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Mineral Properties (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
 1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2014
Jan. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Oct. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2016
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                
Payment to be made under letter of interest   $ 50,000vgz_PaymentToBeMadeUnderLetterOfInterest            
Proceeds to be received from sale of joint venture interest       (7,000)vgz_ProceedsToBeReceivedFromSaleOfJointVentureInterest        
Percentage of interest sold     100.00%vgz_PercentageOfInterestSold          
ExclusivityPeriod   90 days            
Payments to Acquire Interest in Joint Venture 500,000us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireInterestInJointVenture              
Gain on disposal of mineral property, net         2,934,000vgz_GainLossOnDispositionOfMineralPropertyNetOfCosts      
Write-down of mineral property     (750,000)us-gaap_ImpairmentOfOngoingProject   (250,000)us-gaap_ImpairmentOfOngoingProject      
Write-down of mineral property     750,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfOngoingProject   250,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfOngoingProject      
Subsequent Event [Member]                
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                
Proceeds to be received from sale of joint venture interest     6,000,000vgz_ProceedsToBeReceivedFromSaleOfJointVentureInterest
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		          
Los Cardones, Mexico [Member]                
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                
Sale price of gold project     13,000,000vgz_SalePriceOfGoldProject
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= vgz_ConcordiaMexicoMember		          
Proceeds from Divestiture of Interest in Subsidiaries and Affiliates           7,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfInterestInSubsidiariesAndAffiliates
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= vgz_ConcordiaMexicoMember		    
Cangold Limited [Member]                
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                
Percentage of Interest in joint venture to be returned upon election not to make payment   70.00%vgz_PercentageOfInterestInJointVentureToBeReturnedUponElectionNotToMakePayment
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= vgz_CangoldLimitedMember		            
Cangold Limited [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]                
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                
Number of payments   5vgz_NumberOfPayments
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= vgz_CangoldLimitedMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		            
Period of payment   3 years            
Additional payment to acquire interest in joint venture   3,000,000vgz_AdditionalPaymentToAcquireInterestInJointVenture
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= vgz_CangoldLimitedMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		            
Percentage of additional interest in joint venture to be earned   30.00%vgz_PercentageOfAdditionalInterestInJointVentureToBeEarned
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= vgz_CangoldLimitedMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		            
Payments to Acquire Interest in Joint Venture   5,000,000,000us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireInterestInJointVenture
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= vgz_CangoldLimitedMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		            
Second Year [Member] | Cangold Limited [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]                
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                
Payments to Acquire Interest in Joint Venture             1,500,000us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireInterestInJointVenture
/ vgz_JointVentureInstallmentPaymentsAxis
= vgz_SecondYearMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= vgz_CangoldLimitedMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		  
First Year [Member] | Cangold Limited [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]                
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                
Payments to Acquire Interest in Joint Venture     1,000,000us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireInterestInJointVenture
/ vgz_JointVentureInstallmentPaymentsAxis
= vgz_FirstYearMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= vgz_CangoldLimitedMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		          
Third Year [Member] | Cangold Limited [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]                
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                
Payments to Acquire Interest in Joint Venture               2,500,000us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireInterestInJointVenture
/ vgz_JointVentureInstallmentPaymentsAxis
= vgz_ThirdYearMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= vgz_CangoldLimitedMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Buy back Option [Member] | Cangold Limited [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]                
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                
Payments to Acquire Interest in Joint Venture   $ 5,000,000us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireInterestInJointVenture
/ vgz_JointVentureInstallmentPaymentsAxis
= vgz_BuyBackOptionMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= vgz_CangoldLimitedMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember