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Note 7 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details Textual) |  |  | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 27 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 11, 2013 | Apr. 12, 2013 USD ($) | Aug. 31, 2012 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2011 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Contractual Obligations |  |  |  |  | $ 400,000 |  |
Commitments For Capital Lease Payments |  |  |  |  | 12,000,000 |  |
Surety Bonds |  |  |  |  | 112,700,000 |  |
Loss Contingency, Number of Plaintiffs | 4 |  |  |  |  |  |
Lucky Friday [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Open Purchase Orders |  |  |  |  | 700,000 |  |
Casa Berardi [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Open Purchase Orders |  |  |  |  | 2,100,000 |  |
Greens Creek [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Open Purchase Orders |  |  |  |  | 10,000,000 |  |
Senior Notes [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt |  | $ 500,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage |  | 6.875% |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument, Increase (Decrease), Net |  |  |  |  |  | $ 6,500,000 |
Johnny M Mine Area near San Mateo, New Mexico [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payment Of Response Costs |  |  | $ 1,100,000 |  |  |  | $ 1,100,000
Estimated Response Costs |  |  |  |  | 5,600,000 |  |
Liability for Remediation |  |  |  |  | 5,600,000 |  |
Johnny M Mine Area near San Mateo, New Mexico [Member] | Minimum [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated Alternative Response Costs |  |  |  |  | 0 |  |
Johnny M Mine Area near San Mateo, New Mexico [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated Alternative Response Costs |  |  |  |  | $ 221,000,000 |  |
Carpenter Snow Creek Superfund Site, Cascade County, Montana [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated Response Costs |  |  |  | $ 4,500,000 |  |  |
Estimated Future Response Cost |  |  |  | $ 100,000,000 |  |  |
Joint Venture [Member] | Rio Grande Silver Inc and Emerald Mining and Leasing LLC [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage |  |  |  |  | 70.00% |  |
Maximum Environmental Remediation Obligation |  |  |  |  | $ 2,500,000 |  |

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