Derivative Financial Instruments and Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Details Textual)	12 Months Ended								1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2010 USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2009 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Cerro Bayo Mine [Member] oz	Dec. 31, 2011 Gold lease facility [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 Gold lease facility [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2009 Gold lease facility [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 23, 2010 Gold lease facility [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Franco-Nevada warrant [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Franco-Nevada warrant [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 Franco-Nevada warrant [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2009 Franco-Nevada warrant [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Gold call options sold [Member] oz	Sep. 30, 2011 Gold call options sold [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Gold put options sold [Member] oz	Dec. 31, 2011 Gold forward contracts [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Palmarejo gold royalty [Member] oz	Jan. 21, 2009 Palmarejo gold royalty [Member] oz	Dec. 31, 2011 Forward foreign exchange contracts [Member] Mexican peso forward purchase contracts [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 Forward foreign exchange contracts [Member] Mexican peso forward purchase contracts [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2009 Forward foreign exchange contracts [Member] Mexican peso forward purchase contracts [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Forward foreign exchange contracts [Member] Mexican peso forward purchase contracts [Member] MXN	Dec. 31, 2011 Silver [Member] Cerro Bayo Mine [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 Silver [Member] Cerro Bayo Mine [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Commodity [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2010 Commodity [Member] USD ($) oz	Dec. 31, 2009 Commodity [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Forward Contracts [Member] oz
Additional Derivative Financial Instruments and Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Textual) [Abstract]
Payment made for gold on the end of royalty obligation																		400,000
Total gold remain outstanding																	256,646
Fair value liability of the embedded derivative										$ 159,400,000	$ 162,000,000
Contingent options on warrants to acquire common shares										316,436
Company recognized Mark to Market loss							6,300,000			2,600,000	84,000,000
Company recognized Mark to Market Gain						2,900,000				0	3,500,000
Net proceeds from sale of shares									10,000,000
Fair value of warrant												6,300,000
Realized losses on settlement of the liabilities					2,300,000	10,100,000	200,000			42,600,000	18,200,000														5,300,000	2,100,000
Foreign exchange contracts of MXP																			25,500,000
Weighted average exchange rate of MXP																						12.40
Fair value of foreign exchange contracts	21,700,000	37,400,000																	3,200,000
Mark-to-market gains and losses on forward foreign exchange contract																			3,200,000	1,300,000	1,300,000
Mark-to-market Realized gains on forward foreign exchange contract	(49,500,000)	(28,300,000)	400,000																400,000	1,600,000	1,500,000
Obligations of the outstanding amount including lease fees								30.00%
Fair Value of Derivative Liability before Pre Credit Risk Adjustment						14,200,000
Credit risk adjustment						100,000
Discount rate on current futures metals prices						3.10%
Notional ounces													35,000	72,750,000	53,750													10,000
Realized gains																50,000											900,000
Derivative fair value of derivative liability						14,100,000																			17,900,000
Average strike price															866.48										1,772.89
Unrealized gain																									3,100,000	6,700,000
Received silver in connection with sales of asset				125,000
Company recognized mark to market loss																							0
Company recognized mark to market gain																							800,000
Fair value of the contract																							2,300,000	3,900,000
Contract expiration date																									5 years
Outstanding put options of silver																										5,400,000
Weighted average Strike price of call options written																									$1919.83 per ounce if the market price of gold exceeds the strike price
Weighted average strike price of put option																									$951.93 per ounce if the market price of gold fall below the strike price
Outstanding call options of gold																									136,000
Outstanding put options of gold																									190,000
Average strike price of put option																										9.21
Derivative Financial Instruments and Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Textual) [Abstract]
Gold leased from MIC	0	10,000
Fixed Price of Forward gold contract	1.380
Outstanding put options of silver																										5,400,000
Outstanding provisionally priced sales	22,500,000	35,700,000
Outstanding provisionally priced sales consists of silver	200,000	600,000
Outstanding provisionally priced sales consists of Gold	9,701	12,758
Fair value of gold and silver including embedded derivative	21,700,000	37,400,000
Realized gain (loss)	(49,500,000)	(28,300,000)	400,000																400,000	1,600,000	1,500,000
Gain (loss) on sales related to forward foreign exchange contracts	$ 400,000	$ 1,600,000	$ 1,500,000