Property, Plant and Equipment and Assets Held for Sale (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Property, Plant and Equipment and Assets Held for Sale

Schedule of components of property, plant and equipment

	December 31,
	2013			2012
	(in thousands)
Mineral properties	$	22,397		$	239,200
Exploration properties	2,993			15,685
Royalty properties	200			200
Buildings	2,349			4,808
Mining equipment and machinery	19,441			29,185
Other furniture and equipment	1,054			2,204
Asset retirement cost	2,087			1,883
	50,521			293,165
Less: Accumulated depreciation & amortization	(18,146		)	(12,260		)
	32,375			280,905

Schedule of impairment charges recorded to the Velardena Properties property, plant and equipment and the San Diego mineral property

	Impairment Charges
	Velardeña
	Properties		San Diego		Total
	Asset Group		Asset Group		Impairment
Mineral properties	$	217,524	$	—	$	217,524
Exploration properties	3,472		8,659		12,131
Royalty properties	—		—		—
Buildings	3,036		—		3,036
Mining equipment and machinery	10,394		—		10,394
Other furniture and equipment	900		—		900
Asset retirement cost	—				—
	235,326		8,659		243,985