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Significant Accounting Policies (Policy) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014
Principles of Consolidation | Principles of Consolidation The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Vista Gold Corp. and more-than-50%-owned subsidiaries that it controls and entities over which control is achieved through means other than voting rights. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.
Use of Estimates | Use of Estimates The Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). The preparation of the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. The more significant areas requiring the use of management estimates and assumptions relating to capital costs of projects; mine closure and reclamation obligations; useful lives for asset depreciation purposes; valuation allowances for deferred tax assets; the fair value and accounting treatment of financial instruments including marketable securities and stock-based compensation; and asset impairments (including impairments long-lived assets and investments). The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Accordingly, actual results will differ from these amounts estimated in these financial statements.
Mineral Property | Mineral Properties Mineral property acquisition costs, including directly related costs, are capitalized when incurred, and mineral property exploration costs are expensed as incurred. When we determine that a mineral property can be economically developed in accordance with U.S. GAAP, the costs then incurred to develop such property will be capitalized. Capitalized costs will be depleted using the units-of-production method over the estimated life of the proven and probable reserves. If mineral properties are subsequently abandoned or impaired, any undepleted costs will be charged to loss in that period. The recoverability of the carrying values of our mineral properties is dependent upon economic reserves being discovered or developed on the properties, permitting, financing, start-up, and commercial production from, or the sale/lease of, or other strategic transactions related to these properties. Development and/or start-up of any of these projects will depend on, among other things, management’s ability to raise additional capital for these purposes. We assess the carrying cost of our mineral properties for impairment whenever information or circumstances indicate the potential for impairment. This would include events and circumstances such as our inability to obtain all the necessary permits, changes in the legal status of our mineral properties, government actions, the results of exploration activities and technical evaluations and changes in economic conditions, including the price of gold and other commodities or input prices. Such evaluations compare estimated future net cash flows with our carrying costs and future obligations on an undiscounted basis. If it is determined that the estimated future undiscounted cash flows are less than the carrying value of the property, a write-down to the estimated fair value will then be reported in our Consolidated Statement of Income/(Loss) for the period. Where estimates of future net cash flows are not determinable and where other conditions indicate the potential for impairment, management uses its judgment to assess if the carrying value can be recovered and to estimate fair value.
Impairment | Impairment Carrying values of royalty interests and other long-lived assets, other than mineral properties, are evaluated for impairment at such time that information becomes available indicating that the carrying value may not be recoverable. If it is determined that the fair value is less than the carrying value an impairment charge equal to the difference between the fair value and the carrying value will be recorded in our Consolidated Statements of Income/(Loss) and Comprehensive Income/(Loss).
Assets held for sale | Assets held for sale Plant and equipment is classified as held for sale when the following conditions are met: (i) assets (or group of assets) are actively marketed for a price reasonable to the fair value at the time of sale; (ii) management has committed to a plan to sell the assets (or group of assets); (iii) the assets (or group of assets) are available for sale in current condition; and (iv) sale is probable within the next 12 months.
Impairment Of Mineral Properties | Foreign Currency Translation Gains and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions denominated in currency other than the functional currency are recorded at the approximate rate of exchange at the transaction date in other expense, net. For each of the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, we recorded insignificant net foreign currency losses. Mineral Properties Mineral property acquisition costs, including directly related costs, are capitalized when incurred, and mineral property exploration costs are expensed as incurred. When we determine that a mineral property can be economically developed in accordance with U.S. GAAP, the costs then incurred to develop such property will be capitalized. Capitalized costs will be depleted using the units-of-production method over the estimated life of the proven and probable reserves. If mineral properties are subsequently abandoned or impaired, any undepleted costs will be charged to loss in that period. The recoverability of the carrying values of our mineral properties is dependent upon economic reserves being discovered or developed on the properties, permitting, financing, start-up, and commercial production from, or the sale/lease of, or other strategic transactions related to these properties. Development and/or start-up of any of these projects will depend on, among other things, management’s ability to raise additional capital for these purposes. We assess the carrying cost of our mineral properties for impairment whenever information or circumstances indicate the potential for impairment. This would include events and circumstances such as our inability to obtain all the necessary permits, changes in the legal status of our mineral properties, government actions, the results of exploration activities and technical evaluations and changes in economic conditions, including the price of gold and other commodities or input prices. Such evaluations compare estimated future net cash flows with our carrying costs and future obligations on an undiscounted basis. If it is determined that the estimated future undiscounted cash flows are less than the carrying value of the property, a write-down to the estimated fair value will then be reported in our Consolidated Statement of Income/(Loss) for the period. Where estimates of future net cash flows are not determinable and where other conditions indicate the potential for impairment, management uses its judgment to assess if the carrying value can be recovered and to estimate fair value.
Financial Instruments Policy | Financial Instruments Accounting Standards Codification Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (“ASC 820”) of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. ASC 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy based on the level of independent, objective evidence surrounding the inputs used to measure fair value. A financial instrument’s categorization within the fair value hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. ASC 820 prioritizes the inputs into three levels that may be used to measure fair value:
| · |  | Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities.
| · |  | Level 2 – Observable inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, including quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets and liabilities in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means.
| · |  | Level 3 – Prices or valuation techniques requiring inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable.
Our financial instruments include cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities, short- and long-term investments, accounts payable and certain other current assets and liabilities. Due to the short-term nature of our cash and cash equivalents, accounts payable and certain other current assets and liabilities, we believe that their carrying amounts approximate fair value. Our marketable securities are classified as available-for-sale. Accordingly, these securities are carried at fair value, which is based upon quoted market prices in an active market and included in Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. Our other investments, comprised of Midas Gold Shares, is accounted for using the fair value option based on quoted market prices in an active market and is included in Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.
Foreign Currency Translation | Foreign Currency Translation Gains and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions denominated in currency other than the functional currency are recorded at the approximate rate of exchange at the transaction date in other expense, net. For each of the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, we recorded insignificant net foreign currency losses.
Recent accounting pronouncements | Elimination of Certain Financial Reporting Requirements, Including an Amendment to Variable Interest Entities Guidance in Topic 810, Consolidation In June 2014, the FASB issued guidance related to financial statement presentation for development stage enterprises. The standard removes the definition of a development stage entity from the Master Glossary of the Accounting Standards Codification, thereby removing the financial reporting distinction between development stage entities and other reporting entities from U.S. GAAP. In addition, the standard eliminates the requirements for development stage entities to (1) present inception-to-date information in the statements of income, cash flows, and shareholder equity, (2) label the financial statements as those of a development stage entity, (3) disclose a description of the development stage activities in which the entity is engaged, and (4) disclose in the first year in which the entity is no longer a development stage entity that in prior years it had been in the development stage. The standard is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2014, and interim periods therein, with early adoption permitted. As a result, we adopted this standard as of June 30, 2014 and eliminated since inception information from our financial statements. Presentation of Financial Statements - Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40) In Au gust 2014, the FASB issued guidance related to financial statement presentation regarding disclosures about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. The new guidance addresses management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures. Management’s evaluation should be based on relevant conditions and events that are known and reasonably knowable at the date that the financial statements are issued. The standard is effective for the first interim period within annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, with early adoption permitted. We do not expect to early adopt this guidance and do not believe that the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on our financial statements.
Warrants and Compensation Options [Member] |
Warrants And Compensation Options | Warrants and Compensation Options Warrants and compensation options issued are recorded at grant date fair value using the Black-Scholes option pricing model.
Stock Based Compensation [Member] |
Stock-Based Compensation | Stock-Based Compensation Under our stock option and long-term incentive plans, common share options and restricted stock units (“RSU”) may be granted to executives, employees, consultants and non-employee directors. Compensation expense for such grants is recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Income/(Loss) and Comprehensive Income/(Loss) as a component of Exploration, property evaluation and holding costs and Corporate administration, with a corresponding increase to Additional paid-in capital in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The fair values of the options are calculated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model and forfeiture rates based on historic trends. The expense is based on the fair values of the grant on the grant date and is recognized over the vesting period specified for each grant.

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