Property, Plant and Equipment, Net - Disposals (Details)			1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 18, 2019 USD ($) item	Oct. 16, 2019 USD ($) property	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2018 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Property, plant and equipment
Property, plant and equipment, net							$ 6,031,000	$ 7,109,000
Proceeds from sale of assets							3,144,000	5,097,000
Gain on sale of assets							3,144,000	5,144,000
Option to purchase agreements, number of properties | property		2
Magellan Gold Corporation [Member]
Property, plant and equipment
Investment ownership percentage		100.00%
Period of options to purchase agreement		150 days
Cash payments receivable		$ 1,000,000
Percent of royalty receipts of consideration		6.50%
Balance payment receivable		$ 3,000,000
Percentage of N S R royalty retained for balance of Mine's Life		3.00%
Sale, not discontinued operations | Penoles
Property, plant and equipment
Proceeds from sale of properties	$ 3,000,000
Number of mining concessions | item	4
Gain on sale of assets							3,000,000
Velardena properties
Property, plant and equipment
Property, plant and equipment, net							$ 500,000	800,000
Celaya | Sale, not discontinued operations
Property, plant and equipment
Proceeds from sale of assets					$ 200,000
Gain on sale of assets								1,000,000
Interest in joint venture (as a percent)				20.00%	40.00%
Initial term of agreement					3 years
Exploration expenditures in second three year of the agreement					$ 2,500,000
Term of second agreement				3 years	3 years
Net profit interest				10.00%
Celaya | Sale, not discontinued operations | Execution of Assignment Agreement
Property, plant and equipment
Gain on sale of assets								3,000,000
Celaya | Electrum | Sale, not discontinued operations
Property, plant and equipment
Earn-in to be received			$ 3,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 500,000
Interest in joint venture (as a percent)			100.00%	80.00%	60.00%		100.00%
Exploration expenditures in first three year of the agreement					$ 2,500,000
Additional interest in joint venture (as a percent)				20.00%
Exploration expenditures in second three year of the agreement				$ 2,500,000
Contribution from additional expenditures required in the second three-year earn-in period (as a percent)				100.00%
Zacatecas | Sale, not discontinued operations
Property, plant and equipment
Gain on sale of assets						$ 49,000		$ 748,000
Total consideration							$ 1,500,000
Unearned performance obligation			$ 212,000							$ 225,000	$ 249,000
Receivable from sale									$ 13,000