PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Property, Plant and Equipment Balances (net)	$ 30,840,899	$ 34,739,746
Percentage of reduction in market prices of long-term uranium	12.00%
Impairment provision	4,094,612	1,737,359
Book value	96,407,310	100,058,667
Kingsville Dome Project
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Impairment provision	473,525	919,414
Gross area on which entity has mineral leases (in acres)	2,434
Net area on which entity has mineral leases (in acres)	2,227
Kingsville Dome Project | Minimum
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Royalties on lease based upon a percentage of uranium sales (as a percent)	6.25%
Annual per acre royalty payable to extend leases not held by production (in dollars per acre)	10
Kingsville Dome Project | Maximum
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Royalties on lease based upon a percentage of uranium sales (as a percent)	9.375%
Annual per acre royalty payable to extend leases not held by production (in dollars per acre)	30
Rosita Project
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Impairment provision	2,820,836	138,856
Gross area on which entity has mineral leases (in acres)	3,377
Net area on which entity has mineral leases (in acres)	3,377
Vasquez Project
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Impairment provision	276,161	679,089
Gross area on which entity has mineral leases (in acres)	872
Net area on which entity has mineral leases (in acres)	872
Vasquez Project | Minimum
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Royalties on lease based upon a percentage of uranium sales (as a percent)	6.25%
Specified price per pound for uranium sales on which royalty is payable at specified percentage (in dollars per pound)	40.00
Vasquez Project | Maximum
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Royalties on lease based upon a percentage of uranium sales (as a percent)	10.25%
Specified price per pound for uranium sales on which royalty is payable at specified percentage (in dollars per pound)	25.00
Ambrosia Lake Project
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Impairment provision	511,878
Other
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Impairment provision	12,212
Rosita South
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Gross area on which entity has mineral leases (in acres)	1,795
Net area on which entity has mineral leases (in acres)	1,479
Rosita Project and Rosita South Property | Minimum
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Royalties on lease based upon a percentage of uranium sales (as a percent)	6.25%
Annual per acre royalty payable to extend leases not held by production (in dollars per acre)	10
Rosita Project and Rosita South Property | Maximum
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Royalties on lease based upon a percentage of uranium sales (as a percent)	18.25%
Specified price per pound for uranium sales on which royalty is payable at specified percentage (in dollars per pound)	80.00
Annual per acre royalty payable to extend leases not held by production (in dollars per acre)	30
Los Finados Project
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Gross area on which entity has mineral leases (in acres)	53,524
Los Finados/Tecolote Project
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Net area on which entity has mineral leases (in acres)	22,700
Extension of exploration lease term	2 years
Churchrock Project
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Gross area on which entity has mineral leases (in acres)	3,458
Net area on which entity has mineral leases (in acres)	3,458
Number of parcels	3
Churchrock Project | Section 17 and Mancos
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Royalties on lease based upon a percentage of uranium sales (as a percent)	33.00%
Overriding royalty obligation (as a percent)	2.00%
Churchrock Project | Section 17 and Mancos | Minimum
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Royalties on lease based upon a percentage of uranium sales (as a percent)	5.00%
Churchrock Project | Section 17 and Mancos | Maximum
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Royalties on lease based upon a percentage of uranium sales (as a percent)	6.25%
Crownpoint Project
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Gross area on which entity has mineral leases (in acres)	640
Net area on which entity has mineral leases (in acres)	556
Annual maintenance fee per claim (in dollars per claim)	140.00
Crownpoint Project | Gallup, New Mexico
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Distance of property from a specified location (in miles)	35
Crownpoint Project | Churchrock deposits
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Distance of property from a specified location (in miles)	22
Crownpoint Project | Northwest section 9
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Percentage of section the Company holds mineral rights	25.00%
Number of unpatented mining claims owned by entity	9
Crownpoint Project | Southwest section 24
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Percentage of section the Company holds mineral rights	25.00%
Number of unpatented mining claims owned by entity	10
Crownpoint Project | Southeast section 24
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Interest earned in project in consideration of investment (as a percent)	40.00%
Area of land in which mineral fee interest acquired by entity (in acres)	140
Percentage of mineral fee interest Company owns on additional acres	100.00%
Additional area of land in which fee interest acquired by entity (in acres)	20
Percentage of section the Company holds mineral rights	25.00%
Number of unpatented mining claims owned by entity	2
Crownpoint Project | Northeast section 25
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Percentage of section the Company holds mineral rights	25.00%
Number of unpatented mining claims owned by entity	8
Nose Rock Project
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Area covered under lease (in acres)	6,400
Royalties on lease based upon a percentage of uranium sales held by others (as a percent)	0.00%
Interest earned in project in consideration of investment (as a percent)	0.00%
Nose Rock Project | Gallup, New Mexico
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Distance of property from a specified location (in miles)	45
West Largo
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Interest earned in project in consideration of investment (as a percent)	100.00%
Annual maintenance fee per claim (in dollars per claim)	140
Area covered under lease (in acres)	3,840
West Largo | Sections 20 and 28
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Number of unpatented mining claims owned by entity	75
West Largo | Sections 17, 19, 21 and 29
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Number of sections of fee mineral rights	4
West Largo | Section 29 | Elkins Ranch
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Royalties on lease based upon a percentage of uranium sales (as a percent)	2.50%
Roca Honda Projects
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Area covered under lease (in acres)	3,085
Roca Honda Projects | San Mateo in McKinley County, New Mexico
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Distance of property from a specified location (in miles)	4
Roca Honda Projects | Section 8
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Number of unpatented mining claims owned by entity	36
Roca Honda Projects | Section 11
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Number of unpatented mining claims owned by entity	31
Cebolleta Property | Neutron
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Area covered under lease (in acres)	6,717
Lease term	10 years
Initial payments per lease agreement	5,000,000
Amount used in the calculation of recoverable reserve payment	1.00
Annual advanced royalty payments	500,000
Cebolleta Property | Neutron | Minimum
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Royalties on lease based upon a percentage of uranium sales (as a percent)	4.50%
Cebolleta Property | Neutron | Maximum
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Royalties on lease based upon a percentage of uranium sales (as a percent)	8.00%
Feasibility study term	6 years
Annual advance royalties previously paid	1,500,000
Amount of deduction to the recoverable reserve payment	6,500,000
Juan Tafoya
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Area of land in which mineral fee interest acquired by entity (in acres)	4,097
Lease term	10 years
Initial payments per lease agreement	1,250,000
Annual rental payments for the first five years of the lease	225,000
Number of years the payment is at a specified amount	5
Annual rental payments for the second five years of the lease	337,500
Annual base rent per acre (in dollars per acre)	75
Threshold market price of uranium drops for termination of lease (in dollars per pound)	25
Juan Tafoya | Minimum
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Royalties on lease based upon a percentage of uranium sales (as a percent)	4.65%
Juan Tafoya | Maximum
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Royalties on lease based upon a percentage of uranium sales (as a percent)	6.50%
Juan Tafoya | Albuquerque
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Distance of property from a specified location (in miles)	45
Juan Tafoya | Laguna
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Distance of property from a specified location (in miles)	25
Uranium plant
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Property, Plant and Equipment Balances (net)	9,344,000	9,532,000
Impairment expense related to change in estimates	584,025	1,444,405
Uranium plant | Kingsville Dome Project | South Texas
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Property, Plant and Equipment Balances (net)	800,000
Amount book value exceeds net realizable sales value	80,000
Impairment provision	80,000
Book value	2,800,000
Dismantling/decontamination liability	2,000,000
Uranium plant | Churchrock Project | South Texas
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Property, Plant and Equipment Balances (net)	8,400,000
Period of average historical contract price considered for undiscounted cash flow analysis	3 years
Average historical contract price (in dollars per lb)	60.56
Impairment provision	0
Permits and licenses
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Property, Plant and Equipment Balances (net)		174,000
Mineral rights and properties
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Property, Plant and Equipment Balances (net)	19,750,000	20,872,000
Mineral rights and properties | South Texas
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Average historical contract price (in dollars per lb)	50.00
Impairment provision	2,807,166
Mineral rights and properties | New Mexico
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Property, Plant and Equipment Balances (net)	19,700,000
Average historical contract price (in dollars per lb)	0.42
Carrying amount of mineral properties that the entity has decided to abandon	524,090
Impairment provision	0
Average current contract price (in dollars per lb)	0.50
Evaluation and delineation
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Property, Plant and Equipment Balances (net)		2,022,000
Vehicles/depreciable equipment
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Property, Plant and Equipment Balances (net)	1,530,000	1,435,000
Other property, plant and equipment
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
Property, Plant and Equipment Balances (net)	$ 217,000	$ 705,000