Note 6 - Business Segments

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 6.    Business Segments

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

In the third quarter of 2015, we made the decision to develop a mine at the San Sebastian unit with the goal of commencing ore production by the end of 2015. As a result, we believe the San Sebastian unit now meets the criteria for consideration as a reportable segment. Activities at the San Sebastian unit were previously included in the amounts presented as "other."

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 and nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 (in thousands):

	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2015			2014			2015			2014
Net sales to unaffiliated customers:
Greens Creek	$	54,351		$	67,763		$	175,749		$	186,808
Lucky Friday		13,916			27,883			48,376			71,740
Casa Berardi		36,674			39,861			104,105			120,248
San Sebastian		—			—			—			—
	$	104,941		$	135,507		$	328,230		$	378,796
Income (loss) from operations:
Greens Creek	$	21		$	8,874		$	24,664		$	28,724
Lucky Friday		(3,894	)		9,007			(933	)		20,105
Casa Berardi		(2,603	)		395			(6,567	)		4,940
San Sebastian		(2,420	)		(1,614	)		(7,269	)		(3,511	)
Other		(12,301	)		(10,391	)		(43,460	)		(31,043	)
	$	(21,197	)	$	6,271		$	(33,565	)	$	19,215

The following table presents identifiable assets by reportable segment as of September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014 (in thousands):

		September 30, 2015		Deceember 31, 2014
Identifiable assets:
Greens Creek	$	702,244	$	704,121
Lucky Friday		389,700		356,482
Casa Berardi		776,442		800,961
San Sebastian		2,612		1,529
Other		414,215		398,971
	$	2,285,213	$	2,262,064