MINERAL PROPERTY EXPENDITURES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Mineral property expenses	$ 728	$ 634
Kingsville Dome Project, Texas
Mineral property expenses	265	244
Rosita Project, Texas
Mineral property expenses	91	117
Vasquez Project, Texas
Mineral property expenses	240	186
Total Texas Projects
Mineral property expenses	596	547
Juan Tafoya Project, New Mexico
Mineral property expenses	6	6
Total New Mexico Projects
Mineral property expenses	6	6
Sal Rica Project, Utah
Mineral property expenses		1
Total Utah Projects
Mineral property expenses		1
Coosa Project, Alabama
Mineral property expenses	126	80
Total Alabama Projects
Mineral property expenses	$ 126	$ 80

Exploration expenses (including prospecting) related to oil and gas producing entities and would be included in operating expenses of that entity. Costs incurred in identifying areas that may warrant examination and in examining specific areas that are considered to have prospects of containing oil and gas reserves, including costs of drilling exploratory wells and exploratory-type stratigraphic test wells. Exploration costs may be incurred both before acquiring the related property (sometimes referred to in part as prospecting costs) and after acquiring the property. Principal types of exploration costs, which include depreciation and applicable operating costs of support equipment and facilities and other costs of exploration activities, are: (i) Costs of topographical, geographical and geophysical studies, rights of access to properties to conduct those studies, and salaries and other expenses of geologists, geophysical crews, and others conducting those studies. Collectively, these are sometimes referred to as geological and geophysical or "G&G" costs. (ii) Costs of carrying and retaining undeveloped properties, such as delay rentals, ad valorem taxes on properties, legal costs for title defense, and the maintenance of land and lease records. (iii) Dry hole contributions and bottom hole contributions. (iv) Costs of drilling and equipping exploratory wells. (v) Costs of drilling exploratory-type stratigraphic test wells.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 932
-SubTopic 235
-Section 50
-Paragraph 23
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68064819&loc=d3e62136-109447

Name:	us-gaap_ExplorationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration