20	%		7.20	%
Rate of compensation increase: net periodic pension cost		4.00	%		4.00	%
Rate of compensation increase: projected benefit obligation		2.00	%		4.00	%

Schedule of Net Benefit Costs [Table Text Block]

	Pension Benefits
	2014			2013			2012
Service cost	$	4,312		$	4,025		$	3,974
Interest cost		4,859			3,889			4,068
Expected return on plan assets		(4,996	)		(4,741	)		(4,581	)
Amortization of prior service cost (benefit)		(337	)		66			401
Amortization of net gain from earlier periods		3,275			3,152			2,826
Net periodic pension cost	$	7,113		$	6,391		$	6,688

Schedule of Allocation of Plan Assets [Table Text Block]

	Hecla						Lucky Friday
	2014			2013			2014			2013
Cash		3	%		1	%		1	%		1	%
Large cap U.S. equities		11	%		9	%		11	%		9	%
Small cap U.S. equities		6	%		6	%		6	%		6	%
Non-U.S. equities		8	%		9	%		10	%		9	%
Fixed income		34	%		32	%		34	%		32	%
Real estate		15	%		20	%		16	%		20	%
Absolute return hedge funds		14	%		15	%		15	%		15	%
Real return		9	%		8	%		7	%		8	%
Total		100	%		100	%		100	%		100	%

Investment Policy Allocation [Table Text Block]

	Target			Minimum			Maximum
Large cap U.S. equities		10	%		7	%		13	%
Small cap U.S. equities		5	%		4	%		6	%
Non-U.S. equities		10	%		8	%		12	%
Fixed income		35	%		29	%		43	%
Real estate		15	%		12	%		18	%
Absolute return hedge funds		15	%		12	%		18	%
Real return		10	%		8	%		12	%

Fair Value of Plan Assets by Category [Table Text Block]

	Hecla								Lucky Friday
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Interest-bearing cash	$	1,798	$	—	$	—	$	1,798	$	136	$	—	$	—	$	136
Common stock		1,105		—		—		1,105		281		—		—		281
Real estate		—		—		8,889		8,889		—		—		2,458		2,458
Common collective funds		—		12,280		8,454		20,734		—		3,040		2,306		5,346
Mutual funds		26,392		—		—		26,392		7,412		—		—		7,412
Total fair value	$	29,295	$	12,280	$	17,343	$	58,918	$	7,829	$	3,040	$	4,764	$	15,633

	Hecla								Lucky Friday
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Interest-bearing cash	$	596	$	—	$	—	$	596	$	393	$	—	$	—	$	393
Common stock		1,220		—		—		1,220		311		—		—		311
Real estate		—		—		10,797		10,797		—		—		2,865		2,865
Common collective funds		—		9,654		7,970		17,624		—		2,982		2,174		5,156
Mutual funds		23,252		—		—		23,252		6,837		—		—		6,837
Total fair value	$	25,068	$	9,654	$	18,767	$	53,489	$	7,541	$	2,982	$	5,039	$	15,562

Schedule of Changes in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Table Text Block]

	Hecla			Lucky Friday
Beginning balance at January 1, 2014	$	18,767		$	5,039
Net unrealized gains on assets held at the reporting date		1,457			375
Purchases		424			121
Sales	$	(3,305	)	$	(771	)
Ending balance at December 31, 2014	$	17,343		$	4,764

	Hecla		Lucky Friday
Beginning balance at December 31, 2012	$	16,862	$	4,491
Net unrealized gains on assets held at the reporting date		1,486		399
Purchases		419		149
Ending balance at December 31, 2013	$	18,767	$	5,039

Schedule of Expected Benefit Payments [Table Text Block]

Year Ending December 31,	Pension Plans
2015	$	5,249
2016		5,462
2017		5,724
2018		6,186
2019		6,569
Years 2020-2024		39,915

Schedule of Net Funded Status [Table Text Block]

	December 31, 2014				December 31, 2013
	ABO Exceeds Plan Assets		Plan Assets Exceed ABO		ABO Exceeds Plan Assets		Plan Assets Exceed ABO
Projected benefit obligation	$	118,284	$	—	$	101,155	$	—
Accumulated benefit obligation		112,727		—		97,937		—
Fair value of plan assets		74,551		—		69,051		—

Schedule of Defined Benefit Plan Amounts Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block]

	Pension Benefits
Unamortized net (gain)/loss	$	42,959
Unamortized prior service benefit		(1,917	)

Schedule of Amounts in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) to be Recognized over Next Fiscal Year [Table Text Block]

	Pension Benefits
Amortization of net loss	$	3,459
Amortization of prior service benefit		(352	)