FAIR VALUE ACCOUNTING (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended				6 Months Ended					12 Months Ended
FAIR VALUE ACCOUNTING (Details) (USD $)	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014 item	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013 item	Jun. 30, 2014 Los Azules Copper Project [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Los Azules Copper Project [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Minera Santa Cruz S A [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Minera Santa Cruz S A [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Minera Santa Cruz S A [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Minera Santa Cruz S A [Member] Mineral Property [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] Estimate Of Fair Value Fair Value Disclosure [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] Estimate Of Fair Value Fair Value Disclosure [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] Fair Value Inputs Level1 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] Fair Value Inputs Level1 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Telken Tenements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Este Tenements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Piramides Tenements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Tobias Tenements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Limo Tenements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Other United States Properties [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Minera Santa Cruz S A [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Estimate Of Fair Value Fair Value Disclosure [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Estimate Of Fair Value Fair Value Disclosure [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Estimate Of Fair Value Fair Value Disclosure [Member] Telken Tenements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Estimate Of Fair Value Fair Value Disclosure [Member] Este Tenements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Estimate Of Fair Value Fair Value Disclosure [Member] Piramides Tenements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Estimate Of Fair Value Fair Value Disclosure [Member] Tobias Tenements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Estimate Of Fair Value Fair Value Disclosure [Member] Limo Tenements [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Estimate Of Fair Value Fair Value Disclosure [Member] Los Azules Copper Project [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Estimate Of Fair Value Fair Value Disclosure [Member] Other United States Properties [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Estimate Of Fair Value Fair Value Disclosure [Member] Minera Santa Cruz S A [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Fair Value Inputs Level3 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Fair Value Inputs Level3 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Fair Value Inputs Level3 [Member] Telken Tenements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Fair Value Inputs Level3 [Member] Este Tenements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Fair Value Inputs Level3 [Member] Piramides Tenements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Fair Value Inputs Level3 [Member] Tobias Tenements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Fair Value Inputs Level3 [Member] Limo Tenements [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Fair Value Inputs Level3 [Member] Los Azules Copper Project [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Fair Value Inputs Level3 [Member] Other United States Properties [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value Measurements Nonrecurring [Member] Fair Value Inputs Level3 [Member] Minera Santa Cruz S A [Member]
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents												$ 15,149,000	$ 24,321,000	$ 15,149,000	$ 24,321,000
Assets												15,149,000	24,321,000	15,149,000	24,321,000									310,792,000	262,490,000	26,442,000	5,337,000	9,736,000	11,645,000	23,438,000	310,792,000	9,610,000		310,792,000	262,490,000	26,442,000	5,337,000	9,736,000	11,645,000	23,438,000	310,792,000	9,610,000
Liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities												1,093,000	177,000	1,093,000	177,000
Liabilities												1,093,000	177,000	1,093,000	177,000
Litigation settlement liabilities	1,100,000		1,100,000
Number of shares of common stock required to be issued as a part of settlement			379,400
Number of vendors to which shares of common stock are required to be issued as a part of settlement			1		1
Investment in MSC	210,425,000	212,947,000	210,425,000	212,947,000	212,947,000			210,425,000	212,947,000	273,948,000																							176,282,000										176,282,000
Total Loss	$ 120,398,000	$ 27,729,000	$ 120,398,000	$ 27,729,000		$ 120,400,000	$ 120,398,000				$ 120,398,000					$ 152,554,000	$ 13,792,000	$ 2,784,000	$ 5,079,000	$ 6,074,000	$ 19,450,000	$ 9,497,000	$ 95,878,000