FEDERAL INCOME TAXES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Income taxes and operating loss carryforwards
Increase in valuation allowance	$ 3,800	$ 3,800
Income tax reconciliation description	The United States enacted comprehensive tax reform legislation known as the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act' that, among other things, reduces the U.S. Federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% and implements a territorial tax system, but imposes an alternative 'base erosion and anti-abuse tax' ('BEAT'), and incremental tax on global intangible low tax foreign income ('GILTI') effective January 1, 2018.
Percentage on Federal corporate income tax rate	21.00%	21.00%
Percentage of valuation allowance recorded against the net deferred tax assets	100.00%
Capital loss carryforward	$ 393	$ 728
Deferred tax assets, operating loss carryforwards	13,795	11,666
Section 382
Income taxes and operating loss carryforwards
Net operating loss carryforwards	$ 221,600
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Limitations on Use	A formal Section 382 study would be required to determine the actual allowable usage of US net operating loss carryforwards. However, based on information currently available, the Company currently estimates that $221.6 million of the US net operating losses will not be able to be utilized and have reduced the Company's deferred tax asset accordingly.
Alabama Graphite Corp.
Income taxes and operating loss carryforwards
Net operating loss carryforwards	$ 1,600
Neutron Energy Inc
Income taxes and operating loss carryforwards
Net operating loss carryforwards	32,800
United States
Income taxes and operating loss carryforwards
Net operating loss carryforwards	$ 253,000
Capital loss carryforward		$ 800
United States \| Minimum
Income taxes and operating loss carryforwards
Operating loss carryforwards expiration year	2019
Capital loss carryforwards expiration year		2021
United States \| Maximum
Income taxes and operating loss carryforwards
Operating loss carryforwards expiration year	Indefinite availability
Capital loss carryforwards expiration year		2022
Australia
Income taxes and operating loss carryforwards
Net operating loss carryforwards		$ 15,500
Turkey
Income taxes and operating loss carryforwards
Net operating loss carryforwards		$ 4,900
Turkey \| Minimum
Income taxes and operating loss carryforwards
Operating loss carryforwards expiration year		2019
Turkey \| Maximum
Income taxes and operating loss carryforwards
Operating loss carryforwards expiration year		2023
Anatolia
Income taxes and operating loss carryforwards
Net operating loss carryforwards		$ 13,300

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible capital loss carryforwards.

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