Principles of Consolidation and Nature of Operations	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Principles of Consolidation and Nature of Operations	Principles of Consolidation and Nature of Operations The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of NACCO Industries, Inc. (the parent company or “NACCO”) and its wholly owned subsidiaries (“NACCO Industries, Inc. and Subsidiaries” or the “Company”). Intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation. The Company's subsidiaries operate in the following principal industries: mining, small appliances and specialty retail. The Company manages its subsidiaries primarily by industry. The North American Coal Corporation and its affiliated companies (collectively, “NACoal”) mine and market steam and metallurgical coal for use in power generation and steel production and provide selected value-added mining services for other natural resources companies. Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc. (“HBB”) is a leading designer, marketer and distributor of small electric household and specialty housewares appliances as well as commercial products for restaurants, bars and hotels. The Kitchen Collection, LLC (“KC”) is a national specialty retailer of kitchenware operating under the Kitchen Collection^® and Le Gourmet Chef^® store names in outlet and traditional malls throughout the United States. On September 28, 2012, the Company spun-off Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. ("Hyster-Yale"), a former subsidiary. The financial position, results of operations and cash flows of Hyster-Yale are reflected as discontinued operations for all periods presented through the date of the spin-off. See Note 3 for further details regarding the spin-off. NACoal has two consolidated mining operations: Mississippi Lignite Mining Company (“MLMC”) and Reed Minerals, Inc. ("Reed Minerals"). NACoal also provides dragline mining services for independently owned limerock quarries in Florida. NACoal has the following wholly owned unconsolidated subsidiaries that each meet the definition of a variable interest entity and are accounted for using the equity method: The Coteau Properties Company (“Coteau”) The Falkirk Mining Company (“Falkirk”) The Sabine Mining Company (“Sabine”) Demery Resources Company, LLC (“Demery”) Caddo Creek Resources Company, LLC (“Caddo Creek”) Coyote Creek Mining Company, LLC (“Coyote Creek”) Camino Real Fuels, LLC (“Camino Real”) Liberty Fuels Company, LLC (“Liberty”) NoDak Energy Services, LLC ("NoDak") The unconsolidated subsidiaries, with the exception of NoDak (collectively the "Unconsolidated Mines"), were formed to develop, construct and operate surface coal mines under long-term contracts and are capitalized primarily with debt financing provided by or supported by their respective customers, and without recourse to NACCO and NACoal. Coteau, Falkirk, Sabine, Liberty and Coyote supply lignite coal for power generation. Demery and Caddo Creek supply lignite coal for the production of activated carbon. Camino Real supplies sub-bituminous coal for power generation. NoDak operates and maintains a coal processing facility. Coteau, Falkirk and Sabine were developed between 1974 and 1981. Demery commenced delivering coal to its customer in 2012 and full production levels are expected to be reached in 2016. Liberty commenced production in 2013 but did not deliver any coal in 2014. Production levels are expected to increase gradually beginning in 2015 to full production of approximately 4.3 million tons of coal annually beginning in 2020. Construction of the Kemper County Energy Facility adjacent to Liberty is still ongoing, which may affect the pace of the increase in deliveries. Caddo Creek commenced delivering coal in late 2014. Camino Real expects initial deliveries in the second half of 2015, and expects to mine approximately 2.5 million to 3.0 million tons of coal annually when at full production. Coyote Creek received its mining permit in October 2014 and is developing a mine in Mercer County, North Dakota, from which it expects to deliver approximately 2.5 million tons of coal annually beginning in mid-2016. The contracts with the customers of the Unconsolidated Mines provide for reimbursement at a price based on actual costs plus an agreed pre-tax profit per ton of coal sold or actual costs plus a management fee. Although NACoal owns 100% of the equity and manages the daily operations of these entities, the Company has determined that the equity capital provided by NACoal is not sufficient to adequately finance the ongoing activities or absorb any expected losses without additional support from the customers. The customers have a controlling financial interest and have the power to direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of the entities. As a result, NACoal is not the primary beneficiary and therefore does not consolidate these entities' financial position or results of operations. The income taxes resulting from operations of the Unconsolidated Mines are solely the responsibility of the Company. The pre-tax income from the Unconsolidated Mines, excluding NoDak, is reported on the line “Earnings of unconsolidated mines” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations, with related taxes included in the provision for income taxes. The Company has included the pre-tax earnings of the Unconsolidated Mines, excluding NoDak, above operating profit as they are an integral component of the Company's business and operating results. The pre-tax income from NoDak is reported on the line "Income from other unconsolidated affiliates" in the "Other (income) expense" section of the Consolidated Statements of Operations, with the related income taxes included in the provision for income taxes. The Unconsolidated Mines are accounted for under the equity method. See Note 20 for further discussion. North American Coal Corporation India Private Limited ("NACC India") was formed to provide technical business advisory services to the third-party owner of a coal mine in India. During 2014, NACC India's customer defaulted on its contractual payment obligations and as a result of this default, NACC India has terminated its contract with the customer and is pursuing contractual remedies. As a result of this default, NACoal recognized a $1.1 million after-tax charge to establish an allowance against the receivable from NACC India's customer. Prior to contract termination, NACC India met the definition of a variable interest entity of which NACoal was not the primary beneficiary and was accounted for using the equity method with net income or loss reported on the line "(Income) loss from other unconsolidated affiliates" in the "Other expense (income)" section of the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Subsequent to contract termination, NACC India is no longer a variable interest entity and its financial position and results of operations are consolidated by NACoal as of the contract termination date.

Principles of Consolidation and Nature of Operations

The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of NACCO Industries, Inc. (the parent company or “NACCO”) and its wholly owned subsidiaries (“NACCO Industries, Inc. and Subsidiaries” or the “Company”). Intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation. The Company's subsidiaries operate in the following principal industries: mining, small appliances and specialty retail. The Company manages its subsidiaries primarily by industry.

The North American Coal Corporation and its affiliated companies (collectively, “NACoal”) mine and market steam and metallurgical coal for use in power generation and steel production and provide selected value-added mining services for other natural resources companies. Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc. (“HBB”) is a leading designer, marketer and distributor of small electric household and specialty housewares appliances as well as commercial products for restaurants, bars and hotels. The Kitchen Collection, LLC (“KC”) is a national specialty retailer of kitchenware operating under the Kitchen Collection^® and Le Gourmet Chef^® store names in outlet and traditional malls throughout the United States. On September 28, 2012, the Company spun-off Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. ("Hyster-Yale"), a former subsidiary. The financial position, results of operations and cash flows of Hyster-Yale are reflected as discontinued operations for all periods presented through the date of the spin-off. See Note 3 for further details regarding the spin-off.

NACoal has two consolidated mining operations: Mississippi Lignite Mining Company (“MLMC”) and Reed Minerals, Inc. ("Reed Minerals"). NACoal also provides dragline mining services for independently owned limerock quarries in Florida. NACoal has the following wholly owned unconsolidated subsidiaries that each meet the definition of a variable interest entity and are accounted for using the equity method:

The Coteau Properties Company (“Coteau”)

The Falkirk Mining Company (“Falkirk”)

The Sabine Mining Company (“Sabine”)

Demery Resources Company, LLC (“Demery”)

Caddo Creek Resources Company, LLC (“Caddo Creek”)

Coyote Creek Mining Company, LLC (“Coyote Creek”)

Camino Real Fuels, LLC (“Camino Real”)

Liberty Fuels Company, LLC (“Liberty”)

NoDak Energy Services, LLC ("NoDak")

The unconsolidated subsidiaries, with the exception of NoDak (collectively the "Unconsolidated Mines"), were formed to develop, construct and operate surface coal mines under long-term contracts and are capitalized primarily with debt financing provided by or supported by their respective customers, and without recourse to NACCO and NACoal. Coteau, Falkirk, Sabine, Liberty and Coyote supply lignite coal for power generation. Demery and Caddo Creek supply lignite coal for the production of activated carbon. Camino Real supplies sub-bituminous coal for power generation. NoDak operates and maintains a coal processing facility.

Coteau, Falkirk and Sabine were developed between 1974 and 1981. Demery commenced delivering coal to its customer in 2012 and full production levels are expected to be reached in 2016. Liberty commenced production in 2013 but did not deliver any coal in 2014. Production levels are expected to increase gradually beginning in 2015 to full production of approximately 4.3 million tons of coal annually beginning in 2020. Construction of the Kemper County Energy Facility adjacent to Liberty is still ongoing, which may affect the pace of the increase in deliveries. Caddo Creek commenced delivering coal in late 2014. Camino Real expects initial deliveries in the second half of 2015, and expects to mine approximately 2.5 million to 3.0 million tons of coal annually when at full production. Coyote Creek received its mining permit in October 2014 and is developing a mine in Mercer County, North Dakota, from which it expects to deliver approximately 2.5 million tons of coal annually beginning in mid-2016.

The contracts with the customers of the Unconsolidated Mines provide for reimbursement at a price based on actual costs plus an agreed pre-tax profit per ton of coal sold or actual costs plus a management fee. Although NACoal owns 100% of the equity and manages the daily operations of these entities, the Company has determined that the equity capital provided by NACoal is not sufficient to adequately finance the ongoing activities or absorb any expected losses without additional support from the customers. The customers have a controlling financial interest and have the power to direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of the entities. As a result, NACoal is not the primary beneficiary and therefore does not consolidate these entities' financial position or results of operations. The income taxes resulting from operations of the Unconsolidated Mines are solely the responsibility of the Company. The pre-tax income from the Unconsolidated Mines, excluding NoDak, is reported on the line “Earnings of unconsolidated mines” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations, with related taxes included in the provision for income taxes. The Company has included the pre-tax earnings of the Unconsolidated Mines, excluding NoDak, above operating profit as they are an integral component of the Company's business and operating results. The pre-tax income from NoDak is reported on the line "Income from other unconsolidated affiliates" in the "Other (income) expense" section of the Consolidated Statements of Operations, with the related income taxes included in the provision for income taxes. The Unconsolidated Mines are accounted for under the equity method. See Note 20 for further discussion.

North American Coal Corporation India Private Limited ("NACC India") was formed to provide technical business advisory services to the third-party owner of a coal mine in India. During 2014, NACC India's customer defaulted on its contractual payment obligations and as a result of this default, NACC India has terminated its contract with the customer and is pursuing contractual remedies. As a result of this default, NACoal recognized a $1.1 million after-tax charge to establish an allowance against the receivable from NACC India's customer. Prior to contract termination, NACC India met the definition of a variable interest entity of which NACoal was not the primary beneficiary and was accounted for using the equity method with net income or loss reported on the line "(Income) loss from other unconsolidated affiliates" in the "Other expense (income)" section of the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Subsequent to contract termination, NACC India is no longer a variable interest entity and its financial position and results of operations are consolidated by NACoal as of the contract termination date.