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Note 7 - Commitments, Contingencies and Obligations (Details Textual) - USD ($)		1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended				28 Months Ended
	Apr. 12, 2013	Aug. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Environmental Remediation Expense					$ 6,701,000	$ 5,721,000	$ 12,220,000
Contractual Obligation					5,800,000
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due					12,514,000
Surety Bonds					117,400,000
Lucky Friday [Member]
Open Purchase Orders					200,000
Casa Berardi [Member]
Open Purchase Orders					2,000,000
Greens Creek [Member]
Open Purchase Orders					$ 10,500,000
Senior Notes [Member]
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt	$ 500,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.875%				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
Environmental Remediation Expense				$ 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

X

- Definition

Represents the amount of estimated response costs that may be incurred.

+ References

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- Definition

Represents the estimated future response cost that the EPA may ultimately incur related to a site.

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- Definition

Represents the amount of surety bonds in place as of a specified date. Such surety bonds may be for the purpose of, but not limited to, financial support for future reclamation and closure costs, self-insurance, and employee benefit plans.

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- Definition

Amount of minimum lease payments for capital leases.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
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Net increase or decrease in the carrying amount of the debt instrument for the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
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Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-Topic 210
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The charge against earnings in the period for known or estimated future costs arising from requirements to perform environmental remediation activities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 410
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6393242&loc=d3e13296-110859

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