Note 6 - Business Segments

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 6.    Business Segments

We are currently organized and managed in three reporting segments: the Greens Creek unit, the Lucky Friday unit and the Casa Berardi unit.

General corporate activities not associated with operating units and their various exploration activities, as well as discontinued operations and idle properties, are presented as “other.”  Interest expense, interest income and income taxes are considered general corporate items, and are not allocated to our segments.

The following tables present information about reportable segments for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 (in thousands):

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2015			2014
Net sales to unaffiliated customers:
Greens Creek	$	67,355		$	63,596
Lucky Friday		19,891			20,096
Casa Berardi		31,846			42,095
	$	119,092		$	125,787
Income (loss) from operations:
Greens Creek	$	14,693		$	11,046
Lucky Friday		3,546			4,700
Casa Berardi		(765	)		3,441
Other		(12,552	)		(11,276	)
	$	4,922		$	7,911

The following table presents identifiable assets by reportable segment as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 (in thousands):

	March 31, 2015		December 31, 2014
Identifiable assets:
Greens Creek	$	704,348	$	704,121
Lucky Friday		369,503		356,482
Casa Berardi		789,989		800,961
Other		396,111		400,500
	$	2,259,951	$	2,262,064