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Other Investments (Narrative) (Details) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2014 Midas Gold Corp [Member] USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2014 Midas Gold Corp [Member] CAD	Apr. 30, 2011 Midas Gold Corp [Member]	Dec. 31, 2014 Midas Gold Corp [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Midas Gold Corp [Member] USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2014 Midas Gold Corp [Member] Subsequent Event [Member] USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2011 Midas Gold Corp [Member] Private Placement [Member] USD ($)
Subsidiary, Sale of Stock [Line Items]
Number of shares issued in transaction, (Shares)						30,402,615us-gaap_SaleOfStockNumberOfSharesIssuedInTransaction / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember
Number of shares acquired (in shares)										1,400,000vgz_NumberOfSharesAcquired / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember / us-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockAxis = us-gaap_PrivatePlacementMember
Aggregate purchase price										$ 3,632vgz_PurchasePriceOfPrivatePlacement / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember / us-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockAxis = us-gaap_PrivatePlacementMember
Expiration period of restrictions on the sale of shares				12 months	12 months
Common stock, shares held (in shares)							15,802,615us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember	31,802,615us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember	15,802,615us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember / us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis = us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Proceeds from Issuance or Sale of Equity									10,560us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOrSaleOfEquity / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember / us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis = us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues				16,000,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember	16,000,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember
Deferred income tax benefit/(expense)		15,373us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	20,147us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Valuation allowance	54,397us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	43,955us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	41,817us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
Unrealized loss on Midas Gold Shares	(4,267)us-gaap_UnrealizedGainLossOnInvestments	(48,499)us-gaap_UnrealizedGainLossOnInvestments	(50,363)us-gaap_UnrealizedGainLossOnInvestments
Unrealized Gain (Loss) Based on Fair Value at the End of the Period							(4,267)us-gaap_FairValueOptionChangesInFairValueGainLoss1 / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember	(48,499)us-gaap_FairValueOptionChangesInFairValueGainLoss1 / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember
Realized gain on other investments (Note 4)	155us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfInvestments
Sale of Stock, Price Per Share				$ (0.73)us-gaap_SaleOfStockPricePerShare / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember	0.80us-gaap_SaleOfStockPricePerShare / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember
Fair Value at beginning of period		21,055us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure						20,990us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember
Fair Value at beginning of period	21,055us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure						20,990us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember	69,489us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember
Proceeds from Sale of Other Investments	10,560us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfOtherInvestments						10,560us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfOtherInvestments / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember
Other investments (Note 4)	6,163us-gaap_OtherInvestments
Fair Value at end of period	6,163us-gaap_OtherInvestments
Fair Value at beginning of period
Estimated Income Tax Expense (Benefit), for the Period							1,478us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember	17,915us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember
Midas Gold shares held at the end of the period							15,802,615us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember	31,802,615us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember	15,802,615us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember / us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis = us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Fair Value of Investment in Subsidiary	$ 6,163vgz_FairValueOfInvestmentInSubsidiary						$ 6,163vgz_FairValueOfInvestmentInSubsidiary / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember	$ 20,990vgz_FairValueOfInvestmentInSubsidiary / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent	90.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent			11.20%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember	11.20%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = vgz_MidasGoldCorpMember

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