Employee Stock Compensation Plans	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Employee Stock Compensation Plans	8. Employee Stock Compensation Plans The 2006 Plan On June 27, 2006, Solitario’s shareholders approved the 2006 Stock Option Incentive Plan (the “2006 Plan”). On June 27, 2016, the 2006 Plan terminated and as of that date no additional options may be granted pursuant to the 2006 Plan. During the nine months ended September 30, 2016, Solitario granted options to acquire 350,000 shares of common stock under the 2006 Plan. These options were subsequently surrendered by the holders and cancelled on August 24, 2016. As a result of the cancellation Solitario recognized $84,000 of unamortized grant date fair value as of the date of the cancellation under the 2006 Plan. No options were exercised during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 under the 2006 Plan. The 2013 Plan On June 18, 2013 Solitario’s shareholders approved the 2013 Solitario Exploration & Royalty Corp. Omnibus Stock and Incentive Plan (the “2013 Plan”). On June 29, 2017, Solitario shareholders approved an amendment to the 2013 Plan, which increased the number of shares available of common stock for issuance under the 2013 Plan from 1,750,000 to 5,750,000. Under the terms of the 2013 Plan, the Board of Directors may grant awards to directors, officers, employees and consultants. Such awards may take the form of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, and restricted stock units. The terms and conditions of the awards are pursuant to the 2013 Plan and are granted by the Board of Directors or a committee appointed by the Board of Directors. In connection with the Acquisition, on July 12, 2017, Solitario granted 1,782,428 Replacement Options. The Replacement Options were priced between $2.24 per share and $0.70 per share with terms between 10 months and 18 months. In accordance with the terms of the Acquisition, the Replacement Options were fully vested upon grant. The Replacement Options had a grant date fair value of $164,000, based upon Black-Scholes models with an expected volatility of 67% and a risk-free interest rate of 1.00%. The grant date fair value was capitalized as part of the purchase price of the Zazu assets acquired in the Acquisition. See Note 1, “Recent developments” above. On September 1, 2017, the Board of Directors granted 200,000 stock options under the 2013 Plan. The options have a five-year life, vested 25% on the date of grant and vest 25% on each of the next three anniversary dates of the date of grant, and have an exercise price of $0.77 per share, and a grant date fair value of $84,000, based upon a Black-Scholes model with a an expected volatility of 64%, and a risk free interest rate of 1.70%. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, Solitario recorded stock option compensation related to these options of $23,000. On September 1, 2017, the Board of Directors granted, subject to shareholder approval at the next meeting of shareholders, an additional 2,300,000 stock options under the 2013 Plan to officers and members of the Board of Directors. These options have a five-year life, and exercise price of $0.77 per share, and a grant date fair value of $970,0000, based upon a Black-Scholes model with a volatility of 64%, and a risk free interest rate of 1.70%. Although the options will vest on the schedule of 25% on date of grant and 25% on each of the next three anniversary dates of the date of grant, the options will not become exercisable in whole or in part unless Solitario shareholders approve the grants, and the option grants will be void if Solitario shareholders do not approve the grants. Solitario will not record any stock option expense related to these options until the shareholder approval is received. On July 28, 2016, the Board of Directors granted 1,699,000 stock options under the 2013 Plan. These options were subsequently surrendered by the holders and cancelled on August 24, 2016. As a result of the cancellation, Solitario recognized $637,000 of unamortized grant date fair value as of the date of the cancellation under the 2013 Plan. There were no exercises of options or awards under the 2013 Plan during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 or 2016.

Employee Stock Compensation Plans

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

8. Employee Stock Compensation Plans

The 2006 Plan

On June 27, 2006, Solitario’s shareholders approved the 2006 Stock Option Incentive Plan (the “2006 Plan”). On June 27, 2016, the 2006 Plan terminated and as of that date no additional options may be granted pursuant to the 2006 Plan. During the nine months ended September 30, 2016, Solitario granted options to acquire 350,000 shares of common stock under the 2006 Plan. These options were subsequently surrendered by the holders and cancelled on August 24, 2016. As a result of the cancellation Solitario recognized $84,000 of unamortized grant date fair value as of the date of the cancellation under the 2006 Plan. No options were exercised during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 under the 2006 Plan.

The 2013 Plan

On June 18, 2013 Solitario’s shareholders approved the 2013 Solitario Exploration & Royalty Corp. Omnibus Stock and Incentive Plan (the “2013 Plan”). On June 29, 2017, Solitario shareholders approved an amendment to the 2013 Plan, which increased the number of shares available of common stock for issuance under the 2013 Plan from 1,750,000 to 5,750,000. Under the terms of the 2013 Plan, the Board of Directors may grant awards to directors, officers, employees and consultants. Such awards may take the form of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, and restricted stock units. The terms and conditions of the awards are pursuant to the 2013 Plan and are granted by the Board of Directors or a committee appointed by the Board of Directors.

In connection with the Acquisition, on July 12, 2017, Solitario granted 1,782,428 Replacement Options. The Replacement Options were priced between $2.24 per share and $0.70 per share with terms between 10 months and 18 months. In accordance with the terms of the Acquisition, the Replacement Options were fully vested upon grant. The Replacement Options had a grant date fair value of $164,000, based upon Black-Scholes models with an expected volatility of 67% and a risk-free interest rate of 1.00%. The grant date fair value was capitalized as part of the purchase price of the Zazu assets acquired in the Acquisition. See Note 1, “Recent developments” above.

On September 1, 2017, the Board of Directors granted 200,000 stock options under the 2013 Plan. The options have a five-year life, vested 25% on the date of grant and vest 25% on each of the next three anniversary dates of the date of grant, and have an exercise price of $0.77 per share, and a grant date fair value of $84,000, based upon a Black-Scholes model with a an expected volatility of 64%, and a risk free interest rate of 1.70%. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, Solitario recorded stock option compensation related to these options of $23,000.

On September 1, 2017, the Board of Directors granted, subject to shareholder approval at the next meeting of shareholders, an additional 2,300,000 stock options under the 2013 Plan to officers and members of the Board of Directors. These options have a five-year life, and exercise price of $0.77 per share, and a grant date fair value of $970,0000, based upon a Black-Scholes model with a volatility of 64%, and a risk free interest rate of 1.70%. Although the options will vest on the schedule of 25% on date of grant and 25% on each of the next three anniversary dates of the date of grant, the options will not become exercisable in whole or in part unless Solitario shareholders approve the grants, and the option grants will be void if Solitario shareholders do not approve the grants. Solitario will not record any stock option expense related to these options until the shareholder approval is received.

On July 28, 2016, the Board of Directors granted 1,699,000 stock options under the 2013 Plan. These options were subsequently surrendered by the holders and cancelled on August 24, 2016. As a result of the cancellation, Solitario recognized $637,000 of unamortized grant date fair value as of the date of the cancellation under the 2013 Plan. There were no exercises of options or awards under the 2013 Plan during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 or 2016.