Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Common Stock Issuance of shares for cash in public offering, net of issuance costs of $838	Common Stock Issuance of shares for royalty buy-down	Common Stock Issuance of shares and $200 of cash to noncontrolling shareholder for future earn-in	Common Stock Issuance of shares on exercise of stock options	Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital Issuance of shares for cash in public offering, net of issuance costs of $838	Additional Paid-In Capital Issuance of shares for royalty buy-down	Additional Paid-In Capital Issuance of shares and $200 of cash to noncontrolling shareholder for future earn-in	Additional Paid-In Capital Issuance of shares on exercise of stock options	Additional Paid-In Capital Noncontrolling interest equity contribution 1	Additional Paid-In Capital	Accumulated Deficit	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Net unrealized (loss) on marketable equity securities (net of tax of $3,516)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Net unrealized (loss) on marketable equity securities (net of tax of $435)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Total Solitario Shareholders' Equity Issuance of shares for cash in public offering, net of issuance costs of $838	Total Solitario Shareholders' Equity Issuance of shares for royalty buy-down	Total Solitario Shareholders' Equity Issuance of shares and $200 of cash to noncontrolling shareholder for future earn-in	Total Solitario Shareholders' Equity Issuance of shares on exercise of stock options	Total Solitario Shareholders' Equity Noncontrolling interest equity contribution 1	Total Solitario Shareholders' Equity Net unrealized (loss) on marketable equity securities (net of tax of $3,516)	Total Solitario Shareholders' Equity Net unrealized (loss) on marketable equity securities (net of tax of $435)	Total Solitario Shareholders' Equity	Non-controlling Interest Noncontrolling interest equity contribution 1	Non-controlling Interest Noncontrolling interest equity contribution 3	Non-controlling Interest Noncontrolling interest equity contribution 2	Non-controlling Interest	Contra Non-controlling Interest Issuance of shares and $200 of cash to noncontrolling shareholder for future earn-in	Contra Non-controlling Interest	Issuance of shares for cash in public offering, net of issuance costs of $838	Issuance of shares for royalty buy-down	Issuance of shares and $200 of cash to noncontrolling shareholder for future earn-in	Issuance of shares on exercise of stock options	Noncontrolling interest equity contribution 1	Net unrealized (loss) on marketable equity securities (net of tax of $3,516)	Net unrealized (loss) on marketable equity securities (net of tax of $435)	Noncontrolling interest equity contribution 3	Noncontrolling interest equity contribution 2	Total
Beginning balance, Value at Dec. 31, 2008					$ 297						$ 35,611	$ (31,144)			$ 12,454								$ 17,218				$ 833		$ 0										$ 18,051
Beginning balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2008					29,750,242
Comprehensive income:
Net loss												(1,786)											(1,786)				(419)												(2,205)
Net unrealized loss on marketable equity securities														(732)								(732)														(732)
Comprehensive loss																							(2,518)				(419)												(2,937)
Loan to non-controlling interest
Ending balance, Value at Dec. 31, 2009					297						35,611	(32,930)			11,722								14,700				414												15,114
Ending balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2009					29,750,242
Comprehensive income:
Net loss												(4,066)											(4,066)				(1,274)												(5,340)
Comprehensive loss																							(4,002)				(1,274)												(5,276)
Noncontrolling interest equity contribution										1,188										1,188				1,594		3,000								2,782				3,000
Deconsolidation of PBM subsidiary																											(1,844)												(1,844)
Net unrealized gain on marketable equity securities (net of tax of $163)															64								64																64
Loan to non-controlling interest
Ending balance, Value at Dec. 31, 2010					297						36,799	(36,996)			11,786								11,886				1,890												13,776
Ending balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2010					29,750,242
Comprehensive income:
Net loss												(3,377)											(3,377)				(3,591)												(6,968)
Net unrealized loss on marketable equity securities													(5,909)								(5,909)														(5,909)
Comprehensive loss																							(9,286)				(3,591)												(12,877)
Noncontrolling interest equity contribution																									584												584
Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle, net of deferred tax of $543											1,240	992											2,232																2,232
Issuance of common stock, Value	39	3	1	2		8,898	997	139	245							8,937	1,000	140	247									(340)		8,937	1,000	(200)	247
Issuance of common stock, Shares	3,910,000	344,116	50,000	150,600
Loan to non-controlling interest																											(504)												(504)
Stock option expense											697												697																697
Accrued interest on advance to non-controlling interest																											(19)												(19)
Ending balance, Value at Dec. 31, 2011					$ 342						$ 49,015	$ (39,381)			$ 5,877								$ 15,853				$ (1,640)		$ (340)										$ 13,873
Ending balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2011					34,204,958