Sale of Metals and Cost of Metals Sold (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 item	Dec. 31, 2012 item
Sale of Metals and Cost of Metals Sold
Number of customers to whom marketable products were sold	5	5
Number of dore and precipitate customers with whom the entity entered into an agreement for passing the title to purchasers after the product is received by the refinery	1
Inventory write down charged to cost of metals sold		$ 2,700,000
Inventory write down charged to depreciation expense		800,000
Metals inventory	$ 0	$ 2,076,000