Sales (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 oz	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Sales [Line Items]
Platinum group metals purity percentage	99.95%
Rhodium purity percentage	99.90%
Revenues from by-product sales	$ 30,600,000	$ 36,000,000	$ 28,000,000
Targeted mine production	500,000
PGMs purchased in the open market and re-sold	0	1,142,000	6,222,000
PGM Recycling [Member]
Sales [Line Items]
Write down of recycling advances		$ 600,000	$ 600,000
Palladium [Member]
Sales [Line Items]
Percentage of production committed under supply agreements	86.00%
Platinum [Member]
Sales [Line Items]
Percentage of production committed under supply agreements	74.00%