Note 8 - Employee Benefit Plans (Details) - Reconciliation of Level 3 Assets (Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Hecla Mining Company Retirement Plan [Member]
Note 8 - Employee Benefit Plans (Details) - Reconciliation of Level 3 Assets [Line Items]
Beginning balance	$ 18,767	$ 16,862
Net unrealized gains on assets held at the reporting date	1,457	1,486
Purchases	424	419
Sales	(3,305)
Ending balance	17,343	18,767
Lucky Friday Pension Plan [Member]
Note 8 - Employee Benefit Plans (Details) - Reconciliation of Level 3 Assets [Line Items]
Beginning balance	5,039	4,491
Net unrealized gains on assets held at the reporting date	375	399
Purchases	121	149
Sales	(771)
Ending balance	$ 4,764	$ 5,039

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Amount of increase (decrease) of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)

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Amount of purchases of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)(2)

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Amount of sale of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

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-Section 50

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Fair value of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

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