INCOME TAXES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 2012

INCOME TAXES [Abstract]

Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block]

The provision for income tax expense (benefit) consists of the following at July 31 (in thousands):

	2012			2011			2010
Current
Federal	$	(252	)	$	—		$	3,529
Foreign	358			(118		)	22
State	(165		)	155			1,046
Current Income Tax Total	(59		)	37			4,597
Deferred
Federal	2,038			2,479			(939		)
Foreign	(171		)	11			(7		)
State	455			563			(295		)
Deferred Income Tax Total	2,322			3,053			(1,241		)
Total Income Tax Expense	$	2,263		$	3,090		$	3,356

Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Table Text Block]

Principal reasons for variations between the statutory federal rate and the effective rates were as follows for the years ended July 31:

	2012		2011		2010
U.S. federal income tax rate	34.0	%	34.0	%	34.0	%
Depletion deductions allowed for mining	(16.5	)	(8.7	)	(9.2	)
State income tax expense, net of federal tax expense	2.3		2.9		3.9
Foreign tax restructuring	—		0.8		—
Difference in effective tax rate of foreign subsidiaries	1.2		(2.4	)	1.3
Empowerment zone credits	(1.7	)	(1.2	)	(1.2	)
Valuation allowance increase (decrease)	11.4		(1.7	)	(3.6	)
Other	(3.6	)	1.8		1.0
Effective income tax rate	27.1	%	25.5	%	26.2	%

Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block]

The Consolidated Balance Sheets included the following tax effects of cumulative temporary differences as of July 31 (in thousands):

	2012					2011
	Assets			Liabilities		Assets			Liabilities
Depreciation	$	—		$	10,622	$	—		$	5,116
Deferred compensation	3,210			—		2,943			—
Postretirement benefits	8,200			—		4,364			—
Net operating loss	2,339			—		—			—
Allowance for doubtful accounts	260			—		232			—
Deferred marketing expenses	—			21		—			442
Other assets	183			—		174			—
Accrued expenses	2,116			—		1,241			—
Tax credits	4,233			—		3,106			—
Amortization	—			304		—			247
Inventories	256			—		162			—
Depletion	—			500		—			530
Stock-based compensation	279			—		426			—
Reclamation	227			—		225			—
Other assets – foreign	40			—		—			132
Valuation allowance	(4,061		)	—		(3,106		)	—
Total deferred taxes	$	17,282		$	11,447	$	9,767		$	6,467

Summary of Income Tax Contingencies [Table Text Block]

Reconciliations of the beginning and ending amount of UTBs were as follows for the years ended July 31 (in thousands):

	2012		2011			2010
Gross balance – beginning of year	$	273	$	643		$	200
Gross increases - tax positions in current year	—		—			443
Gross decreases - tax positions from prior years	—		(370		)	—
Gross balance – end of year	$	273	$	273		$	643