Cash and Cash Equivalents and Short-term Investments (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	$ 12,229,000	$ 9,704,000
Financial institutions minimum net worth	1,000,000,000
Trading securities, cost	59,000	59,000
Total short term, cost	59,000	59,000
Total short term	67,000	79,000
Cash and cash equivalent, frozen bank balance	153,000
Trading securities
Trading securities, cost	$ 59,000	$ 59,000
Sale of Santa Maria Property \| Options Agreement \| Fabled Copper Corp.
Consideration Received in Shares \| shares	1,000,000	1,000,000
Percentage of interest claims	100.00%
Sale of Santa Maria Property \| Options Agreement \| Fabled Silver Gold Corp.
Consideration Received in Shares \| shares	200,000
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Trading securities	$ 67,000	$ 79,000
Total short term	67,000	79,000
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] \| Trading securities
Trading securities	67,000	79,000
Reported Value Measurement [Member]
Trading securities	67,000	79,000
Total short term	67,000	79,000
Reported Value Measurement [Member] \| Trading securities
Trading securities	$ 67,000	$ 79,000

The number of shares received for consideration.

No definition available.

Name:	aumn_ConsiderationReceivedInShares
Namespace Prefix:	aumn_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Equity securities, FV-NI cost short term investments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Frozen Bank Account Estimated Value

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aumn_FrozenBankAccountEstimatedValue
Namespace Prefix:	aumn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage of interest claims.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aumn_PercentageOfInterestClaims
Namespace Prefix:	aumn_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Excludes cash and cash equivalents within disposal group and discontinued operation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123570139&loc=d3e3044-108585

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124098289&loc=d3e6676-107765

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investment in equity security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (FV-NI), classified as current.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123594786&loc=SL75136599-209740

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesFvNi
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Cost of investment in equity security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (FV-NI). Excludes equity method investment and investment in equity security without readily determinable fair value.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesFvNiCost
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of minimum net worth required for mortgage banking as defined by regulatory framework.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 948
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6490092&loc=d3e47304-110998

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 948
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6490092&loc=d3e47304-110998

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 948
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6490092&loc=d3e47080-110998

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 948
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6490092&loc=d3e47304-110998

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MinimumNetWorthRequiredForCompliance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investments including trading securities, available-for-sale securities, held-to-maturity securities, and short-term investments classified as other and current.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(4))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(5))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(1)(g))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400017&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=aumn_TradingSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=aumn_SaleOfSantaMariaPropertyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=aumn_OptionsAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_CounterpartyNameAxis=aumn_FabledCopperCorp.Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_CounterpartyNameAxis=aumn_FabledSilverGoldCorp.Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis=us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis=us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: