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Note 7 - Commitments, Contingencies, and Obligations (Details) |  |  |  | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 4 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
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Feb. 04, 2015 USD ($) | Feb. 04, 2015 | Dec. 11, 2013 USD ($) | Apr. 12, 2013 USD ($) | Aug. 31, 2012 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2011 USD ($) | Jul. 30, 2010 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Note 7 - Commitments, Contingencies, and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Maximum Environmental Remediation Obligation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 2,500,000 |
Loss Contingency, Damages Sought, Value |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 5,000,000 |  |
Contractual Obligations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 11,100,000 |
Commitments For Capital Lease Payments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 18,700,000 |
Surety Bonds |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 100,200,000 |
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 7 - 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 7 - 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 7 - 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 7 - Commitments, Contingencies, and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Incurred Response Costs |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 225,000,000 |  |  |  |
Revett Mining Company Inc [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 7 - Commitments, Contingencies, and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Combination, Consideration Held for Reclamation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 6,500,000 |
Joint Venture [Member] | Rio Grande Silver Inc And Emerald Mining And Leasing LLC [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 7 - Commitments, Contingencies, and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 70.00% |
Greens Creek [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 7 - Commitments, Contingencies, and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Open Purchase Orders |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,000,000 |
Noncapital Costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,800,000 |
Casa Berardi [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 7 - Commitments, Contingencies, and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Open Purchase Orders |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 800,000 |
Noncapital Costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 400,000 |
Lucky Friday [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 7 - Commitments, Contingencies, and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncapital Costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 800,000 |
United Steel Workers Local 5114 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 7 - Commitments, Contingencies, and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Settlement, Compensation Period |  | 8 days |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Settlement, Amount | $ (13,000) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Senior Notes [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 7 - 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 7 - Commitments, Contingencies, and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated Alternative Response Costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 |
Minimum [Member] | United Steel Workers Local 5114 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 7 - 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 7 - Commitments, Contingencies, and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated Alternative Response Costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 221,000,000 |
Maximum [Member] | United Steel Workers Local 5114 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Note 7 - Commitments, Contingencies, and Obligations (Details) [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingency, Damages Sought, Value |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 10,000,000 |

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