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Note 4. Environmental and Reclamation Activities (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2011
Schedule of Accrued Liabilities [Table Text Block] |
|  | 2011 |  |  | 2010
Operating properties: |  |  |  |  |
Greens Creek |  | $ | 36,123 |  |  | $ | 35,267 |
Lucky Friday |  |  | 1,520 |  |  |  | 1,130 |
Non-operating properties: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
San Sebastian |  |  | 218 |  |  |  | 218 |
Grouse Creek |  |  | 13,262 |  |  |  | 13,651 |
Coeur d’Alene Basin |  |  | 95,081 |  |  |  | 262,153 |
Republic |  |  | 3,538 |  |  |  | 3,800 |
All other sites |  |  | 4,069 |  |  |  | 2,578 |
Total |  |  | 153,811 |  |  |  | 318,797 |
Reclamation and closure costs, current |  |  | (42,248 | ) |  |  | (175,484 | )
Reclamation and closure costs, long-term |  | $ | 111,563 |  |  | $ | 143,313 |
Accrued Reclamation And Closure Cost Liability Activity Table Text Block |
Balance at January 1, 2009 |  | $ | 121,347 |
Accruals for estimated costs |  |  | 5,980 |
Revision of estimated cash flows due to changes in reclamation plans |  |  | 3,347 |
Receipt of settlement payment for shared reclamation costs incurred |  |  | 3,150 |
Payment of reclamation obligations |  |  | (2,623 | )
Balance at December 31, 2009 |  |  | 131,201 |
Accruals for estimated costs |  |  | 196,067 |
Payment of reclamation obligations |  |  | (8,471 | )
Balance at December 31, 2010 |  |  | 318,797 |
Accruals for estimated costs |  |  | 7,869 |
Payment of reclamation obligations |  |  | (172,855 | )
Balance at December 31, 2011 |  | $ | 153,811 |
Schedule of Change in Asset Retirement Obligation [Table Text Block] |
|  | 2011 |  |  | 2010 |
Balance January 1 |  | $ | 36,397 |  |  | $ | 36,364 |
Changes in obligations due to changes in reclamation plans |  |  | 387 |  |  |  | — |
Accretion expense |  |  | 1,119 |  |  |  | 627 |
Payment of reclamation obligations |  |  | (260 | ) |  |  | (594 | )
Balance at December 31 |  | $ | 37,643 |  |  | $ | 36,397 |

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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the changes in carrying amount of a liability for asset retirement obligations, for changes such as new obligations, changes in estimates of existing obligations, spending on existing obligations, property dispositions, and foreign currency translation. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Topic 410 -SubTopic 30 -Publisher FASB -Number -Article -Subparagraph -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Paragraph 5 -Section 50 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6393242&loc=d3e13201-110859 + Details
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