Note 16 - Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details) - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 500,781us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsGross	$ 382,589us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsGross	$ 321,143us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsGross
Cost of sales	(304,446)us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold	(235,316)us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold	(134,105)us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold
Depreciation, depletion, amortization	(111,134)	(81,127)	(43,522)
General and administrative	(31,538)us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense	(28,925)us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense	(21,253)us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense
Gain/(loss) on derivative contracts	9,134us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfDerivatives	17,979us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfDerivatives	(10,457)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfDerivatives
Income (loss) before income taxes	12,584	(34,925)	23,833
(Provision) benefit from income taxes	5,240us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	9,795us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(8,879)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Net income (loss)	17,824us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	(25,130)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	14,954us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Comprehensive income (loss)	12,092us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	(27,511)us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	14,534us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax
Preferred stock dividends	(552)us-gaap_DividendsPreferredStock	(552)us-gaap_DividendsPreferredStock	(552)us-gaap_DividendsPreferredStock
Income (loss) applicable to common stockholders	17,272	(25,682)	14,402
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries	(72,407)	15,807	(21,246)
Other (expense) income	(16,295)	(16,922)	(20,921)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(88,702)	(1,115)	(42,167)
(Provision) benefit from income taxes	16,295	16,922	20,923
Net income (loss)	(72,407)	15,807	(21,244)
Changes in comprehensive income (loss)	177	4,594	(527)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(72,230)	20,401	(21,771)
Income (loss) applicable to common stockholders	(72,407)	15,807	(21,244)
Consolidated [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	500,781	382,589	321,143
Cost of sales	(304,446)	(235,316)	(134,105)
Depreciation, depletion, amortization	(111,134)	(81,127)	(43,522)
General and administrative	(31,538)	(28,925)	(21,253)
Exploration and pre-development	(19,667)	(37,650)	(49,738)
Gain/(loss) on derivative contracts	9,134	17,979	(10,457)
Closed operations		(26,397)	(4,652)
Other (expense) income	(30,546)	(26,078)	(33,583)
Income (loss) before income taxes	12,584	(34,925)	23,833
(Provision) benefit from income taxes	5,240	9,795	(8,879)
Net income (loss)	17,824	(25,130)	14,954
Changes in comprehensive income (loss)	(5,732)	(2,381)	(420)
Comprehensive income (loss)	12,092	(27,511)	14,534
Preferred stock dividends	(552)	(552)	(552)
Income (loss) applicable to common stockholders	17,272	(25,682)	14,402
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	1,473	3,044	(1,346)
General and administrative	(17,667)	(14,441)	(11,519)
Exploration and pre-development	(252)	(576)	(1,262)
Gain/(loss) on derivative contracts	9,134	17,979	(10,457)
Closed operations		(14,444)
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries	72,407	(15,807)	21,246
Other (expense) income	(47,271)	(885)	18,292
Income (loss) before income taxes	17,824	(25,130)	14,954
Net income (loss)	17,824	(25,130)	14,954
Changes in comprehensive income (loss)	(5,732)	(2,381)	(420)
Comprehensive income (loss)	12,092	(27,511)	14,534
Preferred stock dividends	(552)	(552)	(552)
Income (loss) applicable to common stockholders	17,272	(25,682)	14,402
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	333,460	304,423	322,489
Cost of sales	(194,600)	(179,491)	(134,105)
Depreciation, depletion, amortization	(72,937)	(63,097)	(43,522)
General and administrative	(12,694)	(13,174)	(9,519)
Exploration and pre-development	(7,088)	(24,990)	(38,700)
Closed operations			(2,259)
Other (expense) income	29,753	1,345	(27,747)
Income (loss) before income taxes	75,894	25,016	66,637
(Provision) benefit from income taxes	(10,565)	(14,171)	(29,802)
Net income (loss)	65,329	10,845	36,835
Changes in comprehensive income (loss)	(1,329)	(7)	(911)
Comprehensive income (loss)	64,000	10,838	35,924
Income (loss) applicable to common stockholders	65,329	10,845	36,835
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	165,848	75,122
Cost of sales	(109,846)	(55,825)
Depreciation, depletion, amortization	(38,197)	(18,030)
General and administrative	(1,177)	(1,310)	(215)
Exploration and pre-development	(12,327)	(12,084)	(9,776)
Closed operations		(11,953)	(2,393)
Other (expense) income	3,267	(9,616)	(3,207)
Income (loss) before income taxes	7,568	(33,696)	(15,591)
(Provision) benefit from income taxes	(490)	7,044
Net income (loss)	7,078	(26,652)	(15,591)
Changes in comprehensive income (loss)	1,152	(4,587)	1,438
Comprehensive income (loss)	8,230	(31,239)	(14,153)
Income (loss) applicable to common stockholders	$ 7,078	$ (26,652)	$ (15,591)

Changes in comprehensive income (loss).

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Amount after tax of increase (decrease) in equity from transactions and other events and circumstances from net income and other comprehensive income, attributable to parent entity. Excludes changes in equity resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners.

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Total costs related to goods produced and sold during the reporting period.

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Depreciation of property, plant and equipment directly related to goods produced and sold during the reporting period.

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Amount of gross profit attributable to the disposal group, including a component of the entity (discontinued operation), during the reporting period.

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Amount of paid and unpaid preferred stock dividends declared with the form of settlement in cash, stock and payment-in-kind (PIK).

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Exploration expenses (including prospecting) related to the mining industry would be included in operating expenses. Exploration costs include costs incurred in identifying areas that may warrant examination and in examining specific areas that are considered to have prospects of mineral reserves.

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The difference between the book value and the sale price of options, swaps, futures, forward contracts, and other derivative instruments. This element refers to the gain (loss) included in earnings.

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The aggregate total of expenses of managing and administering the affairs of an entity, including affiliates of the reporting entity, which are not directly or indirectly associated with the manufacture, sale or creation of a product or product line.

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Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

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This item represents the entity's proportionate share for the period of the net income (loss) of its investee (such as unconsolidated subsidiaries and joint ventures) to which the equity method of accounting is applied. This item includes income or expense related to stock-based compensation based on the investor's grant of stock to employees of an equity method investee.

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Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

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Net income after adjustments for dividends on preferred stock (declared in the period) and/or cumulative preferred stock (accumulated for the period).

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The net amount of other operating income and expenses, the components of which are not separately disclosed on the income statement, from items that are associated with the entity's normal revenue producing operations.

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Aggregate revenue during the period from sale of goods in the normal course of business, before deducting returns, allowances and discounts.

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