Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of liabilities incurred (and for which invoices have typically been received) and payable to vendors for goods and services received that are used in an entity's business. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Long-Term Investments (Details)	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		119 Months Ended						1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended
Long-Term Investments (Details)	Apr. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2011 CAD	Jun. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Apr. 06, 2011 USD ($)	Apr. 06, 2011 CAD	Dec. 31, 2010 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2002 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2011 Midas Gold Corp [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Midas Gold Corp [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Midas Gold Corp [Member] CAD	Dec. 31, 2011 Midas Gold Corp [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Midas Gold Corp [Member] CAD	Sep. 30, 2011 Midas Gold Corp [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 Midas Gold Corp [Member] CAD	Jun. 30, 2011 Midas Gold Corp [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2011 Midas Gold Corp [Member] CAD	Jun. 30, 2012 Midas Gold Corp [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Midas Gold Corp [Member]	Apr. 06, 2011 Midas Gold Corp [Member] USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2011 Midas Gold Corp [Member] IPO [Member]	Apr. 30, 2011 Midas Gold Corp [Member] Private Placement [Member]
Subsidiary, Sale of Stock [Line Items]
Number of shares issued in transaction													30,402,615												13,930,855	6,129,800
Purchase price per share (in dollars per share)									$ 2.59	2.50
Proceeds from issuance of private placement	$ 15,876,000	15,325.000
Number of shares acquired (in shares)	1,400,000	1,400,000
Aggregate purchase price									3,632,000	3,500.000
Percentage of basic shares of subsidiary held (in hundredths)													37.40%										27.80%
Percentage of diluted shares of subsidiary held (in hundredths)													34.20%
Common stock, shares outstanding (in shares)			72,207,144		72,207,144		72,207,144	71,503,883						114,466,936	114,466,936									31,802,615
Fair value of shares received																						77,535,000		78,872,000
Deferred income tax benefit/(expense)			13,210,000	(23,589,000)	16,201,000	(23,589,000)	(19,321,000)						29,675,000
Valuation allowance																								6,086,000
Unrealized loss on Midas Gold Shares			(34,951,000)	0	(42,316,000)	0	(4,969,000)															42,316,000
Income tax benefit																						15,724,000
Effective income tax rate (in hundredths)																						38.87%
US Federal statutory income tax rate (in hundredths)																						35.00%
State effective income tax rate (in hundredths)																						3.87%
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents			7,503,000	32,991,000	7,503,000	32,991,000	7,503,000	17,873,000			39,838,000	674,000		61,855,000
Trade and other receivables														290,000
Prepaid expenses														99,000
Total current assets			10,120,000		10,120,000		10,120,000	20,170,000						62,244,000
Non-current assets
Buildings and equipment			19,564,000		19,564,000		19,564,000	19,232,000						2,951,000
Exploration and evaluation assets														129,679,000
Reclamation bond														18,000
Total non-current assets			115,928,000		115,928,000		115,928,000	160,433,000						132,648,000
Total assets			126,048,000		126,048,000		126,048,000	180,603,000						194,892,000
Current liabilities
Trade and other payables			966,000		966,000		966,000	757,000						3,569,000
Current portion of notes payable														182,000
Accrued interest			2,033,000		2,033,000		2,033,000	2,466,000						18,000
Total current liabilities			2,999,000		2,999,000		2,999,000	3,223,000						3,769,000
Long-term portion of notes payable														561,000
Shareholders' equity
Share capital														193,509,000
Equity reserve														13,787,000
Deficit														(16,734,000)
Total equity			103,094,000		103,094,000		103,094,000	141,223,000						190,562,000
Total liabilities and equity			126,048,000		126,048,000		126,048,000	180,603,000						194,892,000
Operating expense			(8,953,000)	71,259,000	(15,950,000)	67,123,000	(29,969,000)							(2,927,000)		(3,949,000)		(2,988,000)		(3,349,000)
Other income/(expense)														482,000		1,645,000		(3,768,000)		(52,000)
Net income/(loss)			$ (30,504,000)	$ 47,764,000	$ (41,728,000)	$ 43,887,000	$ (66,382,000)							$ (2,445,000)		$ (2,304,000)		$ (6,756,000)		$ (3,401,000)
Net loss per share, basic and diluted (in dollars per share)															(0.02)		(0.02)		(0.07)		(0.04)
Weighted average number of shares outstanding, basic and diluted (in shares)														107,008,000	107,008,000	105,248,000	105,248,000	102,557,000	102,557,000	86,903,000	86,903,000