Note 6 - Business Segments (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Notes Tables

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

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2017			2016
Net sales to unaffiliated customers:
Greens Creek	$	58,850		$	53,882
Lucky Friday		20,010			21,252
Casa Berardi		41,712			32,198
San Sebastian		21,972			23,685
	$	142,544		$	131,017
Income (loss) from operations:
Greens Creek	$	14,114		$	8,078
Lucky Friday		3,880			2,743
Casa Berardi		(2,245	)		1,934
San Sebastian		13,454			14,912
Other		(13,332	)		(12,094	)
	$	15,871		$	15,573

Reconciliation of Assets from Segment to Consolidated [Table Text Block]

	March 31, 2017		December 31, 2016
Identifiable assets:
Greens Creek	$	681,266	$	681,303
Lucky Friday		439,991		442,829
Casa Berardi		804,886		806,044
San Sebastian		47,561		33,608
Other		432,757		407,893
	$	2,406,461	$	2,371,677