14. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Subsequent Events [Abstract]
SUBSEQUENT EVENTS	On January 8, 2016, Rare Element Resources, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, entered into an amended consulting agreement with a former executive to include a monthly consulting retainer of $23. The modified agreement includes a contingent payout based upon the former executive’s salary upon termination, or $209, less any consulting fees paid in the first three months of 2016, should two or more of the remaining executive team members receive severance payments in accordance with their agreements. On January 11, 2016, Rare Element Resources, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, entered into an Amendment to Severance Compensation Agreement with each of Randall J. Scott, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Paul H. Zink, the Company’s Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and George Byers, the Company’s Vice President of Government and Community Relations. On January 18, 2016, Rare Element Resources, Inc. entered into an Amendment to Employment Agreement with Jaye T. Pickarts, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer. Pursuant to each amendment, any potential severance compensation payable to the officer under the applicable Severance Compensation Agreement or Employment Agreement as a result of a “qualifying termination” prior to a “change in control” (in each case, as defined in the applicable Severance Compensation Agreement or Employment Agreement) will be reduced by the amount of salary paid to such officer during his employment with the Company in the first three months of 2016. This potential decrease in severance compensation would not reduce any severance compensation payable as a result of a qualifying termination on or after a change in control, or if, in the discretion of the Board of Directors, the Company achieves key objectives in the first quarter of 2016. On February 1, 2016, the Company announced its intention to voluntarily delist its common shares from the NYSE MKT and seek to have its common shares traded on the OTC marketplace. The Company’s common shares were listed on the NYSE MKT through February 26, 2016 and since February 29, 2016, have been trading on the OTCQB Venture Marketplace under the ticker symbol “REEMF.” On March 18, the Company notified certain executive officers and employees of their termination of employment, subject to benefits contained within their Severance and Compensation Agreements. The liability associated with the payments upon a qualified termination totals $974, which is to be paid on or before April 30, 2016. For further details regarding compensation agreements, see Part III, Item 11 Employment and Severance Compensation Agreements. Concurrently, the Company entered into consulting agreements with several of its departing executives and employees to allow the Company to meet its objectives. On March 18, the Company entered into a Second Amendment to Severance Compensation Agreement with Randall J. Scott, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, which extended the term of his January 11, 2016 amendment through June 30, 2016.

14. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

On January 8, 2016, Rare Element Resources, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, entered into an amended consulting agreement with a former executive to include a monthly consulting retainer of $23. The modified agreement includes a contingent payout based upon the former executive’s salary upon termination, or $209, less any consulting fees paid in the first three months of 2016, should two or more of the remaining executive team members receive severance payments in accordance with their agreements.

On January 11, 2016, Rare Element Resources, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, entered into an Amendment to Severance Compensation Agreement with each of Randall J. Scott, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Paul H. Zink, the Company’s Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and George Byers, the Company’s Vice President of Government and Community Relations. On January 18, 2016, Rare Element Resources, Inc. entered into an Amendment to Employment Agreement with Jaye T. Pickarts, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer. Pursuant to each amendment, any potential severance compensation payable to the officer under the applicable Severance Compensation Agreement or Employment Agreement as a result of a “qualifying termination” prior to a “change in control” (in each case, as defined in the applicable Severance Compensation Agreement or Employment Agreement) will be reduced by the amount of salary paid to such officer during his employment with the Company in the first three months of 2016. This potential decrease in severance compensation would not reduce any severance compensation payable as a result of a qualifying termination on or after a change in control, or if, in the discretion of the Board of Directors, the Company achieves key objectives in the first quarter of 2016.

On February 1, 2016, the Company announced its intention to voluntarily delist its common shares from the NYSE MKT and seek to have its common shares traded on the OTC marketplace. The Company’s common shares were listed on the NYSE MKT through February 26, 2016 and since February 29, 2016, have been trading on the OTCQB Venture Marketplace under the ticker symbol “REEMF.”

On March 18, the Company notified certain executive officers and employees of their termination of employment, subject to benefits contained within their Severance and Compensation Agreements. The liability associated with the payments upon a qualified termination totals $974, which is to be paid on or before April 30, 2016. For further details regarding compensation agreements, see Part III, Item 11 Employment and Severance Compensation Agreements. Concurrently, the Company entered into consulting agreements with several of its departing executives and employees to allow the Company to meet its objectives.

On March 18, the Company entered into a Second Amendment to Severance Compensation Agreement with Randall J. Scott, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, which extended the term of his January 11, 2016 amendment through June 30, 2016.