Income and Mining Taxes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Tax Examination [Line Items]
United States	$ (43,924)	$ (213,883)	$ (242,562)
Foreign	(349,522)	(1,401,245)	(566,117)
Income (loss) before income and mining taxes	(393,446)	(1,615,128)	(808,679)
Income tax provision from continuing operations
Income and mining tax benefit (expense)	26,263	428,254	158,116
Income and mining tax benefit (expense) at statutory rate	137,706	565,295	283,038
State tax provision from continuing operations	(2,075)	20,253	2,245
Change in valuation allowance	(101,027)	(151,191)	(106,802)
Non-deductible imputed interest	0	0	(214)
Uncertain tax positions	(1,947)	(4,425)	(5,209)
U.S. and foreign non-deductible expenses	1,365	(4,892)	(2,383)
Mineral interest related	(19,310)	0	0
Foreign exchange rates	22,350	23,672	13,937
Foreign inflation and indexing	1,117	3,765	2,937
Foreign tax rate differences	(15,980)	(63,930)	(24,108)
Foreign withholding and other taxes	8,140	82,884	(100,331)
Foreign tax credits and other, net	(4,076)	(43,177)	13,153
Mexico permanent reinvestment assertion	0	0	81,853
Mexican mining tax	15,451	8,065
Inventory	2,353	3,135
Foreign subsidiaries — unremitted earnings	12,999	45,249
Royalty and other long-term debt	1,648	0
Total Deferred Tax Liabilities	32,451	56,449
Net operating loss carryforwards	203,958	153,701
Mineral properties	34,966	46,006
Property, plant, and equipment	6,980	38,091
Royalty and other long-term debt	0	5,863
Capital loss carryforwards	3,938	35,251
Asset retirement obligation	21,480	21,586
Unrealized foreign currency loss and other	8,424	8,213
Accrued expenses	17,905	9,365
Tax credit carryforwards	26,439	56,322
Total Deferred Tax Assets	324,090	374,398
Valuation allowance	(436,829)	(391,510)
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance	(112,739)	(17,112)
Net deferred tax liabilities	145,190	73,561
Regular net operating losses	589,277
Alternative minimum tax net operating losses	187,376
Capital losses	11,195
Alternative minimum tax credits	3,173
Foreign tax credits	19,898
Unrecognized tax benefits, beginning of period	16,084	15,471
Gross increase to current period tax positions	1,030	1,856
Gross increase to prior period tax positions	810	524
Reductions in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from a lapse of the applicable statute of limitations	0	(1,767)
Unrecognized tax benefits, end of period	17,924	16,084	15,471
United States - Alternative minimum tax [Member]
Income tax provision from continuing operations
Federal tax expense (benefit)	49	904	4
United States - State Mining Taxes [Member]
Income tax provision from continuing operations
Federal tax expense (benefit)	(4,305)	(879)	(714)
Deferred Federal Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	1,952	0	0
United States - Foreign Withholding [Member]
Income tax provision from continuing operations
Federal tax expense (benefit)	0	(6,250)	397
Argentina [Member]
Income tax provision from continuing operations
Foreign tax expense (benefit)	715	(71)	(137)
Deferred Foreign Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(1,197)	24,478	8,062
Valuation allowance	(8,376)	(21,520)
Regular net operating losses	12,210
Alternative minimum tax net operating losses	0
Capital losses	0
Alternative minimum tax credits	0
Foreign tax credits	0
Australia [Member]
Income tax provision from continuing operations
Foreign tax expense (benefit)	130	0	(914)
Deferred Foreign Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	3,223	(401)	(2)
Mexico [Member]
Income tax provision from continuing operations
Foreign tax expense (benefit)	(476)	(10,122)	(9,046)
Deferred Foreign Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	27,189	394,221	94,851
Valuation allowance	(63,373)	(14,816)
Regular net operating losses	108,191
Alternative minimum tax net operating losses	0
Capital losses	0
Alternative minimum tax credits	0
Foreign tax credits	0
BOLIVIA
Income tax provision from continuing operations
Foreign tax expense (benefit)	(5,154)	(4,008)	(6,716)
Deferred Foreign Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	0	22,122	(4,222)
Valuation allowance	(45,177)	(15,948)
Regular net operating losses	55,019
Alternative minimum tax net operating losses	0
Capital losses	0
Alternative minimum tax credits	0
Foreign tax credits	0
CANADA
Income tax provision from continuing operations
Foreign tax expense (benefit)	(516)	(145)	(1,936)
Deferred Foreign Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	2,875	2,662	0
Valuation allowance	(1,718)	(2,009)
Regular net operating losses	2,182
Alternative minimum tax net operating losses	0
Capital losses	0
Alternative minimum tax credits	0
Foreign tax credits	0
United States [Member]
Income tax provision from continuing operations
Deferred Federal Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	1,778	5,743	$ 78,489
Valuation allowance	(292,677)	(305,534)
Regular net operating losses	320,511
Alternative minimum tax net operating losses	187,376
Capital losses	11,195
Alternative minimum tax credits	3,173
Foreign tax credits	19,898
Other Countries [Member]
Income tax provision from continuing operations
Valuation allowance	0	(2,973)
Regular net operating losses	68
Alternative minimum tax net operating losses	0
Capital losses	0
Alternative minimum tax credits	0
Foreign tax credits	0
NEW ZEALAND
Income tax provision from continuing operations
Valuation allowance	(25,508)	$ (28,710)
Regular net operating losses	91,096
Alternative minimum tax net operating losses	0
Capital losses	0
Alternative minimum tax credits	0
Foreign tax credits	$ 0