CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Revenue:
Sale of metals (Note 16)	$ 10,680	$ 26,086
Costs and expenses:
Cost of metals sold (exclusive of depreciation shown below) (Note 16)	(17,534)	(33,369)
Exploration expense	(4,575)	(7,009)
El Quevar project expense	(2,628)	(5,115)
Velardena project expense	(3,052)	(7,912)
Velardena shutdown and care & maintenance costs	(6,374)
Administrative expense	(5,610)	(7,063)
Stock based compensation	(1,555)	(2,588)
Reclamation expense	(184)	(226)
Impairment of long lived assets (Note 2)	(243,985)
Impairment of goodwill (Note 3)	(11,666)	(58,489)
Other operating income, net	3,526	2,487
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	(6,927)	(10,012)
Total costs and expenses	(300,564)	(129,296)
Loss from operations	(289,884)	(103,210)
Other income and (expenses):
Interest and other income	444	2,543
Royalty income		373
Interest and other expense		(257)
(Loss) gain on foreign currency	(626)	512
Other total income and (expenses)	(182)	3,171
Loss from operations before income taxes	(290,066)	(100,039)
Income taxes benefit (Note 14)	49,686	8,014
Net loss	(240,380)	(92,025)
Other comprehensive gain:
Unrealized gain on securities, net of tax	90	32
Comprehensive loss	$ (240,290)	$ (91,993)
Net loss per common share - basic and diluted
Loss (in dollars per share)	$ (5.61)	$ (2.45)
Weighted average Common Stock outstanding - basic and diluted (in shares)	42,838,735	37,522,871