CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Revenue:
Oxide plant lease	$ 6,400	$ 653
Sale of metals		7,418
Total revenue	6,400	8,071
Costs and expenses:
Oxide plant lease costs	(2,046)	(199)
Cost of metals sold (exclusive of depreciation shown below)		(9,866)
Exploration expense	(3,718)	(3,634)
El Quevar project expense	(508)	(1,042)
Velardena project expense		(119)
Velardena shutdown and care and maintenance costs	(2,016)	(1,228)
Administrative expense	(3,890)	(4,242)
Stock based compensation	(593)	(453)
Reclamation expense	(192)	(256)
Impairment of long lived assets	0	(13,181)
Other operating income, net	1,790	471
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	(1,548)	(4,480)
Total costs and expenses	(12,721)	(38,229)
Loss from operations	(6,321)	(30,158)
Other income and (expense):
Interest expense	(515)	(126)
Interest and other income	390	3,083
Warrant derivative (loss) gain	(1,688)	1,344
Derivative (loss) gain	(778)	553
Loss on debt extinguishment	(1,653)
Loss on foreign currency	(94)	(79)
Total other (expense) income	(4,338)	4,775
Loss from operations before income taxes	(10,659)	(25,383)
Net loss	(10,659)	(25,383)
Comprehensive loss, net of tax:
Unrealized gain (loss) on securities	182	(127)
Comprehensive loss	$ (10,477)	$ (25,510)
Net loss per common share — basic
Loss (in dollars per share)	$ (0.13)	$ (0.48)
Weighted average common stock outstanding - basic (in shares)	81,651,896	52,972,352