Note 12 - Stockholders' Equity (Details Textual) - USD ($)		1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	10 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			36 Months Ended	116 Months Ended
	Jul. 20, 2018	Sep. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2021	Feb. 15, 2022	Feb. 18, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2018	May 08, 2012	Jun. 30, 2010
Average Realized Silver Price, Minimum Dividend, Threshold (in dollars per share)								$ 30					$ 25
Average Realized Silver Price Per Ounce (in dollars per share)		$ 20					$ 25
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues (in shares)								21,410,000
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding, Ending Balance (in shares)					157,816	157,816			157,816	157,816
Percent of Shareholders' Consent Needed to Create or Issue Stock Ranking Senior to Series B Preferred Stock					66.67%	66.67%			66.67%	66.67%
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Nonvested Award, Cost Not yet Recognized, Amount, Total					$ 3,600,000	$ 3,600,000			$ 3,600,000	$ 3,600,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Number, Ending Balance (in shares)					2,022,352	2,022,352			2,022,352	2,022,352
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Measurement Period Used to Value Performance-based Awards (Year)						3 years
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Treasury Stock Reissued (in shares)							650,000
Hecla Charitable Foundation [Member]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Treasury Stock Reissued (in shares)			650,000
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Treasury Stock Reissued			$ 2,000,000.0
Warrants in Connection with Klondex Mines Acquisition [Member]
Class of Warrant or Right, Issued During Period (in shares)	4,136,000
Class of Warrant or Right, Number of Securities Called by Each Warrant or Right (in shares)	1
Satisfy Withholding Obligations [Member]
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share (in dollars per share)						$ 7.88	$ 2.32
Stock Repurchased During Period, Shares (in shares)						574,251	1,183,773
Stock Repurchased During Period, Value						$ 4,500,000	$ 2,700,000
2010 Stock Incentive Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized (in shares)																20,000,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Available for Grant (in shares)					14,857,886	14,857,886			14,857,886	14,857,886
Directors Stock Plan [Member]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Expense						$ 1,800,000	$ 1,500,000	$ 500,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Available for Grant (in shares)					2,269,269	2,269,269			2,269,269	2,269,269
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-Based Payment Award, Method of Measuring Cost of Award Participant, Numerator						$ 120,000
Shares Issued, Shares, Share-based Payment Arrangement, before Forfeiture (in shares)						414,750	391,244	252,819
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Member]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Expense						$ 6,100,000	$ 6,500,000	$ 5,700,000
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Expense						$ 3,400,000			$ 4,100,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Number, Ending Balance (in shares)				3,936,134	2,022,352	2,022,352	3,936,134	3,997,168	2,022,352	2,022,352				2,689,468
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Nonvested Award, Option, Cost Not yet Recognized, Amount					$ 3,900,000	$ 3,900,000			$ 3,900,000	$ 3,900,000
Performance Shares [Member]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Expense									$ 400,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Number, Ending Balance (in shares)				1,186,033	916,372	916,372	1,186,033	1,052,518	916,372	916,372				660,769
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Nonvested Award, Option, Cost Not yet Recognized, Amount					$ 1,400,000	$ 1,400,000			$ 1,400,000	$ 1,400,000
Series B Preferred Stock [Member]
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding, Ending Balance (in shares)				157,816	157,816	157,816	157,816		157,816	157,816
Preferred Stock, Dividend Rate, Per-Dollar-Amount (in dollars per share)						$ 3.50
Preferred Stock, Redemption Price Per Share (in dollars per share)					$ 50	50			$ 50	$ 50
Preferred Stock, Liquidation Preference Per Share (in dollars per share)					$ 50	$ 50			$ 50	$ 50
Preferred Stock, Liquidation Preference, Value				$ 7,891,000	$ 7,891,000	$ 7,891,000	$ 7,891,000		$ 7,891,000	$ 7,891,000
Preferred Stock Conversion Price (in dollars per share)					$ 15.55	$ 15.55			$ 15.55	$ 15.55
Subsequent Event [Member]
Share Price (in dollars per share)											$ 0
Common Stock Repurchase Program [Member]
Stock Repurchase Program, Number of Shares Authorized to be Repurchased (in shares)															20,000,000
Cumulative Stock Repurchased (in shares)					934,100	934,100			934,100	934,100
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share (in dollars per share)										$ 3.99
At-the-market Offering [Member]
Equity Distribution Agreement, Maximum Number of Shares to be Sold (in shares)												60
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues (in shares)					0
Quarterly Dividends [Member]
Dividends, Common Stock, Total						$ 20,100,000	$ 8,600,000	$ 4,900,000
Minimum [Member]
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared (in dollars per share)						$ 0.01		$ 0.01
Maximum [Member]
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared (in dollars per share)				$ 0.015