Note 8 - Employee Benefit Plans (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Notes Tables

Schedule of Defined Benefit Plans Disclosures [Table Text Block]

	Pension Benefits
	2016			2015
Change in benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	120,237		$	118,284
Service cost		4,309			4,216
Interest cost		5,230			4,823
Actuarial loss (gain)		7,500			(2,617	)
Benefits paid		(5,006	)		(4,469	)
Benefit obligation at end of year		132,270			120,237
Change in fair value of plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year		73,321			74,551
Actual return (loss) on plan assets		9,950			(2,221	)
Employer contributions		9,092			5,460
Benefits paid		(5,006	)		(4,469	)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year		87,357			73,321
Underfunded status at end of year	$	(44,913	)	$	(46,916	)

Pension Benefits Recognized Balance Sheet Location [Table Text Block]

	Pension Benefits
	2016			2015
Current liabilities:
Accrued benefit liability	$	(420	)	$	(402	)
Non- current pension liability:
Accrued benefit liability		(44,491	)		(46,513	)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		40,917			42,103
Net amount recognized	$	(3,994	)	$	(4,812	)

Schedule of Assumptions Used [Table Text Block]

	Pension Benefits
	2016			2015
Discount rate: net periodic pension cost		4.45	%		4.17	%
Discount rate: projected benefit obligation		4.14	%		4.45	%
Expected rate of return on plan assets		6.80	%		7.20	%
Rate of compensation increase: net periodic pension cost		2.00	%		2.00	%
Rate of compensation increase: projected benefit obligation (1)	0.00%/2.00		%	0.00%/2.00		%

Schedule of Net Benefit Costs [Table Text Block]

	Pension Benefits
	2016			2015			2014
Service cost	$	4,309		$	4,216		$	4,312
Interest cost		5,229			4,823			4,859
Expected return on plan assets		(5,299	)		(5,382	)		(4,996	)
Amortization of prior service benefit		(337	)		(337	)		(337	)
Amortization of net gain from earlier periods		4,372			4,260			3,275
Net periodic pension cost	$	8,274		$	7,580		$	7,113

Schedule of Allocation of Plan Assets [Table Text Block]

	Hecla						Lucky Friday
	2016			2015			2016			2015
Cash		3	%		2	%		3	%		4	%
Large cap U.S. equities		18	%		10	%		17	%		10	%
Small cap U.S. equities		9	%		5	%		9	%		5	%
Non-U.S. equities		24	%		9	%		25	%		9	%
Fixed income		20	%		34	%		20	%		33	%
Real estate		13	%		18	%		13	%		18	%
Absolute return hedge funds		6	%		15	%		6	%		14	%
Real return		—	%		1	%		—	%		1	%
Company stock		7	%		6	%		7	%		6	%
Total		100	%		100	%		100	%		100	%

Investment Policy Allocation [Table Text Block]

	As of December 31, 2016 (1)						As of December 31, 2015
	Target			Maximum			Target			Minimum			Maximum
Large cap U.S. equities		17	%		20	%		10	%		7	%		13	%
Small cap U.S. equities		8	%		10	%		5	%		4	%		6	%
Non-U.S. equities		25	%		30	%		10	%		8	%		12	%
Fixed income		20	%		25	%		35	%		29	%		43	%
Real estate		15	%		18	%		15	%		12	%		18	%
Absolute return		5	%		7	%		15	%		12	%		18	%
Company stock/Real return		10	%		13	%		10	%		8	%		12	%

Fair Value of Plan Assets by Category [Table Text Block]

	Hecla								Lucky Friday
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Interest-bearing cash	$	1,924	$	—	$	—	$	1,924	$	550	$	—	$	—	$	550
Common stock		4,973		—		—		4,973		1,340		—		—		1,340
Real estate		—		—		8,974		8,974		—		—		2,389		2,389
Common collective funds		—		12,379		2,108		14,487		—		3,427		550		3,977
Mutual funds		38,326		—		—		38,326		10,417		—		—		10,417
Total fair value	$	45,223	$	12,379	$	11,082	$	68,684	$	12,307	$	3,427	$	2,939	$	18,673

	Hecla								Lucky Friday
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Interest-bearing cash	$	936	$	—	$	—	$	936	$	76	$	—	$	—	$	76
Common stock		3,284		—		—		3,284		989		—		—		989
Real estate		—		—		10,326		10,326		—		—		2,856		2,856
Common collective funds		—		9,862		4,462		14,324		—		2,573		1,309		3,882
Mutual funds		28,803		—		—		28,803		7,845		—		—		7,845
Total fair value	$	33,023	$	9,862	$	14,788	$	57,673	$	8,910	$	2,573	$	4,165	$	15,648

Schedule of Changes in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Table Text Block]

	Hecla						Lucky Friday
	Real estate			Common collective funds			Real estate			Common collective funds
Beginning balance at January 1, 2016	$	10,326		$	4,462		$	2,856		$	1,309
Net unrealized gains on assets held at the reporting date		283			80			71			20
Purchases		333			—			90			—
Sales		(1,968	)		(2,434	)		(628	)		(779	)
Ending balance at December 31, 2016	$	8,974		$	2,108		$	2,389		$	550

	Hecla					Lucky Friday
	Real estate		Common collective funds			Real estate		Common collective funds
Beginning balance at January 1, 2015	$	8,889	$	8,454		$	2,458	$	2,306
Net unrealized gains on assets held at the reporting date		1,094		8			303		3
Purchases		343		—			95		—
Sales		—		(4,000	)		—		(1,000	)
Ending balance at December 31, 2015	$	10,326	$	4,462		$	2,856	$	1,309

Schedule of Expected Benefit Payments [Table Text Block]

Year Ending December 31,	Pension Plans
2017	$	5,775
2018		6,101
2019		6,471
2020		6,849
2021		7,128
Years 2022-2026		38,685

Schedule of Net Funded Status [Table Text Block]

	December 31, 2016				December 31, 2015
	ABO Exceeds Plan Assets		Plan Assets Exceed ABO		ABO Exceeds Plan Assets		Plan Assets Exceed ABO
Projected benefit obligation	$	132,270	$	—	$	120,237	$	—
Accumulated benefit obligation		128,102		—		116,289		—
Fair value of plan assets		87,357		—		73,321		—

Schedule of Defined Benefit Plan Amounts Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block]

	Pension Benefits
Unamortized net (gain)/loss	$	42,161
Unamortized prior service benefit		(1,244	)

Schedule of Amounts in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) to be Recognized over Next Fiscal Year [Table Text Block]

	Pension Benefits
Amortization of net loss	$	4,132
Amortization of prior service benefit		(337	)