Cash Flow Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss)	$ (18,823)	$ (240,380)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Amortization and depreciation	3,128	6,927
Loss on sale of investments		133us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfInvestments
Gain on sale of assets, net	(689)us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets	(3,626)us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets
Accretion of asset retirement obligation	200	184
Asset write off	138us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges	30us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges
Write off of loss contingency	(1,645)us-gaap_LossContingencyLossInPeriod	(2,450)us-gaap_LossContingencyLossInPeriod
Decrease in warrant liability	(1,693)aumn_IncreaseDecreaseInWarrantLiability
Impairment of long lived assets		243,985
Impairment of goodwill		11,666us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
Deferred Income Taxes		(47,634)
Foreign exchange gain on loss contingency	(281)	(8)
Foreign exchange loss on deferred tax liability		562
Stock compensation	926us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation	1,555us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Decrease in trade accounts receivable	25	1,266
Decrease in prepaid expenses and other assets	287	86
(Increase) decrease in inventories	(764)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories	2,511us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories
Decrease in value added tax receivable (net)	449	2,658
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and accrued Liabilities	358	(5,159)
Increase (decrease) in deferred leasehold payments	42	(140)
Increase in reclamation liability	(117)	(44)
Net cash used in operating activities	$ (18,459)	$ (27,878)

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Amount of write-down of assets recognized in the income statement. Includes, but is not limited to, losses from tangible assets, intangible assets and goodwill.

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Amount of accretion expense recognized during the period that is associated with an asset retirement obligation. Accretion expense measures and incorporates changes due to the passage of time into the carrying amount of the liability.

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Net income after adjustments for dividends on preferred stock (declared in the period) and/or cumulative preferred stock (accumulated for the period).

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