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Note 4 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details) |  |  |  | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 4 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Feb. 04, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 11, 2013 USD ($) | Apr. 12, 2013 USD ($) | Aug. 31, 2012 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2011 USD ($) | Jul. 30, 2010 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) | Aug. 06, 2015
Note 4 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |
Maximum Environmental Remediation Obligation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 2,500,000 |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Damages Sought, Value |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 5,000,000 |  |  |  |
Contractual Obligations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 21,300,000 |  |
Commitments For Capital Lease Payments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 19,800,000 |  |
Surety Bonds |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 92,300,000 |  |
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 8,100,000 |  |
Loss Contingency, Number of Plaintiffs |  | 4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss |  | $ 1,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Johnny M Mine Area near San Mateo, New Mexico [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 4 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payment Of Response Costs |  |  |  | $ 1,100,000 |  |  | $ 1,100,000 |  |  |  |  |
Estimated Response Costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5,600,000 |  |  |
Liability for Remediation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5,600,000 |  |  |
Carpenter Snow Creek Superfund Site, Cascade County, Montana [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 4 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated Response Costs |  |  |  |  | $ 4,500,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated Future Response Cost |  |  |  |  | $ 100,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gilt Edge Site and Nelson Tunnel/Commodore Site [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 4 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Liability for Remediation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 9,900,000 |  |  |
Costs Incurred By The EPA [Member] | Gilt Edge Mine Superfund Site [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 4 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Incurred Response Costs |  |  |  |  |  | $ 225,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Revett Mining Company, Inc. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 4 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6.25%
Business Combination, Consideration Held for Reclamation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6,500,000 |  |
Joint Venture [Member] | Rio Grande Silver Inc And Emerald Mining And Leasing LLC [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 4 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 70.00% |  |  |
Greens Creek [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 4 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Open Purchase Orders |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7,200,000 |  |
Noncapital Costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,200,000 |  |
Casa Berardi [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 4 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Open Purchase Orders |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 700,000 |  |
Noncapital Costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 800,000 |  |
Lucky Friday [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 4 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Open Purchase Orders |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 700,000 |  |
Noncapital Costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,500,000 |  |
United Steel Workers, Local 5114 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 4 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Settlement, Compensation Period | 8 days |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Settlement, Amount | $ (13,000) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Senior Notes [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 4 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt |  |  | $ 500,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage |  |  | 6.875% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument, Increase (Decrease), Net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 6,500,000 |
Minimum [Member] | Johnny M Mine Area near San Mateo, New Mexico [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 4 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated Alternative Response Costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 0 |  |  |
Minimum [Member] | United Steel Workers, Local 5114 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 4 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Damages Sought, Value |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 |  |
Maximum [Member] | Johnny M Mine Area near San Mateo, New Mexico [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 4 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated Alternative Response Costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 221,000,000 |  |  |
Maximum [Member] | United Steel Workers, Local 5114 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 4 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Damages Sought, Value |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 10,000,000 |  |

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