Derivative Financial Instruments (Details)	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 Palmarejo gold production royalty [Member] 2013 [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Palmarejo gold production royalty [Member] 2014 [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Palmarejo gold production royalty [Member] 2015 [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Palmarejo gold production royalty [Member] Thereafter [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Mexican peso forward purchase contracts [Member] 2013 [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Mexican peso forward purchase contracts [Member] 2013 [Member] MXN	Dec. 31, 2012 Mexican peso forward purchase contracts [Member] 2014 [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Mexican peso forward purchase contracts [Member] 2014 [Member] MXN	Dec. 31, 2012 Mexican peso forward purchase contracts [Member] 2015 [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Mexican peso forward purchase contracts [Member] 2015 [Member] MXN	Dec. 31, 2012 Mexican peso forward purchase contracts [Member] Thereafter [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Mexican peso forward purchase contracts [Member] Thereafter [Member] MXN	Dec. 31, 2012 Silver concentrate sales agreements [Member] 2013 [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Silver concentrate sales agreements [Member] 2014 [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Silver concentrate sales agreements [Member] 2015 [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Silver concentrate sales agreements [Member] Thereafter [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Gold concentrates sales agreements [Member] 2013 [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Gold concentrates sales agreements [Member] 2014 [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Gold concentrates sales agreements [Member] 2015 [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Gold concentrates sales agreements [Member] Thereafter [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Gold put options purchased [Member] 2013 [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Gold put options purchased [Member] 2014 [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Gold put options purchased [Member] 2015 [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Gold put options purchased [Member] Thereafter [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Gold call options sold [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Gold call options sold [Member] 2013 [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Gold call options sold [Member] 2014 [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Gold call options sold [Member] 2015 [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2012 Gold call options sold [Member] Thereafter [Member] USD ($) oz
Derivative instruments Settlement
Derivative, notional amount			$ 27,205,000	$ 24,895,000	$ 24,691,000	$ 21,140,000									$ 12,736,000	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 20,498,000	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 1,800,000	$ 720,000	$ 0	$ 0		$ 1,800,000	$ 720,000	$ 0	$ 0
Derivative average gold price in excess of minimum contractual Deduction Rate	400		502	0	0	0
Notional ounces			54,171	50,004	50,004	43,173	342,235	342,235	0	0	0	0	0	0	410,298	0	0	0	11,957	0	0	0	45,000	47,000	30,000	0		20,000	47,000	30,000	0
Fair value of foreign exchange contracts							$ 26,100,000		$ 0		$ 0		$ 0
Average rate (MXP/$)								13.11		0.00		0		0
Average forward price		1,380
Derivative average price															31.04	0	0	0	1,714	0	0	0
Average strike price																							928	979	1,010	0	2,000.00	2,000	1,933	2,000	0