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Mineral Properties (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		119 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	1 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended							6 Months Ended			12 Months Ended		6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012 Long Valley, United States [Member]	Feb. 29, 2012 Concordia, Mexico [Member]	Aug. 31, 2003 Concordia, Mexico [Member]	Aug. 31, 2002 Concordia, Mexico [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Concordia, Mexico [Member]	Dec. 31, 2002 Concordia, Mexico [Member]	Feb. 07, 2012 Concordia, Mexico [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Concordia, Mexico [Member]	Jul. 31, 2002 Concordia, Mexico [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Concordia, Mexico [Member] Earn in Right Agreement [Member]	Feb. 07, 2012 Concordia, Mexico [Member] Earn in Right Agreement [Member]	Jul. 31, 2002 Concordia, Mexico [Member] Milestone Payment [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Guadalupe de los Reyes, Mexico [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Awak Mas, Indonesia [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Awak Mas, Indonesia [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Awak Mas, Indonesia [Member] Joint Venture Agreement [Member]	Apr. 30, 2005 Awak Mas, Indonesia [Member] Joint Venture Agreement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Awak Mas, Indonesia [Member] Additional Option Agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Awak Mas, Indonesia [Member] Additional Option Agreement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Awak Mas, Indonesia [Member] Additional Option Agreement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Mt. Todd, Australia [Member]
Mineral Properties Activity [Roll Forward]
Mineral properties net			$ 16,517			$ 750				$ 10,303								$ 2,752	$ 566							$ 2,146
Cost recovery			(2,566)			0				(2,000)								0	(566)							0
Mineral properties net	13,951		13,951		13,951	750				8,303								2,752	0							2,146
Acquisition costs								320	786
Option payments																							2,500	2,500
Percentage of equity interest acquired (in hundredths)												100.00%											80.00%
Cash paid for acquisition													1,300
Equity units issued or issuable (in shares)											303,030										2,000,000
Fair value of equity units issued or issuable														1,212
Additional cash paid for acquisition								320	665
Amount due upon achievement of milestone																	635
Payment for interest in project under the earn in agreement							2,000
Percentage interest to be earned by third party investor under agreement, before adjustment (in hundredths)																60.00%					60.00%
Adjusted percentage interest to be earned under agreement (in hundredths)															62.50%				80.00%
Voting rights in subsidiary held solely by reporting entity (in hundredths)										37.50%
Voting rights in subsidiary that are held in trust (in hundredths)										62.50%
Additional percentage interest to be earned under earn in right agreement (in hundredths)																									20.00%
Additional payment for interest in project under earn-in agreement												20,000
Value of option to acquire mill equipment												16,000
Purchase price of acquisition																						1,500
Additional amount of expenditure on project for earn-in right																					3,000
Additional shares issuable on initial public offering (in shares)																					2,000,000
Length of drilling program (in meters)																									5,000
Gain on disposal of mineral property, net	0	77,807	934	77,807	80,598																		934
Restricted cash																			$ 93	$ 134

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- Definition

The capitalized costs incurred during the period (excluded from amortization) to purchase, lease or otherwise acquire an unproved property, including costs of lease bonuses and options to purchase or lease properties, the portion of costs applicable to minerals when land including mineral rights is purchased in fee, brokers' fees, recording fees, legal costs, and other costs incurred in acquiring properties.

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Mineral properties, net of adjustments.

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