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Represents the Back-in Right as a percentage of equity required to be owned as a part of settlement.

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Represents the number of shares agreed to be issued by the entity under the agreement.

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Represents the number of shares remaining under the agreement.

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Fair value portion of trade and related party payables and accrued expenses.

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Amount of write-down of assets recognized in the income statement. Includes, but is not limited to, losses from tangible assets, intangible assets and goodwill.

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Fair value portion of probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events.

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The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

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Interest rate used to find the present value of an amount to be paid or received in the future as an input to measure fair value. For example, but not limited to, weighted average cost of capital (WACC), cost of capital, cost of equity and cost of debt.

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Fair value portion of investment securities, including, but not limited to, marketable securities, derivative financial instruments, and investments accounted for under the equity method.

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Total investments in (A) an entity in which the entity has significant influence, but does not have control, (B) subsidiaries that are not required to be consolidated and are accounted for using the equity and or cost method, and (C) an entity in which the reporting entity shares control of the entity with another party or group. Includes long-term advances receivable from a party that is affiliated with the reporting entity by means of direct or indirect ownership.

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Fair value of financial and nonfinancial obligations.

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FAIR VALUE ACCOUNTING (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
FAIR VALUE ACCOUNTING (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Jan. 24, 2012
Liabilities:
Number of shares of common stock required to be issued as a part of settlement	712,830	90,300
Fair Value of remaining common shares outstanding payable	$ 400,000	$ 200,000
Ownership interest (as a percent)	100.00%			100.00%
Number of shares remaining under agreement	319,640	90,300
Investment in MSC	177,018,000	212,947,000	273,948,000	177,018,000		212,947,000
Total Loss	353,736,000us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges	62,963,000us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges	18,468,000us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges
ARGENTINA
Liabilities:
Total Loss	27,000,000
Other United States Properties
Liabilities:
Total Loss			2,900,000
Los Azules Copper Project
Liabilities:
Discount Rate (as a percent)	35.00%			35.00%	35.00%
Total Loss	228,300,000			107,900,000	120,400,000
Tonkin Complex
Liabilities:
Total Loss	25,400,000
Gold Bar Complex
Liabilities:
Total Loss	31,400,000
North Battle Mountain Complex Located in Nevada, United States
Liabilities:
Total Loss	1,900,000
MSC
Liabilities:
Discount Rate (as a percent)	20.00%					40.00%	40.00%
Ownership interest (as a percent)	49.00%	49.00%	49.00%	49.00%		49.00%		49.00%
Investment in MSC	177,018,000	212,947,000	273,948,000	177,018,000		212,947,000
Total Loss	21,200,000
TNR \| Los Azules Copper Project
Liabilities:
Back-in Right required to be owned as a percentage of equity	0.40%
Recurring \| Total
Assets:
Investments	1,082,000	2,000		1,082,000		2,000
Assets	1,082,000	2,000		1,082,000		2,000
Liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	355,000	177,000		355,000		177,000
Liabilities	355,000	177,000		355,000		177,000
Recurring \| Level 1
Assets:
Investments	1,082,000	2,000		1,082,000		2,000
Assets	1,082,000	2,000		1,082,000		2,000
Liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	355,000	177,000		355,000		177,000
Liabilities	355,000	177,000		355,000		177,000
Nonrecurring
Liabilities:
Total Loss	308,210,000	152,554,000
Nonrecurring \| Telken Tenements
Liabilities:
Total Loss		13,792,000
Nonrecurring \| Other United States Properties
Liabilities:
Total Loss		9,497,000
Nonrecurring \| Este Tenements
Liabilities:
Total Loss		2,784,000
Nonrecurring \| Piramides Tenements
Liabilities:
Total Loss		5,079,000
Nonrecurring \| Tobias Tenements
Liabilities:
Total Loss		6,074,000
Nonrecurring \| Los Azules Copper Project
Liabilities:
Total Loss	228,301,000
Nonrecurring \| Tonkin Complex
Liabilities:
Total Loss	31,391,000
Nonrecurring \| Gold Bar Complex
Liabilities:
Total Loss	25,435,000
Nonrecurring \| Limo Complex
Liabilities:
Total Loss		19,450,000
Nonrecurring \| North Battle Mountain Complex Located in Nevada, United States
Liabilities:
Total Loss	1,921,000
Nonrecurring \| MSC
Liabilities:
Total Loss	21,162,000	95,878,000
Nonrecurring \| Total
Assets:
Assets	454,134,000	262,490,000		454,134,000		262,490,000
Nonrecurring \| Total \| Telken Tenements
Assets:
Assets		26,442,000				26,442,000
Nonrecurring \| Total \| Other United States Properties
Assets:
Assets		9,610,000				9,610,000
Nonrecurring \| Total \| Este Tenements
Assets:
Assets		5,337,000				5,337,000
Nonrecurring \| Total \| Piramides Tenements
Assets:
Assets		9,736,000				9,736,000
Nonrecurring \| Total \| Tobias Tenements
Assets:
Assets		11,645,000				11,645,000
Nonrecurring \| Total \| Los Azules Copper Project
Assets:
Assets	202,889,000			202,889,000
Nonrecurring \| Total \| Tonkin Complex
Assets:
Assets	20,423,000			20,423,000
Nonrecurring \| Total \| Gold Bar Complex
Assets:
Assets	51,577,000			51,577,000
Nonrecurring \| Total \| Limo Complex
Assets:
Assets		23,438,000				23,438,000
Nonrecurring \| Total \| North Battle Mountain Complex Located in Nevada, United States
Assets:
Assets	2,227,000			2,227,000
Nonrecurring \| Total \| MSC
Assets:
Assets	177,018,000			177,018,000
Liabilities:
Investment in MSC		176,282,000				176,282,000
Nonrecurring \| Level 3
Assets:
Assets	454,134,000	262,490,000		454,134,000		262,490,000
Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| Telken Tenements
Assets:
Assets		26,442,000				26,442,000
Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| Other United States Properties
Assets:
Assets		9,610,000				9,610,000
Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| Este Tenements
Assets:
Assets		5,337,000				5,337,000
Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| Piramides Tenements
Assets:
Assets		9,736,000				9,736,000
Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| Tobias Tenements
Assets:
Assets		11,645,000				11,645,000
Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| Los Azules Copper Project
Assets:
Assets	202,889,000			202,889,000
Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| Los Azules Copper Project \| Market Approach Valuation \| Weighted Average
Liabilities:
Discount Rate (as a percent)	35.00%
Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| Tonkin Complex
Assets:
Assets	20,423,000			20,423,000
Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| Gold Bar Complex
Assets:
Assets	51,577,000			51,577,000
Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| Limo Complex
Assets:
Assets		23,438,000				23,438,000
Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| North Battle Mountain Complex Located in Nevada, United States
Assets:
Assets	2,227,000			2,227,000
Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| MSC
Assets:
Assets	177,018,000			177,018,000
Liabilities:
Investment in MSC		176,282,000				176,282,000
Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| MSC \| Market Approach Valuation \| Weighted Average \| ARGENTINA
Liabilities:
Discount Rate (as a percent)	20.00%
Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| MSC \| Discounted Cash Flow \| Weighted Average
Liabilities:
Discount Rate (as a percent)	10.00%	10.00%
Long Term Gold Price (in dollars per ounce)	1,300	1,300
Long Term Silver Price (in dollars per ounce)	20.50	22.75
Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| MSC \| Discounted Cash Flow \| Weighted Average \| ARGENTINA
Liabilities:
Inflation index (as a percent)	11.90%	10.00%
Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| MSC \| Discounted Cash Flow \| Weighted Average \| UNITED STATES
Liabilities:
Inflation index (as a percent)	2.10%	1.70%
Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| MSC \| La Merced Tenements \| Market Approach Valuation \| Weighted Average
Liabilities:
Discount Rate (as a percent)		40.00%
Nevada
Liabilities:
Total Loss	98,400,000
Nevada \| Other United States Properties
Liabilities:
Total Loss	9,611,000	9,497,000	2,902,000
Nevada \| Tonkin Complex
Liabilities:
Total Loss	31,391,000
Nevada \| Gold Bar Complex
Liabilities:
Total Loss	25,435,000
Nevada \| Limo Complex
Liabilities:
Total Loss	23,438,000	19,450,000
Nevada \| North Battle Mountain Complex Located in Nevada, United States
Liabilities:
Total Loss	1,921,000		14,044,000
Nevada \| East Battle Mountain Complex Located in Nevada, United States
Liabilities:
Total Loss	4,060,000
Nevada \| West Battle Mountain Complex
Liabilities:
Total Loss	2,567,000	6,287,000
Non-core Nevada
Liabilities:
Total Loss	$ 39,700,000