Note 6 - Business Segments (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment [Table Text Block]

	Three Months Ended June 30,						Six Months Ended June 30,
	2015			2014			2015			2014
Net sales to unaffiliated customers:
Greens Creek	$	54,043		$	55,449		$	121,398		$	119,045
Lucky Friday		14,570			23,762			34,460			43,858
Casa Berardi		35,584			38,291			67,431			80,386
	$	104,197		$	117,502		$	223,289		$	243,289
Income (loss) from operations:
Greens Creek	$	9,950		$	8,804		$	24,643		$	19,850
Lucky Friday		(585	)		6,398			2,961			11,098
Casa Berardi		(3,200	)		996			(3,964	)		4,437
Other		(23,455	)		(11,166	)		(36,008	)		(22,442	)
	$	(17,290	)	$	5,032		$	(12,368	)	$	12,943

	June 30, 2015		December 31, 2014
Identifiable assets:
Greens Creek	$	715,594	$	704,121
Lucky Friday		376,034		356,482
Casa Berardi		783,296		800,961
Other		417,344		400,500
	$	2,292,268	$	2,262,064