Golden Minerals (AUMN) 10-Q 1 May 14 2014 Q1 Quarterly report Financial data

Document_and_Entity_Informatio

Document and Entity Information	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Apr. 30, 2014
Document and Entity Information	'	'
Entity Registrant Name	'Golden Minerals Co	'
Entity Central Index Key	'0001011509	'
Document Type	'10-Q	'
Document Period End Date	31-Mar-14	'
Amendment Flag	'false	'
Current Fiscal Year End Date	'--12-31	'
Entity Current Reporting Status	'Yes	'
Entity Filer Category	'Smaller Reporting Company	'
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	'	43,530,833
Document Fiscal Year Focus	'2014	'
Document Fiscal Period Focus	'Q1	'

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_BALANCE

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Current assets	'	'
Cash and cash equivalents	$15,020	$19,146
Trade receivables	'	25
Inventories (Note 5)	385	449
Value added tax receivable, net (Note 6)	1,843	1,765
Prepaid expenses and other assets (Note 4)	957	1,091
Total current assets	18,205	22,476
Property, plant and equipment, net (Note 7)	31,445	32,375
Prepaid expenses and other assets (Note 4)	'	30
Total assets	49,650	54,881
Current liabilities	'	'
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities (Note 8)	1,993	1,365
Other current liabilities (Note 10)	3,978	4,405
Total current liabilities	5,971	5,770
Asset retirement obligation (Note 9)	2,541	2,602
Other long term liabilities (Note 10)	74	53
Total liabilities	8,586	8,425
Commitments and contingencies (Note 16)	'	'
Equity (Note 13)	'	'
Common stock, $.01 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized; 43,530,833 shares issued and outstanding for both periods	435	435
Additional paid in capital	494,913	494,647
Accumulated deficit	-454,284	-448,626
Shareholder's equity	41,064	46,456
Total liabilities and equity	$49,650	$54,881

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_BALANCE1

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS	'	'
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$0.01	$0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	100,000,000	100,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	43,530,833	43,530,833
Common stock, shares outstanding	43,530,833	43,530,833

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_STATEME

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2014		Mar. 31, 2013
Revenue:	'		'
Sale of metals (Note 14)	'		$5,830
Costs and expenses:	'		'
Costs applicable to sale of metals (exclusive of depreciation shown below) (Note 14)	'		-8,872
Exploration expense	-1,600		-1,524
El Quevar project expense	-334		-1,087
Velardena project expense	'		-2,162
Velardena shutdown and care & maintenance costs	-1,249		'
Administrative expense	-1,655		-1,897
Stock based compensation	-330		-421
Reclamation and accretion expense	-49		-42
Other operating income, net	2		3,198
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	-846		-2,568
Total costs and expenses	-6,061		-15,375
Loss from operations	-6,061		-9,545
Other income and (expense):	'		'
Interest and other income	394		205
Interest and other expense	'		-133
Gain on foreign currency	9		735
Total other income	403		807
Loss from operations before income taxes	-5,658		-8,738
Income tax benefit	0		2,478
Net loss	-5,658		-6,260
Comprehensive loss:	'		'
Unrealized gain on securities	'		90
Comprehensive loss	($5,658)		($6,170)
Net loss per common share - basic	'		'
Loss (in dollars per share)	($0.13)		($0.15)
Weighted average common stock outstanding - basic (in shares)	42,893,617	[1]	42,803,822	[1]
[1]	Potentially dilutive shares have not been included because to do so would be anti-dilutive.

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_STATEME1

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Cash flows from operating activities:	'	'
Net cash used in operating activities (Note 15)	($4,120)	($11,301)
Cash flows from investing activities:	'	'
Sale of available for sale investments	'	198
Proceeds from sale of assets	1	3,790
Capitalized costs and acquisitions of property, plant and equipment	-7	-881
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	-6	3,107
Cash flows from financing activities:	'	'
Net cash provided by financing activities	0	'
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	-4,126	-8,194
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	19,146	44,406
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	$15,020	$36,212

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_STATEME2

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY (USD $)	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Deficit	Accumulated Other Comprehensive income (loss)
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	$285,272	$433	$493,175	($208,246)	($90)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2012	'	43,265,833	'	'	'
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity	'	'	'	'	'
Stock compensation accrued	1,474	2	1,472	'	'
Stock compensation accrued (in shares)	'	265,000	'	'	'
Realized gain on marketable equity securities, net of tax	90	'	'	'	90
Net loss	-240,380	'	'	-240,380	'
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	46,456	435	494,647	-448,626	'
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013	'	43,530,833	'	'	'
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity	'	'	'	'	'
Stock compensation accrued	330	'	330	'	'
KELTIP mark-to-market	-64	'	-64	'	'
Net loss	-5,658	'	'	-5,658	'
Balance at Mar. 31, 2014	$41,064	$435	$494,913	($454,284)	'
Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2014	'	43,530,833	'	'	'

Basis_of_Preparation_of_Financ

Basis of Preparation of Financial Statements and Nature of Operations	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Basis of Preparation of Financial Statements and Nature of Operations	'
Basis of Preparation of Financial Statements and Nature of Operations	'
	1.              Basis of Preparation of Financial Statements and Nature of Operations
	Golden Minerals Company (the “Company”), a Delaware corporation, has prepared these unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Such rules and regulations allow the omission of certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”), so long as such omissions do not render the financial statements misleading.  The year-end balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures normally required by GAAP.
	In the opinion of management, these financial statements reflect all adjustments that are necessary for a fair presentation of the financial results for the periods presented. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the annual financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, and filed with the SEC on February 28, 2014.
	Effective June 19, 2013 the Company suspended mining and processing at its Velardeña and Chicago precious metals mining properties (the “Velardeña Properties”) in Mexico in order to conserve the asset until the Company is able to create new mining and processing plans that, at then current prices for silver and gold, indicate a sustainable cash margin.  The Company is primarily focused on efforts to create a new mining and processing plan for its Velardeña Properties and continued exploration of properties in Mexico. The Company is also reviewing strategic opportunities, focusing primarily on development or operating properties in North America, including Mexico.
	The Company is considered an exploration stage company under the criteria set forth by the SEC as the Company has not yet demonstrated the existence of proven or probable reserves, as defined by the SEC Industry Guide 7, at the Velardeña Properties, or any of the Company’s other properties.  As a result, and in accordance with GAAP for exploration stage companies, all expenditures for exploration and evaluation of the Company’s properties are expensed as incurred. As such the Company’s financial statements may not be comparable to the financial statements of mining companies that do have proven and probable reserves.
	The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis under which an entity is considered to be able to realize its assets and satisfy its liabilities in the normal course of business.  However, the continuing operations of the Company are dependent upon its ability to secure sufficient funding and to generate future profitable operations.  The underlying value and recoverability of the amounts shown as mineral properties in the condensed consolidated balance sheets are dependent on the ability of the Company to generate positive cash flow from operations and to continue to fund exploration and development activities that would lead to profitable mining activities or proceeds from the disposition of the mineral properties.  There can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in generating future profitable operations or securing additional funding in the future on terms acceptable to the Company or at all.

New_Accounting_Pronouncements

New Accounting Pronouncements	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
New Accounting Pronouncements	'
New Accounting Pronouncements	'
	2.              New Accounting Pronouncements
	In April 2014 the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-08 “Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205) and Property, Plant, and Equipment (Topic 360): Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity” (“ASU 2014-08)”. ASU 2014-08 changes the criteria for reporting discontinued operations while enhancing disclosures in this area. Under ASU 2014-08, only disposals representing a strategic shift in operations will be presented as discontinued operations. Additionally, ASU 2014-08 requires expanded disclosures about discontinued operations that will provide financial statement users with more information about the assets, liabilities, income, and expenses of discontinued operations. ASU 2014-08 will become effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2015. The Company does not believe the adoption of ASU 2014-08 will have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.
	In July 2013, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2013-11 “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists” (“ASU 2013-11”), which requires an unrecognized tax benefit to be presented as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss or a tax credit carryforward that the entity intends to use and is available for settlement at the reporting date. ASU 2013-11 became effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2014. The adoption of ASU 2013-11 has not had a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.

Investments

Investments	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Investments	'
Investments	'
	3.              Investments
	The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. Short-term investments include investments with maturities greater than three months, but not exceeding 12 months, or highly liquid investments with maturities greater than 12 months that the Company intends to liquidate during the next 12 months for working capital needs.
	The Company determines the appropriate classification of its investments in equity securities at the time of purchase and re-evaluates those classifications at each balance sheet date.  Available for sale investments are marked to market at each reporting period with changes in fair value recorded as a component of other comprehensive income (loss). If declines in fair value are deemed other than temporary, a charge is made to net income (loss) for the period.
	During the first quarter of 2013 the Company sold all of its available for sale common stock comprised of 3.0 million shares of a junior mining company received during the third quarter 2012 related to the 2011 sale of the Company’s Paca Pulacayo property in Bolivia.  The shares were sold for net proceeds of approximately $0.2 million resulting in a nominal loss recorded to interest and other expense.
	The Company did not hold any investments at March 31, 2014 or December 31, 2013.

Prepaid_expenses_and_other_ass

Prepaid expenses and other assets	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Prepaid expenses and other assets	'
Prepaid expenses and other assets	'
	4.              Prepaid expenses and other assets
	Prepaid expenses and other current assets consist of the following:
		March 31,		December 31,
		2014		2013
		(in thousands)
	Prepaid insurance	$	537	$	687
	Prepaid contractor fees and vendor advances	230		193
	Taxes recievable	86		96
	Recoupable deposits and other	104		115
		$	957	$	1,091
	March 31, 2014
	The prepaid contractor fees and vendor advances consist of advance payments made to equipment manufacturers, contractors and suppliers primarily at the Company’s Velardeña Properties in Mexico.
	December 31, 2013
	The prepaid contractor fees and vendor advances consist of advance payments made to contractors and suppliers primarily at the Company’s Velardeña Properties in Mexico.
	In addition, included in non-current assets at December 31, 2013 is approximately $30,000 of prepaid insurance on which amortization will be recognized through 2014.

Inventories

Inventories	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Inventories	'
Inventories	'
	5.              Inventories
	Inventories at the Velardeña Properties at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 consist of the following:
		March 31,		December 31,
		2014		2013
		(in thousands)		(in thousands)
	Material and supplies	$	385	$	449
		$	385	$	449
	The Company had no metals or in process inventories at March 31, 2014 or December 31, 2013 as the result of the suspension of mining and processing at the Velardeña Properties effective June 19, 2013.

Value_Added_Tax_Receivable_Net

Value Added Tax Receivable, Net	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Value Added Tax Receivable, Net	'
Value Added Tax Receivable, Net	'
	6.              Value Added Tax Receivable, Net
	The Company has recorded value added tax (“VAT”) paid in Mexico and related to the Velardeña Properties as a recoverable asset. Mexican tax law allows for certain VAT payments to be recovered through ongoing applications for refunds. The Company expects that the current amounts will be recovered within a one year period.
	The Company has also paid VAT in Mexico as well as other countries, primarily related to exploration projects, which has been charged to expense as incurred because of the uncertainty of recoverability.

Property_Plant_and_Equipment_n

Property, Plant and Equipment, net	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Property, Plant and Equipment, net	'
Property, Plant and Equipment, net	'
	7.              Property, Plant and Equipment, net
	The components of property, plant and equipment are as follows:
		March 31,			December 31,
		2014			2013
		(in thousands)
	Mineral properties	$	22,397		$	22,397
	Exploration properties	2,993			2,993
	Royalty properties	200			200
	Buildings	2,357			2,349
	Mining equipment and machinery	19,441			19,441
	Other furniture and equipment	871			1,054
	Asset retirement cost	2,002			2,087
		50,261			50,521
	Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(18,816		)	(18,146		)
		31,445			32,375
	The asset retirement cost (“ARC”) is all related to the Company’s Velardeña Properties. The decrease in the ARC during the period is related to an adjustment to the asset retirement obligation (“ARO”) (see Note 9).

Accounts_Payable_and_Other_Acc

Accounts Payable and Other Accrued Liabilities	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Accounts Payable and Other Accrued Liabilities	'
Accounts Payable and Other Accrued Liabilities	'
	8.   Accounts Payable and Other Accrued Liabilities
	The Company’s accounts payable and other accrued liabilities consist of the following:
		March 31,		December 31,
		2014		2013
		(in thousands)
	Accounts payable and accruals	$	1,096	$	717
	Accrued employee compensation and benefits	897		648
		$	1,993	$	1,365
	March 31, 2014
	Accounts payable and accruals at March 31, 2014 are primarily related to amounts due to contractors and suppliers in the amounts of approximately $0.7 million, $0.4 million and a nominal amount related to the Company’s Velardeña Properties, corporate administrative activities and exploration, respectively.
	Accrued employee compensation and benefits at March 31, 2014 consist of $0.2 million of accrued vacation and $0.7 million related to withholding taxes and benefits payable, of which $0.2 million is related to the Velardeña Properties.
	December 31, 2013
	Accounts payable and accruals at December 31, 2013 are primarily related to amounts due to contractors and suppliers in the amounts of $0.4 million, $0.2 million and $0.1 million related to the Company’s Velardeña Properties, corporate administrative activities and exploration, respectively.  In the case of the Velardeña Properties, amounts also include a value added tax payable that is not an offset to the value added tax receivable.
	Accrued employee compensation and benefits at December 31, 2013 consist of $0.1 million of accrued vacation payable and $0.5 million related to withholding taxes and benefits payable, of which $0.3 million is related to activities at the Velardeña Properties.
	Key Employee Long-Term Incentive Plan
	On December 13, 2013, the Board of Directors of the Company approved and the Company adopted the 2013 Key Employee Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “KELTIP”), which became effective immediately. The KELTIP provides for the grant of units (“KELTIP Units”) to certain officers and key employees of the Company, which units will, once vested, entitle such officers and employees to receive an amount, in cash or in Company common stock issued pursuant to a stockholder approved plan, measured generally by the price of the Company’s common stock on the settlement date. KELTIP Units are not an actual equity interest in the Company and are solely unfunded and unsecured obligations of the Company that are not transferable and do not provide the holder with any stockholder rights. Payment of the settlement amount of vested KELTIP Units is deferred generally until the earlier of a change of control of the Company or the date the grantee ceases to serve as an officer or employee of the Company.
	The KELTIP Units are marked to market at each reporting period. At March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 the Company had recorded liabilities of $145,000 and $81,000 respectively related to KELTIP Unit grants which are included in accrued employee compensation and benefits in the table above.

Asset_Retirement_Obligations

Asset Retirement Obligations	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Asset Retirement Obligations	'
Asset Retirement Obligations	'
	9.   Asset Retirement Obligations
	The Company retained the services of a mining engineering firm to prepare a detailed closure plan for the Velardeña Properties. The plan was completed during the second quarter 2012 and indicated that the Company had an ARO and offsetting ARC of approximately $1.9 million. The estimated $3.5 million ARO and ARC that was recorded at the time of the acquisition of the Velardeña Properties was adjusted accordingly.
	The Company will continue to accrue additional estimated ARO amounts based on an asset retirement plan as activities requiring future reclamation and remediation occur.  During the first three months of 2014 the Company recognized approximately $0.1 million of accretion expense during the period and approximately $0.2 million of amortization expense related to the ARC.
	The following table summarizes activity in the Velardeña Properties ARO:
		Three Months Ended
		March 31,
		2014			2013
		(in thousands)
	Beginning balance	$	2,467		$	2,080
	Changes in estimates, and other	(85		)	203
	Accretion expense	49			42
	Ending balance	$	2,431		$	2,325
	The decrease in the ARO recorded during the quarter ended March 31, 2014 is the result of changes in assumptions related to inflation factors and discount rates used in the determination of future cash flows.
	The increase in ARO recorded during the quarter ended March 31, 2013 relates to a change in assumption related to inflation factors used in the determination of future cash flows.  The corresponding increase in ARO was discounted using the Company’s current credit-adjusted risk-free interest rate.
	The Asset retirement obligation set forth on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 include approximately $0.1 million of reclamation liabilities related to activities at the El Quevar project in Argentina.

Other_Liabilities

Other Liabilities	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Other Liabilities	'
Other Liabilities	'
	10.   Other Liabilities
	The Company recorded other current liabilities of approximately $4.0 million and $4.4 million at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively.  The amounts are primarily related to a loss contingency on foreign withholding taxes that the government could assert are owed by the Company, acting as withholding agent, on certain interest payments made to a third party. The amounts include estimated interest, penalties and other adjustments.
	The Company has recorded other long term liabilities of less than approximately $0.1 million and approximately $0.1 million at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively related to a deferred leasehold liability which represents the recording of rent expense on a straight-line basis while actual rent payments are escalating over the course of the lease and where certain leasehold improvement costs, reimbursable by the landlord, are being amortized, on a straight-line basis, against rent expense over the life of the lease which expires in November 2019.

Fair_Value_Measurements

Fair Value Measurements	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Fair Value Measurements	'
Fair Value Measurements	'
	11.   Fair Value Measurements
	The Company follows the guidance of ASC Topic 820 “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures” (“ASC 820”) for financial assets and liabilities and nonfinancial assets and liabilities which are measured at fair value on a recurring basis.  ASC 820 establishes a framework for measuring fair value in the form of a fair value hierarchy which prioritizes the inputs into valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three broad levels.  This hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs.  Further, financial assets and liabilities should be classified by level in their entirety based upon the lowest level of input that was significant to the fair value measurement.  The three levels of the fair value hierarchy per ASC 820 are as follows:
	Level 1:  Unadjusted quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that are accessible at the measurement date.
	Level 2:  Quoted prices in inactive markets for identical assets or liabilities, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, or other observable inputs either directly related to the asset or liability or derived principally from corroborated observable market data.
	Level 3:  Unobservable inputs due to the fact that there is little or no market activity. This entails using assumptions in models which estimate what market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.
	The following table summarizes the Company’s financial assets and liabilities at fair value at March 31, 2014, by respective level of the fair value hierarchy:
		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
		(in thousands)
	Assets:
	Cash equivalents	$	15,020	$	—	$	—	$	15,020
	Liabilities:
	KELTIP payable	145		—				145
		$	14,875	$	—	$	—	$	14,875
	The Company’s cash equivalents, comprised principally of U.S. treasury securities, are classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.
	The KELTIP payable are related to employee and officer compensation as discussed in Note 8 and are marked to market at the end of each period based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock resulting in a classification of Level 1 within the fair value hierarchy.
	During the three months ended March 31, 2014 there were no amounts transferred between levels and there were no changes in fair value measurement techniques.  The Company did not have any Level 2 or Level 3 financial assets or liabilities at March 31, 2014.
	Credit Risk
	Credit risk is the risk that a third party might fail to fulfill its performance obligations under the terms of a financial instrument. For cash and cash equivalents and investments, the Company’s maximum exposure to credit risk represents the carrying amount on the balance sheet. The Company attempts to mitigate credit risk for cash and cash equivalents by placing its funds with high credit-quality financial institutions, limiting the amount of exposure to each financial institution, monitoring the financial condition of the financial institutions and investing only in government and corporate securities rated “investment grade” or better. The Company invests with financial institutions that maintain a net worth of not less than $1.0 billion and are members in good standing of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation.

Income_Taxes

Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Income Taxes	'
Income Taxes	'
	12.   Income Taxes
	The Company accounts for income taxes in accordance with the provisions of ASC 740, “Income Taxes” (“ASC 740”), on a tax jurisdictional basis.  For the quarter ended March 31, 2014, the Company had no income tax benefit or expense.  The Company operates in jurisdictions that have generated ordinary losses on a year-to-date basis and no benefit can be recognized on those losses, thus an estimated effective tax rate is not used to report the year-to-date results.  For the quarter ended March 31, 2013, the Company recorded a $2.5 million income tax benefit primarily related to Mexico net operating losses.
	In accordance with ASC 740, the Company presents deferred tax assets net of its deferred tax liabilities on a tax jurisdictional basis on its Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.  As of March 31, 2014 and as of December 31, 2013, the Company had no net deferred tax assets or net deferred tax liabilities reported on its balance sheet.
	The Company, a Delaware corporation, and its subsidiaries file tax returns in the United States and in various foreign jurisdictions.  The tax rules and regulations in these countries are highly complex and subject to interpretation. The Company’s income tax returns are subject to examination by the relevant taxing authorities and in connection with such examinations, disputes can arise with the taxing authorities over the interpretation or application of certain tax rules within the country involved.  In accordance with ASC 740, the Company identifies and evaluates uncertain tax positions, and recognizes the impact of uncertain tax positions for which there is less than a more-likely-than-not probability of the position being upheld upon review by the relevant taxing authority.  Such positions are deemed to be “unrecognized tax benefits” which require additional disclosure and recognition of a liability within the financial statements.  The Company had no unrecognized tax benefits at March 31, 2014 or December 31, 2013.

Equity

Equity	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Equity	'
Equity	'
	13.   Equity
	Equity Incentive Plans
	In April 2009, the Company adopted the 2009 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Equity Plan”) pursuant to which awards of the Company’s common stock may be made to officers, directors, employees, consultants and agents of the Company and its subsidiaries.  The Company recognizes stock-based compensation costs using a graded vesting attribution method whereby costs are recognized over the requisite service period for each separately vesting portion of the award.
	The following table summarizes the status of the Company’s restricted stock grants issued under the Equity Plan at March 31, 2014 and changes during the three months then ended:
	Restricted Stock Grants	Number of		Weighted Average
		Shares		Grant Date Fair
				Value Per Share
	Outstanding at December 31, 2013	915,971		$	2.47
	Granted during the period	—		—
	Restrictions lifted during the period	(8,833	)	8.64
	Forfeited during the period	—		—
	Outstanding at March 31, 2014	907,138		$	2.41
	Restrictions were lifted on 8,833 shares during the period on the anniversaries of grants made to an officer and an employee in prior years.
	For the three months ended March 31, 2014 the Company recognized approximately $0.1 million of compensation expense related to outstanding restricted stock grants.  The Company expects to recognize additional compensation expense related to these awards of approximately $0.5 million over the next 27 months.
	The following table summarizes the status of the Company’s stock option grants issued under the Equity Plan at March 31, 2014 and changes during the three months then ended:
	Equity Plan Options	Number of		Weighted
		Shares		Average
				Exercise
				Price Per
				Share
	Outstanding at December 31, 2013	110,810		$	8.02
	Granted during period	—		—
	Forfeited or expired during period	(15,000	)	—
	Exercised during period	—		—
	Outstanding at March 31, 2014	95,810		8.02
	Exercisable at end of period	95,810		8.02
	Granted and vested	95,810		8.02
	At March 31, 2014, in addition to the Equity Plan options outstanding, the Company has outstanding 126,000 options to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $16.00. The options are related to the merger with ECU Silver Mining Inc. (“ECU”) on September 2, 2011 and were issued to former ECU stock option holders to replace options previously issued to them by ECU. The options expire on October 22, 2014.
	Also, pursuant to the Equity Plan, the Company’s board of directors adopted the Non-Employee Director’s Deferred Compensation and Equity Award Plan (the “Deferred Compensation Plan”).  Pursuant to the Deferred Compensation Plan the non-employee directors receive a portion of their compensation in the form of Restricted Stock Units (“RSUs”) issued under the Equity Plan. The RSUs vest on the first anniversary of the grant date and each vested RSU entitles the director to receive one unrestricted share of common stock upon the termination of the director’s board service.
	The following table summarizes the status of the RSU grants issued under the Deferred Compensation Plan at March 31, 2014 and changes during the three months then ended:
	Restricted Stock Units	Number of		Weighted Average
		Shares		Grant Date Fair
				Value Per Share
	Outstanding at December 31, 2013	585,285		$	2.97
	Granted during the period	—		—
	Restrictions lifted during the period	—		—
	Forfeited during the period	—		—
	Outstanding at March 31, 2014	585,285		$	2.97
	For the three months ended March 31, 2014 the Company recognized approximately $0.2 million of compensation expense related to the RSU grants.  The Company expects to recognize additional compensation expense related to these awards of approximately $0.1 million over the next 6 months.
	Pursuant to the KELTIP (see Note 8) KELTIP Units may be granted to certain officers and key employees of the Company, which units will, once vested, entitle such officers and employees to receive an amount, in cash or in Company common stock measured generally by the price of the Company’s common stock on the settlement date. The KELTIP Units are recorded as a liability as discussed in detail in Note 8.
	Common stock warrants
	The following table summarizes the status of the Company’s common stock warrants at March 31, 2014 and changes during the three months then ended:
	Common Stock Warrants	Number of		Weighted Average
		Underlying		Exercise Price Per
		Shares		Share
	Outstanding at December 31, 2013	5,263,578		$	12.1
	Granted during period	—		—
	Expired during period	(1,831,929	)	19
	Exercised during period	—		—
	Outstanding at March 31, 2014	3,431,649		$	8.42
	The warrants that expired were warrants related to the merger with ECU on September 2, 2011 and were issued to former ECU warrant holders to replace warrants previously issued to them by ECU. The warrants expired on February 20, 2014.
	The remaining warrants are related to a public offering and private placement of the Company’s common stock completed on September 19, 2012 whereby 6,863,298 shares and warrants were sold as units (“Units”) at a price of $5.75 per Unit with each Unit consisting of one share of the Company’s common stock and a warrant to purchase 0.50 of a share of the Company’s common Stock at an exercise price of $8.42. The warrants became exercisable on March 20, 2013 and will expire on September 19, 2017.

Sale_of_Metals_and_Related_Cos

Sale of Metals and Related Costs	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Sale of Metals and Related Costs	'
Sale of Metals and Related Costs	'
	14.   Sale of Metals and Related Costs
	Prior to the suspension of mining and processing effective June 19, 2013 (see Note 1) the Company sold marketable products including concentrates and precipitates at its Velardeña Properties.
	During the quarter ended March 31, 2014 the Company did not sell any product or incur any related costs as the result of the suspension of mining and processing. During the quarter ended March 31, 2013 the Company sold marketable products to five customers.  Under the terms of the Company’s agreements with one precipitate customer, title does not pass to the purchaser until the product is received by the refinery, at which point revenue is recognized. For the Company’s other customers, title generally passes when a provisional payment is made, which occurs after the product is shipped and customary sales documents are completed.  Costs related to the sale of metals products include direct and indirect costs incurred to mine, process and market the products.  At March 31, 2013 the Company had written down its metals inventory to net realizable value including a charge to the cost of metals sold of approximately $2.6 million and a charge to depreciation expense of approximately $0.7 million.  Also included in cost of metals sold at March 31, 2013 is a $0.6 million charge related to workforce reduction severance costs.

Supplemental_Cash_Flow_Informa

Supplemental Cash Flow Information	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Supplemental Cash Flow Information	'
Supplemental Cash Flow Information	'
	15.   Supplemental Cash Flow Information
	The following table reconciles net loss for the period to cash used in operations:
		Three Months Ended
		March 31,
		2014			2013
		(in thousands)
	Cash flows from operating activities:
	Net loss	$	(5,658	)	$	(6,260	)
	Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
	Amortization and depreciation	846			2,568
	Accretion of asset retirement obligation	49			42
	Foreign currency (gain) loss on loss contingency	(5		)	25
	Foreign currency gain on deferred tax liability	—			(726		)
	Asset write off	92			148
	Write off of loss contingencies	(387		)	—
	Realized loss on marketable securities	—			133
	Gain on sale of assets, net	(1		)	(3,215		)
	Income tax provision	—			(2,478		)
	Stock compensation	330			421
	Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
	Decrease in trade accounts receivable	25			373
	Decrease in prepaid expenses and other assets	164			176
	Decrease (increase) in inventories	63			(388		)
	Increase in value added tax recoverable, net	(78		)	(362		)
	Decrease in reclamation liability	(110		)	(6		)
	(Increase) decrease in accounts payable and accrued liabilities	529			(1,727		)
	Decrease (increase) in deferred leasehold payments	21			(25		)
	Net cash used in operating activities	$	(4,120	)	$	(11,301	)

Commitments_and_Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies	'
Commitments and Contingencies	'
	16.   Commitments and Contingencies
	The Company has recorded a loss contingency of approximately $3.8 million and $4.2 million at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively as discussed in Note 10.

Segment_Information

Segment Information	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Segment Information	'
Segment Information	'
	17.   Segment Information
	The Company’s sole activity is the mining, construction and exploration of mineral properties containing precious metals.  The Company’s reportable segments are based upon the Company’s revenue producing activities and cash consuming activities. The Company reports two segments, one for its Velardeña Properties in Mexico and the other comprised of non-revenue producing activities including exploration, construction and general and administrative activities.   Intercompany revenue and expense amounts have been eliminated within each segment in order to report on the basis that management uses internally for evaluating segment performance.
	The financial information relating to the Company’s segments is as follows:
	Three Months Ended March 31,	Revenue		Costs		Depreciation,		Exploration, El		Pre-Tax		Total Assets		Capital
	2014			Applicable to		Depletion and		Quevar, Velardeña		loss				Expenditures
				Sales		Amortization		and Administrative
								Expense
	Velardeña Mine	$	—	$	—	$	625	$	1,260	$	1,996	$	28,468	$	—
	Corporate, Exploration & Other	—		—		221		3,578		3,662		21,182		7
		$	—	$	—	$	846	$	4,838	$	5,658	$	49,650	$	7
	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013
	Velardeña Mine	$	5,830	$	8,872	$	2,337	$	2,162	$	6,714	$	294,296	$	881
	Corporate, Exploration & Other	—		—		231		4,508		2,024		43,364		—
		$	5,830	$	8,872	$	2,568	$	6,670	$	8,738	$	337,660	$	881

Prepaid_expenses_and_other_ass1

Prepaid expenses and other assets (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Prepaid expenses and other assets	'
Schedule of prepaid expenses and other assets	'
		March 31,		December 31,
		2014		2013
		(in thousands)
	Prepaid insurance	$	537	$	687
	Prepaid contractor fees and vendor advances	230		193
	Taxes recievable	86		96
	Recoupable deposits and other	104		115
		$	957	$	1,091

Inventories_Tables

Inventories (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Inventories	'
Schedule of inventories at the Velardena Properties	'
		March 31,		December 31,
		2014		2013
		(in thousands)		(in thousands)
	Material and supplies	$	385	$	449
		$	385	$	449

Property_Plant_and_Equipment_n1

Property, Plant and Equipment, net (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Property, Plant and Equipment, net	'
Schedule of components of property, plant and equipment	'
		March 31,			December 31,
		2014			2013
		(in thousands)
	Mineral properties	$	22,397		$	22,397
	Exploration properties	2,993			2,993
	Royalty properties	200			200
	Buildings	2,357			2,349
	Mining equipment and machinery	19,441			19,441
	Other furniture and equipment	871			1,054
	Asset retirement cost	2,002			2,087
		50,261			50,521
	Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(18,816		)	(18,146		)
		31,445			32,375

Accounts_Payable_and_Other_Acc1

Accounts Payable and Other Accrued Liabilities (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Accounts Payable and Other Accrued Liabilities	'
Schedule of accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	'
		March 31,		December 31,
		2014		2013
		(in thousands)
	Accounts payable and accruals	$	1,096	$	717
	Accrued employee compensation and benefits	897		648
		$	1,993	$	1,365

Asset_Retirement_Obligations_T

Asset Retirement Obligations (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Asset Retirement Obligations	'
Summary of activity in the Velardena Properties ARO	'
		Three Months Ended
		March 31,
		2014			2013
		(in thousands)
	Beginning balance	$	2,467		$	2,080
	Changes in estimates, and other	(85		)	203
	Accretion expense	49			42
	Ending balance	$	2,431		$	2,325

Fair_Value_Measurements_Tables

Fair Value Measurements (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Fair Value Measurements	'
Schedule of financial assets and liabilities at fair value	'
	The following table summarizes the Company’s financial assets and liabilities at fair value at March 31, 2014, by respective level of the fair value hierarchy:
		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
		(in thousands)
	Assets:
	Cash equivalents	$	15,020	$	—	$	—	$	15,020
	Liabilities:
	KELTIP payable	145		—				145
		$	14,875	$	—	$	—	$	14,875

Equity_Tables

Equity (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Summary of the status of the Company's common stock warrants	'
	The following table summarizes the status of the Company’s common stock warrants at March 31, 2014 and changes during the three months then ended:
	Common Stock Warrants	Number of		Weighted Average
		Underlying		Exercise Price Per
		Shares		Share
	Outstanding at December 31, 2013	5,263,578		$	12.1
	Granted during period	—		—
	Expired during period	(1,831,929	)	19
	Exercised during period	—		—
	Outstanding at March 31, 2014	3,431,649		$	8.42
Equity Plan	'
Schedule of status of the restricted stock grants issued under the Equity Plan	'
	The following table summarizes the status of the Company’s restricted stock grants issued under the Equity Plan at March 31, 2014 and changes during the three months then ended:
	Restricted Stock Grants	Number of		Weighted Average
		Shares		Grant Date Fair
				Value Per Share
	Outstanding at December 31, 2013	915,971		$	2.47
	Granted during the period	—		—
	Restrictions lifted during the period	(8,833	)	8.64
	Forfeited during the period	—		—
	Outstanding at March 31, 2014	907,138		$	2.41
Schedule of status of the stock option grants issued under the Equity Plan	'
	The following table summarizes the status of the Company’s stock option grants issued under the Equity Plan at March 31, 2014 and changes during the three months then ended:
	Equity Plan Options	Number of		Weighted
		Shares		Average
				Exercise
				Price Per
				Share
	Outstanding at December 31, 2013	110,810		$	8.02
	Granted during period	—		—
	Forfeited or expired during period	(15,000	)	—
	Exercised during period	—		—
	Outstanding at March 31, 2014	95,810		8.02
	Exercisable at end of period	95,810		8.02
	Granted and vested	95,810		8.02
Deferred Compensation Plan	'
Schedule of status of the RSU grants issued under the Deferred Compensation Plan	'
	The following table summarizes the status of the RSU grants issued under the Deferred Compensation Plan at March 31, 2014 and changes during the three months then ended:
	Restricted Stock Units	Number of		Weighted Average
		Shares		Grant Date Fair
				Value Per Share
	Outstanding at December 31, 2013	585,285		$	2.97
	Granted during the period	—		—
	Restrictions lifted during the period	—		—
	Forfeited during the period	—		—
	Outstanding at March 31, 2014	585,285		$	2.97

Supplemental_Cash_Flow_Informa1

Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Supplemental Cash Flow Information	'
Schedule of reconciles net loss for the period to cash from operations	'
		Three Months Ended
		March 31,
		2014			2013
		(in thousands)
	Cash flows from operating activities:
	Net loss	$	(5,658	)	$	(6,260	)
	Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
	Amortization and depreciation	846			2,568
	Accretion of asset retirement obligation	49			42
	Foreign currency (gain) loss on loss contingency	(5		)	25
	Foreign currency gain on deferred tax liability	—			(726		)
	Asset write off	92			148
	Write off of loss contingencies	(387		)	—
	Realized loss on marketable securities	—			133
	Gain on sale of assets, net	(1		)	(3,215		)
	Income tax provision	—			(2,478		)
	Stock compensation	330			421
	Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
	Decrease in trade accounts receivable	25			373
	Decrease in prepaid expenses and other assets	164			176
	Decrease (increase) in inventories	63			(388		)
	Increase in value added tax recoverable, net	(78		)	(362		)
	Decrease in reclamation liability	(110		)	(6		)
	(Increase) decrease in accounts payable and accrued liabilities	529			(1,727		)
	Decrease (increase) in deferred leasehold payments	21			(25		)
	Net cash used in operating activities	$	(4,120	)	$	(11,301	)

Segment_Information_Tables

Segment Information (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Segment Information	'
Schedule of financial information relating to segments	'
	Three Months Ended March 31,	Revenue		Costs		Depreciation,		Exploration, El		Pre-Tax		Total Assets		Capital
	2014			Applicable to		Depletion and		Quevar, Velardeña		loss				Expenditures
				Sales		Amortization		and Administrative
								Expense
	Velardeña Mine	$	—	$	—	$	625	$	1,260	$	1,996	$	28,468	$	—
	Corporate, Exploration & Other	—		—		221		3,578		3,662		21,182		7
		$	—	$	—	$	846	$	4,838	$	5,658	$	49,650	$	7
	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013
	Velardeña Mine	$	5,830	$	8,872	$	2,337	$	2,162	$	6,714	$	294,296	$	881
	Corporate, Exploration & Other	—		—		231		4,508		2,024		43,364		—
		$	5,830	$	8,872	$	2,568	$	6,670	$	8,738	$	337,660	$	881

Investments_Details

Investments (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013
Investments	'
Net proceeds from sale of shares	$0.20
Available for sale common stock	'
Investments	'
Shares received from transaction	3

Prepaid_expenses_and_other_ass2

Prepaid expenses and other assets (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Prepaid expenses and other assets	'	'
Prepaid insurance	$537,000	$687,000
Prepaid contractor fees and vendor advances	230,000	193,000
Taxes receivable	86,000	96,000
Recoupable deposits and other	104,000	115,000
Prepaid expenses and other assets	957,000	1,091,000
Prepaid insurance included in non-current assets	'	$30,000

Inventories_Details

Inventories (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Inventories	'	'
Material and supplies	$385,000	$449,000
Inventories	385,000	449,000
Metals inventory	0	0
In-process inventory	$0	$0

Value_Added_Tax_Receivable_Net1

Value Added Tax Receivable, Net (Details)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Value Added Tax Receivable, Net	'
Expected period within which current amount of VAT will be recovered	'1 year

Property_Plant_and_Equipment_n2

Property, Plant and Equipment, net (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Property, plant and equipment	'	'
Property, plant and equipment, gross	$50,261	$50,521
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization	-18,816	-18,146
Property, plant and equipment, net	31,445	32,375
Mineral properties	'	'
Property, plant and equipment	'	'
Property, plant and equipment, gross	22,397	22,397
Exploration properties	'	'
Property, plant and equipment	'	'
Property, plant and equipment, gross	2,993	2,993
Royalty properties	'	'
Property, plant and equipment	'	'
Property, plant and equipment, gross	200	200
Buildings	'	'
Property, plant and equipment	'	'
Property, plant and equipment, gross	2,357	2,349
Mining equipment and machinery	'	'
Property, plant and equipment	'	'
Property, plant and equipment, gross	19,441	19,441
Other furniture and equipment	'	'
Property, plant and equipment	'	'
Property, plant and equipment, gross	871	1,054
Asset retirement cost	'	'
Property, plant and equipment	'	'
Property, plant and equipment, gross	$2,002	$2,087

Accounts_Payable_and_Other_Acc2

Accounts Payable and Other Accrued Liabilities (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Accounts Payable and Other Accrued Liabilities	'	'
Accounts payable and accruals	$1,096,000	$717,000
Accrued employee compensation and benefits	897,000	648,000
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	1,993,000	1,365,000
Accrued vacation	200,000	100,000
Withholding taxes and benefits payable	700,000	500,000
Corporate administrative activities	'	'
Accounts Payable and Other Accrued Liabilities	'	'
Accounts payable and accruals	400,000	200,000
Exploration	'	'
Accounts Payable and Other Accrued Liabilities	'	'
Accounts payable and accruals	'	100,000
Velardena Properties	'	'
Accounts Payable and Other Accrued Liabilities	'	'
Accounts payable and accruals	700,000	400,000
Accrued employee compensation and benefits	$200,000	$300,000

Accounts_Payable_and_Other_Acc3

Accounts Payable and Other Accrued Liabilities (Details 2) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	'	'
Accrued employee compensation and benefits	$897,000	$648,000
KELTIP | KELTIP Units	'	'
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	'	'
Accrued employee compensation and benefits	$145,000	$81,000

Asset_Retirement_Obligations_D

Asset Retirement Obligations (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
			Velardena Properties	Velardena Properties	Velardena Properties	El Quevar project	El Quevar project
Asset Retirement and Reclamation Liabilities	'	'	'	'	'	'	'
Third party estimated closure plan	'	'	'	'	$1,900,000	'	'
Estimated ARO and ARC recorded at the time of the acquisition	'	'	3,500,000	'	'	'	'
Amortization expense related to the ARC	'	'	200,000	'	'	'	'
Summary of activity in the Velardena Operations ARO	'	'	'	'	'	'	'
Beginning balance	2,602,000	'	2,467,000	2,080,000	'	100,000	100,000
Changes in estimates, and other	'	'	-85,000	203,000	'	'	'
Accretion expense	49,000	42,000	49,000	42,000	'	'	'
Ending balance	$2,541,000	'	$2,431,000	$2,325,000	'	$100,000	$100,000

Other_Liabilities_Details

Other Liabilities (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Other Liabilities	'	'
Other current liabilities	$3,978	$4,405
Minimum other long term liabilities	$74	$53

Fair_Value_Measurements_Detail

Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2014
Fair value measurements	'
Minimum net worth of financial institutions required for investment	$1,000,000,000
Recurring | Level 1	'
Fair value measurements	'
Cash equivalents	15,020,000
Fair value of assets and liabilities	14,875,000
Recurring | Level 1 | KELTIPs payable	'
Fair value measurements	'
Liabilities	145,000
Recurring | Total	'
Fair value measurements	'
Cash equivalents	15,020,000
Fair value of assets and liabilities	14,875,000
Recurring | Total | KELTIPs payable	'
Fair value measurements	'
Liabilities	$145,000

Income_Taxes_Details

Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Components of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities	'	'	'
Income tax benefit or expense	$0	$2,478,000	'
Net deferred tax assets	0	'	0
Net deferred tax liabilities	0	'	0
Unrecognized tax benefits	0	'	0
Mexico	'	'	'
Components of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities	'	'	'
Income tax benefit or expense	'	$2,500,000	'

Equity_Details

Equity (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Additional information	'	'
Compensation expense	$330,000	$421,000
Equity Plan | ECU	'	'
Number of Shares	'	'
Outstanding at end of year (in shares)	126,000	'
Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share	'	'
Exercise price (in dollars per share)	$16	'
Equity Plan | Restricted stock grants	'	'
Number of Shares	'	'
Outstanding at the beginning of year (in shares)	915,971	'
Restrictions lifted during the year (in shares)	-8,833	'
Outstanding at the end of year (in shares)	907,138	'
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Per Share	'	'
Outstanding at the beginning of year (in dollars per share)	$2.47	'
Restrictions lifted during the year (in dollars per share)	$8.64	'
Outstanding at the end of year (in dollars per share)	$2.41	'
Additional information	'	'
Compensation expense	100,000	'
Additional compensation expense expected to be recognized	500,000	'
Period for recognition of additional compensation expense	'27 months	'
Equity Plan | Restricted stock grants | Officers and employees	'	'
Number of Shares	'	'
Restrictions lifted during the year (in shares)	8,833	'
Equity Plan | Stock options	'	'
Number of Shares	'	'
Outstanding at beginning of year (in shares)	110,810	'
Forfeited or expired during period (in shares)	-15,000	'
Outstanding at end of year (in shares)	95,810	'
Exercisable at end of period (in shares)	95,810	'
Granted and vested (in shares)	95,810	'
Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share	'	'
Outstanding at beginning of year (in dollars per share)	$8.02	'
Outstanding at the end of year (in dollars per share)	$8.02	'
Exercisable at end of period (in dollars per share)	$8.02	'
Granted and vested (in dollars per share)	$8.02	'
Deferred Compensation Plan | RSUs	'	'
Number of Shares	'	'
Outstanding at the beginning of year (in shares)	585,285	'
Outstanding at the end of year (in shares)	585,285	'
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Per Share	'	'
Outstanding at the beginning of year (in dollars per share)	$2.97	'
Outstanding at the end of year (in dollars per share)	$2.97	'
Additional information	'	'
Compensation expense	200,000	'
Additional compensation expense expected to be recognized	$100,000	'
Period for recognition of additional compensation expense	'6 months	'
Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share	'	'
Number of unrestricted common shares that the Director is entitled to receive for each vested RSU, upon termination from board service	1	'

Equity_Details_2

Equity (Details 2) (Common stock warrants, USD $)	3 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Sep. 19, 2012
		Private placement
Number of Underlying Shares	'	'
Outstanding at the beginning of period (in shares)	5,263,578	'
Expired during period	-1,831,929	'
Outstanding at the end of period (in shares)	3,431,649	'
Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share	'	'
Outstanding at the beginning of period (in dollars per share)	$12.10	'
Expired during period	$19	'
Outstanding at the end of period (in dollars per share)	$8.42	$8.42
Number of common shares that can be purchased upon exercise of warrant	'	6,863,298
Sale price (in dollars per shares)	'	$5.75
Number of shares of common stock per capital unit (in shares)	'	1
Number of common shares which can be purchased with each warrant	'	0.5

Sale_of_Metals_and_Related_Cos1

Sale of Metals and Related Costs (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013
	item
Sale of Metals and Related Costs	'
Number of customers to whom marketable products were sold	5
Number of dore and precipitate customers with whom the entity entered into an agreement for passing the title to purchasers after the product is received by the refinery	1
Inventory write down charged to cost of metals sold	$2.60
Inventory write down charged to depreciation expense	0.7
Workforce reduction severance costs	$0.60

Supplemental_Cash_Flow_Informa2

Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Cash flows from operating activities:	'	'	'
Net loss	($5,658)	($6,260)	($240,380)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:	'	'	'
Amortization and depreciation	846	2,568	'
Accretion of asset retirement obligation	49	42	'
Foreign exchange (gain) loss on loss contingency	-5	25	'
Foreign currency gain on deferred tax liability	'	-726	'
Asset write off	92	148	'
Write off of loss contingency	-387	'	'
Realized loss on marketable securities	'	133	'
Gain on sale of assets, net	-1	-3,215	'
Income tax provision	0	-2,478	'
Stock compensation	330	421	'
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:	'	'	'
Decrease in trade accounts receivable	25	373	'
Decrease in prepaid expense and other assets	164	176	'
Decrease (increase) in inventories	63	-388	'
Increase in value added tax recoverable, net	-78	-362	'
Decrease in reclamation liability	-110	-6	'
(Increase) decrease in accounts payable and accrued Liabilities	529	-1,727	'
Decrease (Increase) in deferred leasehold payments	21	-25	'
Net cash used in operating activities	($4,120)	($11,301)	'

Commitments_and_Contingencies_

Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Contingencies	'	'
Loss contingency	$3.80	$4.20

Segment_Information_Details

Segment Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
	item
Segment Information	'	'	'
Number of reportable segments	2	'	'
Revenue	'	$5,830	'
Costs Applicable to Sales	'	8,872	'
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	846	2,568	'
Exploration, El Quevar, Velardena and Administrative Expense	4,838	6,670	'
Pre-Tax loss	5,658	8,738	'
Total Assets	49,650	337,660	54,881
Capital Expenditures	7	881	'
Velardena Mine	'	'	'
Segment Information	'	'	'
Number of reportable segments	1	'	'
Revenue	'	5,830	'
Costs Applicable to Sales	'	8,872	'
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	625	2,337	'
Exploration, El Quevar, Velardena and Administrative Expense	1,260	2,162	'
Pre-Tax loss	1,996	6,714	'
Total Assets	28,468	294,296	'
Capital Expenditures	'	881	'
Corporate, Exploration & Other	'	'	'
Segment Information	'	'	'
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	221	231	'
Exploration, El Quevar, Velardena and Administrative Expense	3,578	4,508	'
Pre-Tax loss	3,662	2,024	'
Total Assets	21,182	43,364	'
Capital Expenditures	$7	'	'