Principles of Consolidation and Nature of Operations	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Principles of Consolidation and Nature of Operations	Principles of Consolidation and Nature of Operations The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of NACCO Industries, Inc. (the parent company or “NACCO”) and its wholly owned subsidiaries (“NACCO Industries, Inc. and Subsidiaries” or the “Company”). Intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation. The Company's subsidiaries operate in the following principal industries: mining, small appliances and specialty retail. The Company manages its subsidiaries primarily by industry. The North American Coal Corporation and its affiliated companies (collectively, “NACoal”) mine coal primarily for use in power generation and provide selected value-added mining services for other natural resources companies. Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc. (“HBB”) is a leading designer, marketer and distributor of small electric household and specialty housewares appliances as well as commercial products for restaurants, bars and hotels. The Kitchen Collection, LLC (“KC”) is a national specialty retailer of kitchenware operating under the Kitchen Collection^®store name in outlet and traditional malls throughout the United States. NACoal has two consolidated mining operations: Mississippi Lignite Mining Company (“MLMC”) and Centennial Natural Resources ("Centennial"). Centennial ceased coal production in the fourth quarter of 2015. NACoal also provides dragline mining services for independently owned limerock quarries in Florida. NACoal has the following wholly owned unconsolidated subsidiaries that each meet the definition of a variable interest entity and are accounted for using the equity method: The Coteau Properties Company (“Coteau”) The Falkirk Mining Company (“Falkirk”) The Sabine Mining Company (“Sabine”) Demery Resources Company, LLC (“Demery”) Caddo Creek Resources Company, LLC (“Caddo Creek”) Coyote Creek Mining Company, LLC (“Coyote Creek”) Camino Real Fuels, LLC (“Camino Real”) Liberty Fuels Company, LLC (“Liberty”) Bisti Fuels Company, LLC ("Bisti") NoDak Energy Services, LLC ("NoDak") The unconsolidated subsidiaries, with the exception of NoDak (collectively the "Unconsolidated Mines"), were formed to develop, construct and/or operate surface coal mines under long-term contracts and are capitalized primarily with debt financing provided by or supported by their respective customers, and without recourse to NACCO and NACoal. The contracts with the customers of the unconsolidated subsidiaries provide for reimbursement to the company at a price based on actual costs plus an agreed pre-tax profit per ton of coal sold or actual costs plus a management fee. The fees earned at each mine adjust over time in line with various indices which reflect general inflation rates. Although NACoal owns 100% of the equity and manages the daily operations of these entities, the Company has determined that the equity capital provided by NACoal is not sufficient to adequately finance the ongoing activities or absorb any expected losses without additional support from the customers. The customers have a controlling financial interest and have the power to direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of the entities. As a result, NACoal is not the primary beneficiary and therefore does not consolidate these entities' financial position or results of operations. The income taxes resulting from operations of the Unconsolidated Mines are solely the responsibility of the Company. The pre-tax income from the Unconsolidated Mines, excluding NoDak, is reported on the line “Earnings of unconsolidated mines” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations, with related taxes included in the provision for income taxes. The Company has included the pre-tax earnings of the Unconsolidated Mines, excluding NoDak, above operating profit as they are an integral component of the Company's business and operating results. The pre-tax income from NoDak is reported on the line "Income from other unconsolidated affiliates" in the "Other (income) expense" section of the Consolidated Statements of Operations, with the related income taxes included in the provision for income taxes. The unconsolidated subsidiaries are accounted for under the equity method. See Note 20 for further discussion. Coteau, Falkirk, Sabine, Liberty and Coyote supply or will supply lignite coal for power generation. Demery and Caddo Creek supply lignite coal for the production of activated carbon. Camino Real supplies sub-bituminous coal for power generation. Bisti will supply sub-bituminous coal for power generation. NoDak operates and maintains a coal processing facility. Coteau, Falkirk and Sabine were developed between 1974 and 1984. Demery commenced delivering coal in 2012 and anticipates achieving full production levels in 2017. Caddo Creek commenced delivering coal in late 2014. Camino Real commenced delivering coal in October 2015, and expects to mine approximately 2.5 million to 2.7 million tons of coal annually when at full production. Liberty commenced production in 2013 but did not deliver any coal for power generation in 2015. Production levels at Liberty are expected to increase gradually beginning in 2016 and build to full production of approximately 4.6 million tons of coal annually beginning in 2023, although the timing of future deliveries will be affected by when the Kemper County Energy Facility is commissioned. Coyote Creek is developing a mine in Mercer County, North Dakota, from which it expects to deliver approximately 2.5 million tons of coal annually beginning in mid-2016. Bisti anticipates that it will replace an existing contract miner at an existing mine during the second half of 2016, after which it will make annual coal deliveries of between 5.0 million to 6.0 million tons. North American Coal Corporation India Private Limited ("NACC India") was formed to provide technical business advisory services to the third-party owner of a coal mine in India. During 2014, NACC India's customer defaulted on its contractual payment obligations and as a result of this default, NACC India terminated its contract with the customer and is pursuing contractual remedies. As a result of this default, NACoal recognized a $1.1 million after-tax charge to establish an allowance against the receivable from NACC India's customer during 2014. Prior to contract termination, NACC India met the definition of a variable interest entity of which NACoal was not the primary beneficiary and was accounted for using the equity method with net income or loss reported on the line "(Income) loss from other unconsolidated affiliates" in the "Other expense (income)" section of the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Subsequent to contract termination, NACC India is no longer a variable interest entity and its financial position and results of operations are consolidated by NACoal as of the contract termination date in 2014.

Principles of Consolidation and Nature of Operations

The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of NACCO Industries, Inc. (the parent company or “NACCO”) and its wholly owned subsidiaries (“NACCO Industries, Inc. and Subsidiaries” or the “Company”). Intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation. The Company's subsidiaries operate in the following principal industries: mining, small appliances and specialty retail. The Company manages its subsidiaries primarily by industry.

The North American Coal Corporation and its affiliated companies (collectively, “NACoal”) mine coal primarily for use in power generation and provide selected value-added mining services for other natural resources companies. Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc. (“HBB”) is a leading designer, marketer and distributor of small electric household and specialty housewares appliances as well as commercial products for restaurants, bars and hotels. The Kitchen Collection, LLC (“KC”) is a national specialty retailer of kitchenware operating under the Kitchen Collection^®store name in outlet and traditional malls throughout the United States.

NACoal has two consolidated mining operations: Mississippi Lignite Mining Company (“MLMC”) and Centennial Natural Resources ("Centennial"). Centennial ceased coal production in the fourth quarter of 2015. NACoal also provides dragline mining services for independently owned limerock quarries in Florida. NACoal has the following wholly owned unconsolidated subsidiaries that each meet the definition of a variable interest entity and are accounted for using the equity method:

The Coteau Properties Company (“Coteau”)

The Falkirk Mining Company (“Falkirk”)

The Sabine Mining Company (“Sabine”)

Demery Resources Company, LLC (“Demery”)

Caddo Creek Resources Company, LLC (“Caddo Creek”)

Coyote Creek Mining Company, LLC (“Coyote Creek”)

Camino Real Fuels, LLC (“Camino Real”)

Liberty Fuels Company, LLC (“Liberty”)

Bisti Fuels Company, LLC ("Bisti")

NoDak Energy Services, LLC ("NoDak")

The unconsolidated subsidiaries, with the exception of NoDak (collectively the "Unconsolidated Mines"), were formed to develop, construct and/or operate surface coal mines under long-term contracts and are capitalized primarily with debt financing provided by or supported by their respective customers, and without recourse to NACCO and NACoal. The contracts with the customers of the unconsolidated subsidiaries provide for reimbursement to the company at a price based on actual costs plus an agreed pre-tax profit per ton of coal sold or actual costs plus a management fee. The fees earned at each mine adjust over time in line with various indices which reflect general inflation rates. Although NACoal owns 100% of the equity and manages the daily operations of these entities, the Company has determined that the equity capital provided by NACoal is not sufficient to adequately finance the ongoing activities or absorb any expected losses without additional support from the customers. The customers have a controlling financial interest and have the power to direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of the entities. As a result, NACoal is not the primary beneficiary and therefore does not consolidate these entities' financial position or results of operations. The income taxes resulting from operations of the Unconsolidated Mines are solely the responsibility of the Company. The pre-tax income from the Unconsolidated Mines, excluding NoDak, is reported on the line “Earnings of unconsolidated mines” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations, with related taxes included in the provision for income taxes. The Company has included the pre-tax earnings of the Unconsolidated Mines, excluding NoDak, above operating profit as they are an integral component of the Company's business and operating results. The pre-tax income from NoDak is reported on the line "Income from other unconsolidated affiliates" in the "Other (income) expense" section of the Consolidated Statements of Operations, with the related income taxes included in the provision for income taxes. The unconsolidated subsidiaries are accounted for under the equity method. See Note 20 for further discussion.

Coteau, Falkirk, Sabine, Liberty and Coyote supply or will supply lignite coal for power generation. Demery and Caddo Creek supply lignite coal for the production of activated carbon. Camino Real supplies sub-bituminous coal for power generation. Bisti will supply sub-bituminous coal for power generation. NoDak operates and maintains a coal processing facility.

Coteau, Falkirk and Sabine were developed between 1974 and 1984. Demery commenced delivering coal in 2012 and anticipates achieving full production levels in 2017. Caddo Creek commenced delivering coal in late 2014. Camino Real commenced delivering coal in October 2015, and expects to mine approximately 2.5 million to 2.7 million tons of coal annually when at full production.

Liberty commenced production in 2013 but did not deliver any coal for power generation in 2015. Production levels at Liberty are expected to increase gradually beginning in 2016 and build to full production of approximately 4.6 million tons of coal annually beginning in 2023, although the timing of future deliveries will be affected by when the Kemper County Energy Facility is commissioned.

Coyote Creek is developing a mine in Mercer County, North Dakota, from which it expects to deliver approximately 2.5 million tons of coal annually beginning in mid-2016.

Bisti anticipates that it will replace an existing contract miner at an existing mine during the second half of 2016, after which it will make annual coal deliveries of between 5.0 million to 6.0 million tons.

North American Coal Corporation India Private Limited ("NACC India") was formed to provide technical business advisory services to the third-party owner of a coal mine in India. During 2014, NACC India's customer defaulted on its contractual payment obligations and as a result of this default, NACC India terminated its contract with the customer and is pursuing contractual remedies. As a result of this default, NACoal recognized a $1.1 million after-tax charge to establish an allowance against the receivable from NACC India's customer during 2014. Prior to contract termination, NACC India met the definition of a variable interest entity of which NACoal was not the primary beneficiary and was accounted for using the equity method with net income or loss reported on the line "(Income) loss from other unconsolidated affiliates" in the "Other expense (income)" section of the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Subsequent to contract termination, NACC India is no longer a variable interest entity and its financial position and results of operations are consolidated by NACoal as of the contract termination date in 2014.