Name:	aumn_OptionPurchaseAgreementCashPaymentReceivableIfOptionIsExercised
Namespace Prefix:	aumn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Represents the amount of balance payment to be received under the option to purchase agreement.

No definition available.

Name:	aumn_OptionToPurchaseAgreementBalancePaymentToBeReceived
Namespace Prefix:	aumn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

The amount of consideration to be paid by the purchaser to the company under the option to purchase agreement.

No definition available.

Name:	aumn_OptionToPurchaseAgreementConsideration
Namespace Prefix:	aumn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Represents the maximum period provided to complete the due diligence.

No definition available.

Name:	aumn_OptionToPurchaseAgreementMaximumPeriodToCompleteDueDiligence
Namespace Prefix:	aumn_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the number of properties under the option to purchase agreements.

No definition available.

Name:	aumn_OptionToPurchaseAgreementsNumberOfProperties
Namespace Prefix:	aumn_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the percentage of NSR royalty retained by the company for the balance of the mine's life.

No definition available.

Name:	aumn_PercentageOfNSRRoyaltyRetainedForBalanceOfMineSLife
Namespace Prefix:	aumn_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the percentage of NSR royalty retained by the company until the receipt of total consideration.

No definition available.

Name:	aumn_PercentageOfNSRRoyaltyRetainedUntilReceiptOfConsideration
Namespace Prefix:	aumn_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114001798&loc=d3e33918-111571

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Detail information of subsequent event by type. User is expected to use existing line items from elsewhere in the taxonomy as the primary line items for this disclosure, which is further associated with dimension and member elements pertaining to a subsequent event.

No definition available.