XML 62 R27.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.0.8

Other Investments (Narrative) (Details) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended |  |  | 1 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2014 | Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) | Feb. 28, 2014 Midas Gold Corp [Member] USD ($) | Feb. 28, 2014 Midas Gold Corp [Member] CAD | Apr. 30, 2011 Midas Gold Corp [Member] | Sep. 30, 2014 Midas Gold Corp [Member] | Dec. 31, 2013 Midas Gold Corp [Member] | Apr. 30, 2011 Midas Gold Corp [Member] Private Placement [Member] USD ($)
Subsidiary, Sale of Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of shares issued in transaction, (Shares) |  |  |  |  |  |  | 30,402,615 |  |  |
Number of shares acquired (in shares) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,400,000
Aggregate purchase price |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 3,632
ProceedsFromSaleOfInvestmentProjects |  |  |  |  | (11,640) | 12,800 |  |  |  |
CommonStockSharesIssued |  |  |  |  | 16,000,000 | 16,000,000 |  |  |  |
Common stock, shares held (in shares) |  | 82,275,217 |  | 82,275,217 |  |  |  |  | 31,802,615 |
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues |  |  |  | 477 |  |  |  |  |  |
Total Midas Common Stock Outstanding (in shares) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 15,802,615 |  |
Percentage of basic shares of subsidiary held |  | 11.20% |  | 24.90% |  |  |  |  |  |
Deferred income tax benefit/(expense) | $ (1) |  | $ 15,373 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Common Stock Shares Outstanding |  | 82,275,217 |  | 82,275,217 |  |  |  |  | 31,802,615 |
Total Midas Common Stock Outstanding (in shares) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 15,802,615 |  |

X
- Definition Total number of shares of other common stock instruments held by shareholders, such as exchangeable shares. May be all or portion of the number of common shares authorized. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommonStockOtherSharesOutstanding
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Total number of common shares of an entity that have been sold or granted to shareholders (includes common shares that were issued, repurchased and remain in the treasury). These shares represent capital invested by the firm's shareholders and owners, and may be all or only a portion of the number of shares authorized. Shares issued include shares outstanding and shares held in the treasury. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 30 -Article 5 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Number of shares of common stock outstanding. Common stock represent the ownership interest in a corporation. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 30 -Article 5 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to income (loss) from continuing operations. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 6.I.7) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34349781&loc=d3e330036-122817 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 08 -Paragraph h -Article 4 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 6 -Section I -Subsection 7 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Deferred Tax Expense (or Benefit) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6510177 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32639-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The cash inflow from the sale of investment projects held by an entity in hopes of getting a future return or interest from it. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3179-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfInvestmentProjects
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The number of shares issued or sold by the subsidiary or equity method investee per stock transaction. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_SaleOfStockNumberOfSharesIssuedInTransaction
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Percentage of subsidiary's or equity investee's stock owned by parent company after stock transaction. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_SaleOfStockPercentageOfOwnershipAfterTransaction
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Equity impact of the value of new stock issued during the period. Includes shares issued in an initial public offering or a secondary public offering. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29, 30, 31 -Article 5 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueNewIssues
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The number of shares acquired in association with the significant investee's raising of capital. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | vgz_NumberOfSharesAcquired
Namespace Prefix: | vgz_
Data Type: | xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Purchase price of shares in a private placement. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | vgz_PurchasePriceOfPrivatePlacement
Namespace Prefix: | vgz_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant