Note 14 - Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details) - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 119,092us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsGross	$ 125,787us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsGross
Cost of sales	(73,965)us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold	(77,741)us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold
Depreciation, depletion, amortization	(25,254)	(25,803)
General and administrative	(8,720)us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense	(7,941)us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense
Gain/(loss) on derivative contracts	5,792us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfDerivatives	9,452us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfDerivatives
Income (loss) before income taxes	13,991	15,424
(Provision) benefit from income taxes	(1,439)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(3,783)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Net income (loss)	12,552us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	11,641us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Comprehensive income (loss)	14,488us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	12,991us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax
Preferred stock dividends	(138)us-gaap_DividendsPreferredStock	(138)us-gaap_DividendsPreferredStock
Income (loss) applicable to common stockholders	12,414	11,503
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries	(40,042)	(17,703)
Other (expense) income	(3,456)	(3,303)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(43,498)	(21,006)
(Provision) benefit from income taxes	3,456	3,303
Net income (loss)	(40,042)	(17,703)
Changes in comprehensive income (loss)	(1,857)	(1,373)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(41,899)	(19,076)
Income (loss) applicable to common stockholders	(40,042)	(17,303)
Consolidated [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	119,092	125,787
Cost of sales	(73,965)	(77,741)
Depreciation, depletion, amortization	(25,254)	(25,803)
General and administrative	(8,720)	(7,941)
Exploration and pre-development	(5,136)	(4,569)
Gain/(loss) on derivative contracts	5,792	9,452
Other (expense) income	2,182	(3,761)
Income (loss) before income taxes	13,991	15,424
(Provision) benefit from income taxes	(1,439)	(3,783)
Net income (loss)	12,552	11,641
Changes in comprehensive income (loss)	1,936	1,350
Comprehensive income (loss)	14,488	12,991
Preferred stock dividends	(138)	(138)
Income (loss) applicable to common stockholders	12,414	11,503
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	312	(19)
General and administrative	(4,442)	(4,630)
Exploration and pre-development	(217)	(44)
Gain/(loss) on derivative contracts	5,792	9,452
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries	40,042	17,703
Other (expense) income	(28,935)	(10,821)
Income (loss) before income taxes	12,552	11,641
Net income (loss)	12,552	11,641
Changes in comprehensive income (loss)	1,936	1,350
Comprehensive income (loss)	14,488	12,991
Preferred stock dividends	(138)	(138)
Income (loss) applicable to common stockholders	12,414	11,503
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	86,934	83,710
Cost of sales	(51,437)	(49,933)
Depreciation, depletion, amortization	(16,611)	(17,221)
General and administrative	(3,893)	(3,008)
Exploration and pre-development	(1,134)	(958)
Other (expense) income	3,567	408
Income (loss) before income taxes	17,426	12,998
(Provision) benefit from income taxes	(4,946)	(2,886)
Net income (loss)	12,480	10,112
Changes in comprehensive income (loss)	(194)	57
Comprehensive income (loss)	12,286	10,169
Income (loss) applicable to common stockholders	12,480	10,112
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	31,846	42,096
Cost of sales	(22,528)	(27,808)
Depreciation, depletion, amortization	(8,643)	(8,582)
General and administrative	(385)	(303)
Exploration and pre-development	(3,785)	(3,567)
Other (expense) income	31,006	9,955
Income (loss) before income taxes	27,511	11,791
(Provision) benefit from income taxes	51	(4,200)
Net income (loss)	27,562	7,591
Changes in comprehensive income (loss)	2,051	1,316
Comprehensive income (loss)	29,613	8,907
Income (loss) applicable to common stockholders	$ 27,562	$ 7,591

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 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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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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The portion of profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, which is attributable to the parent.

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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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