Comstock (LODE) 10-Q 16 Apr 15 2015 Q1 Quarterly report Financial data

Document_and_Entity_Informatio

Document and Entity Information	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Apr. 14, 2015
Document and Entity Information [Abstract]
Document Type	10-Q
Amendment Flag	FALSE
Document Period End Date	31-Mar-15
Entity Registrant Name	Comstock Mining Inc.
Entity Central Index Key	1120970
Current Fiscal Year End Date	-19
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2015
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Entity Filer Category	Accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		89,800,513

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_BALANCE

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$4,179,264	$5,308,804
Accounts receivable	41,102	322,406
Inventories	500,561	428,235
Stockpiles and mineralized material on leach pads	1,820,046	1,743,053
Prepaid expenses	1,684,452	833,360
Total current assets	8,225,425	8,635,858
MINERAL RIGHTS AND PROPERTIES, Net	7,274,375	7,318,175
PROPERTIES, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, Net	28,075,140	26,207,062
RECLAMATION BOND DEPOSIT	2,642,804	2,642,804
RETIREMENT OBLIGATION ASSET	1,999,313	1,619,101
OTHER ASSETS	26,401	32,872
TOTAL ASSETS	48,243,458	46,455,872
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	2,538,850	2,265,723
Accrued expenses	1,313,304	4,408,568
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations– current portion	8,531,720	5,897,219
Derivative liabilities	47,353	33,298
Total current liabilities	12,431,227	12,604,808
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations	5,589,614	5,701,264
Long-term reclamation liability	6,631,954	5,908,700
Total long-term liabilities	12,221,568	11,609,964
Total liabilities	24,652,795	24,214,772
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Common stock, $.000666 par value, 3,950,000,000 shares authorized, 85,173,255 and 82,480,600 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively	56,725	54,932
Additional paid-in capital	210,853,900	210,795,244
Accumulated deficit	-187,319,994	-188,609,108
Total stockholders’ equity	23,590,663	22,241,100
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY	48,243,458	46,455,872
7.5% Series A-1 convertible preferred stock; $.000666 par value, 1,500,000 shares authorized; 24,362 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Convertible Preferred Stock; 50,000,000 shares authorized	16	16
7.5% Series A-2 convertible preferred stock, $.000666 par value, 250,000 shares authorized; 1,610 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Convertible Preferred Stock; 50,000,000 shares authorized	1	1
7.5% Series B convertible preferred stock, $.000666 par value, 600,000 shares authorized; 22,626 and 22,676 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Convertible Preferred Stock; 50,000,000 shares authorized	$15	$15

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_BALANCE1

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Common stock, par value per share	$0.00	$0.00
Common stock, shares authorized	3,950,000,000	3,950,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	85,173,255	82,480,600
Common stock, shares outstanding	85,173,255	82,480,600
Preferred stock, shares authorized	50,000,000	50,000,000
7.5% Series A-1 Convertible Preferred Stock [Member]
Preferred stock, dividend rate	7.50%	7.50%
Preferred stock, par or stated value per share	$0.00	$0.00
Preferred stock, shares authorized	1,500,000	1,500,000
Preferred stock, shares issued	24,362	24,362
Preferred stock, shares outstanding	24,362	24,362
7.5% Series A-2 Convertible Preferred Stock [Member]
Preferred stock, dividend rate	7.50%	7.50%
Preferred stock, par or stated value per share	$0.00	$0.00
Preferred stock, shares authorized	250,000	250,000
Preferred stock, shares issued	1,610	1,610
Preferred stock, shares outstanding	1,610	1,610
7.5% Series B Convertible Preferred Stock [Member]
Preferred stock, dividend rate	7.50%	7.50%
Preferred stock, par or stated value per share	$0.00	$0.00
Preferred stock, shares authorized	600,000	600,000
Preferred stock, shares issued	22,626	22,676
Preferred stock, shares outstanding	22,626	22,676

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_STATEME

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
REVENUES
Revenue - Mining	$5,927,174	$5,606,064
Revenue - Hospitality	110,243	157,397
Total revenues	6,037,417	5,763,461
COST AND EXPENSES
Costs applicable to mining revenue	3,717,911	4,762,901
Hospitality operating costs	200,027	286,299
Exploration and mine development	603,194	801,218
Mine claims and costs	764,107	952,522
Environmental and reclamation	280,112	172,215
General and administrative	2,145,234	2,191,970
Total cost and expenses	7,710,585	9,167,125
LOSS FROM OPERATIONS	-1,673,168	-3,403,664
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)
Change in fair value of derivatives	0	-235,207
Interest expense	-223,673	-186,330
Other income (expense), net	3,185,955	222
Total other income (expense), net	2,962,282	-421,315
NET INCOME (LOSS)	1,289,114	-3,824,979
INCOME TAXES	0	0
NET INCOME (LOSS)	1,289,114	-3,824,979
DIVIDENDS ON CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK	-898,832	-1,061,609
NET INCOME (LOSS) AVAILABLE TO COMMON SHAREHOLDERS	$390,282	($4,886,588)
Net income (loss) per common share – basic	$0.01	($0.07)
Net income (loss) per common share – diluted	$0.01	($0.07)
Weighted average common shares outstanding — basic	82,492,914	71,808,908
Weighted average common shares outstanding — diluted	136,101,769	71,808,908

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_STATEME1

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)	$1,289,114	($3,824,979)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation, amortization and depletion	1,913,505	1,640,309
Stock payments and stock-based compensation	44,400	615,491
Accretion of reclamation liability	63,959	85,972
(Gain) loss on sale of properties, plant, and equipment	-12,723	45,499
Amortization of debt discounts and issuance costs	86,973	92,638
Net change in fair values of derivatives	14,055	403,638
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	281,304	-219,836
Inventories	-72,326	-779,033
Stockpiles and mineralized material on leach pads	-76,993	-70,890
Prepaid expenses	-357,457	-191,724
Other assets	6,471	6,470
Accounts payable	24,480	75,230
Accrued expenses	-2,995,264	-263,859
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	209,498	-2,385,074
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from sale of properties, plant and equipment	77,035	159,310
Purchase of mineral rights and properties, plant and equipment	-3,083,301	-1,142,784
Increase in reclamation bond deposit	-100,000	-300,000
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES	-3,106,266	-1,283,474
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Principal payments on long-term debt and capital lease obligations	-2,652,164	-764,243
Proceeds from long-term debt obligations	4,419,392	4,626,289
NET CASH PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	1,767,228	3,862,046
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	-1,129,540	193,498
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF PERIOD	5,308,804	2,409,446
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF PERIOD	4,179,264	2,602,944
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION:
Cash paid for interest	177,141	179,475
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Conversion of convertible preferred stock to common stock (par value)	0	1
Reclamation bond deposit included in accrued expenses and other liabilities		700,000
Additions to reclamation liability and retirement obligation asset	659,295	0
Issuance of common stock for properties, plant and equipment	16,049	0
Dividends paid in common stock (par value)	1,723	767
Issuance of long-term debt obligations for purchase of mineral rights and properties, plant and equipment	175,015	1,314,644
Vested restricted common stock (par value)	40	67
Properties, plant and equipment purchases in accounts payable	$588,890	$420,676

Interim_Financial_Statements

Interim Financial Statements	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Interim Financial Statements	Interim Financial Statements
	Basis of Presentation
	The interim condensed consolidated financial statements of Comstock Mining Inc. ("Comstock", "Company", "we", "our" or "us") have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In our opinion, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three month period ended March 31, 2015, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2015. For further information, refer to the financial statements and footnotes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014.
	During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company shipped 4,695 ounces of gold, resulting in recognized revenue of approximately $5.9 million. During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company shipped 56,482 ounces of silver for approximately $1 million. Silver is accounted for as a by-product credit in costs applicable to mining revenue for financial reporting purposes.
	Liquidity and Management Plans
	The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern which considers the realization of assets and discharge of liabilities in the normal course of business and does not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of uncertainties noted below.
	The Company has recurring net losses from operations and an accumulated deficit of $187.3 million at March 31, 2015. For the three month period ended March 31, 2015, the Company generated net income of $1.3 million and a positive $0.2 million of cash provided by operations. As of March 31, 2015, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $4.2 million, current assets of $8.2 million and current liabilities of $12.4 million, resulting in current liabilities in excess of current assets of $4.2 million.
	The Company’s current capital resources include cash and cash equivalents and other working capital resources, cash generated through operations, and existing financing arrangements, including a revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Credit Facility”) with Auramet International, LLC ("Auramet"), pursuant to which the Company may have borrowings up to $8 million outstanding at any given time. The Revolving Credit Facility has a maturity of February 6, 2017 and allows for re-advances on the facility up to the $8 million availability. The Company has financed its exploration, development, and start up activities principally from the sale of equity securities and, to a lesser extent, debt financing. While the Company has been successful in the past in obtaining the necessary capital to support its operations, including registered equity financings from its existing shelf registration, borrowings, or other means, there is no assurance that the Company will be able to obtain additional equity capital or other financing, if needed. The Company believes it will have sufficient funds to sustain its operations during the next 12 months as a result of the sources of funding detailed above.
	Future production rates and gold prices below management’s expectations would adversely affect the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. If the Company were unable to obtain any necessary additional funds, this could have an immediate material adverse effect on liquidity and could raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. In such case, the Company could be required to limit or discontinue certain business plans, activities or operations, reduce or delay certain capital expenditures or sell certain assets or businesses. There can be no assurance that the Company would be able to take any of such actions on favorable terms, in a timely manner or at all.
	Use of Estimates
	In preparing financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, we are required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and revenues and expenditures during the reported periods. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. Estimates may include those pertaining to valuation of inventories, stockpiles and mineralized material on leach pads, the estimated useful lives and valuation of plant and equipment, mineral rights, deferred tax assets, convertible preferred stock, derivative assets and liabilities, reclamation liabilities, stock-based compensation and payments, and contingent liabilities.
	Derivative Liabilities
	Derivative liabilities are recorded at fair value when issued and the subsequent change in fair value each period is recorded in the condensed consolidated statements of operations. We do not hold or issue any derivative financial instruments for speculative trading purposes.
	The Company manages its exposure to changes in gold market prices by entering into various derivative contracts including gold forward contracts, gold call option contracts, and gold put option contracts. Depending on the specific nature of each of the derivative contracts, the changes in the fair value are recognized as either a component of revenue or other income (expense) in the condensed consolidated statements of operations.
	HOPE Coins
	On March 31, 2015, the Company received 300,000 (“HOPE Coins”) issued by the HOPE Gold Coin Charitable Trust (the “Trust”). HOPE Coins are considered a cryptographic currency. The HOPE Coins are payments and partial pre-payments on the Mineral Rights License Agreement entered into by the Company with the Trust on October 9, 2014. The HOPE coins are being sold by the Trust for $10 per coin. However, the Company did not recognize a gain or revenue on its financial statements for the HOPE Coins received as of March 31, 2015, as no market value has yet been established.
	Under the Mineral Rights License Agreement, the Company has agreed to license an initial five metric tons of gold (or gold-equivalent) of validated, measured, and indicated resources for a period up to 12 years to support the value of the initial 50 million HOPE Coins being sold.
	Reclassifications
	Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior period consolidated financial statements to conform to the current period presentation. We believe these changes provide increased transparency and improved comparability of our cost classifications.
	Exploration and Mine Development, Mine Claims and Costs, and Environmental and Reclamation Presentation
	The Company separated its exploration and mine development, mine claims and costs and environmental and reclamation line items from its previously reported reclamation and exploration costs line item in the consolidated statements of operations. Reclamation and exploration costs previously recorded in the first quarter of 2014 were $1,925,955.
	Comprehensive Income
	The only component of comprehensive income for the three months ended March 31, 2015 was net income. The only component of comprehensive loss for the three months ended March 31, 2014, was net loss.
	Income Taxes
	We recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities based on differences between the consolidated financial statement carrying amounts and tax bases of certain recorded assets and liabilities and for tax loss carry forwards. Realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon our ability to generate sufficient future taxable earnings. Where it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax asset will not be realized, we have provided a valuation allowance. The Company has provided a full valuation allowance at March 31, 2015, and December 31, 2014, for its net deferred tax assets as it cannot conclude it is more likely than not that they will be realized. During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company fully adjusted its estimate of the final portion of $3.2 million tax indemnification because the indemnity fully lapsed. This adjustment did not give rise to any net taxable income.
	Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
	There have been no recently issued accounting pronouncements through the date of this report that we believe will have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Inventories_Stockpiles_and_Min

Inventories, Stockpiles and Mineralized Material on Leach Pads	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Inventories, Stockpiles and Mineralized Material on Leach Pads	Inventories, Stockpiles and Mineralized Material on Leach Pads
	Inventories, stockpiles and mineralized materials on leach pads consisted of the following:
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
	In-process	$	500,561	$	428,235
	Finished goods	—		—
	Total inventories	$	500,561	$	428,235
	Stockpiles	$	561,979	$	326,126
	Mineralized material on leach pads	1,258,067		1,416,927
	Total stockpiles and mineralized material on leach pads	$	1,820,046	$	1,743,053
	Total	$	2,320,607	$	2,171,288

Properties_Plant_and_Equipment

Properties, Plant and Equipment	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Properties, Plant and Equipment	Properties, Plant and Equipment
	The Company made capital expenditures totaling approximately $3.5 million during the three months ended March 31, 2015. Approximately $1.8 million was primarily for the design and construction of the heap leach expansion and related infrastructure. Approximately $1.7 million was used to purchase properties located in Storey County including 7.5 acres of various properties adjacent to the mining and processing operation.
	During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, the company recognized depreciation expense of $1.6 million and $1.4 million, respectively.

Derivative_Financial_Instrumen

Derivative Financial Instruments	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Derivative Financial Instruments	Derivative Financial Instruments
	Derivative financial instruments consisted of the following:
		31-Mar-15			31-Dec-14
	Derivative Type
	Derivative liabilities
	Gold call and put options	$	93,353		$	32,698
	Gold forwards	(46,000		)	600
	Total derivative liabilities	$	47,353		$	33,298
	Gold Call and Put Option and Forward Derivatives - During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company entered into separate gold forward and call and put option derivative contracts related to future gold sales with its primary customer. Premiums received at the inception of written gold call and put options are recorded as a liability. During the three month period ended March 31, 2015, the Company recognized a gain of $46,600 on the change in fair value of the gold forward derivatives. During the three month period ended March 31, 2015, the Company recognized a loss of $60,655 on the change in fair value of the call option derivatives. The recognized gains and losses were included as a component of mining revenues as the contracts relate to gold sales. The gold forward and call and put option derivative contracts outstanding at March 31, 2015 covered a total of 13,150 gold ounces with an average price of $1,206 and 45,000 silver ounces with an average price of $18.44 per ounce. The outstanding gold forward and call and put option derivative contracts are expected to settle or expire within ten months.

LongTerm_Reclamation_Liability

Long-Term Reclamation Liability and Retirement Obligation Asset	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Asset Retirement Obligation Disclosure [Abstract]
Long-Term Reclamation Liability and Retirement Obligation Asset	Long-Term Reclamation Liability and Retirement Obligation Asset
	Following is a reconciliation of the aggregate reclamation liability associated with our reclamation plan for our mining projects:
		March 31,			December 31,
		2015			2014
	Long-term reclamation liability — beginning of period	$	5,908,700		$	5,424,410
	Additional obligations incurred	659,295			140,573
	Accretion of reclamation liability	63,959			343,717
	Long-term reclamation liability — end of period	$	6,631,954		$	5,908,700
	Following is a reconciliation of the aggregate retirement obligation asset associated with our reclamation plan for our mining projects:
		March 31,			December 31,
		2015			2014
	Retirement obligation asset — beginning of period	$	1,619,101		$	2,491,956
	Additional obligations incurred	659,295			140,573
	Amortization of retirement obligation asset	(279,083		)	(1,013,428		)
	Retirement obligation asset — end of period	$	1,999,313		$	1,619,101

LongTerm_Debt_and_Capital_Leas

Long-Term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Long-Term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	Long-Term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations
	Long-term debt and capital lease obligations consisted of the following:
	Note Description	March 31,			December 31,
		2015			2014
	Note Payable (Auramet Facility)	$	5,000,000		$	1,071,427
	Note Payable (Caterpillar Equipment)	3,383,397			3,968,019
	Note Payable (Dayton Resource Area)	1,221,181			1,953,784
	Note Payable (Donovan Property)	564,350			574,141
	Note Payable (Gold Hill Hotel)	273,564			278,254
	Note Payable (White House)	285,254			286,595
	Note Payable (Railroad & Gold Property)	205,100			208,274
	Notes Payable - Other	291,203			341,192
	Capital Lease Obligations	2,897,285			2,916,797
	Subtotal	14,121,334			11,598,483
	Less current portion	(8,531,720		)	(5,897,219		)
	Long-term portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$	5,589,614		$	5,701,264
	Long-Term Debt Obligations
	On January 27, 2015, the Company entered into an amended and restated $8 million revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Credit Facility”) with Auramet International, LLC (“Auramet”), pursuant to which the Company may borrow up to $8 million. The Revolving Credit Facility expires on February 6, 2017. On March 6, 2015, the Company drew $5 million (The "Note"), representing cash proceeds of approximately $4.4 million, net of prepaid interest and fees of approximately $0.6 million recognized as a component of prepaid assets in the condensed consolidated balance sheets and amortized over the life of the payment terms using the effective interest rate method. The Note will be repaid through 25 semi-monthly cash payments of $200,000 beginning April 30, 2015, and ending April 30, 2016, with total principal and interest obligations not exceeding $5 million. Interest is payable at 9.5% per annum, and was paid in advance on the closing date of the Note. The indebtedness under the Revolving Credit Facility is secured by a security interest in certain real estate owned by the Company within the Company’s starter mine and a first priority security interest in all personal property of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary Comstock Mining LLC, subject to any existing or future Permitted Liens (as defined under the Revolving Credit Facility). The proceeds from the Note will primarily be used for an accelerated construction schedule for rerouting State Route 342, located in the Company’s Lucerne Resource Area, the first phase of which is scheduled for completion in early June 2015, and the second phase before 2015 year end. The Note contains a covenant that requires the Company to maintain a minimum liquidity balance of $1 million (including cash and cash equivalents, plus 90% of the value of any doré that has been picked up by a secured carrier but not yet paid for, as of any date of determination). The Note additionally contains customary representations, warranties, affirmative covenants, negative covenants, and events of default, as well as conditions to borrowings. The Company and Auramet agreed to re-advance under the Revolving Credit Facility evidenced by the Note and extend up to $8 million of availability thereunder for the period from and after June 30, 2015 to April 29, 2016.
	Capital Lease Obligations
	On March 10, 2015, the Company entered into a new capital lease agreement totaling $175,015 with Kimball Equipment for the purchase of mining equipment.
	At March 31, 2015 the long-term and current capital lease obligations were approximately $2.9 million.

Stockholders_Equity

Stockholders' Equity	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]
Stockholders' Equity	Stockholders’ Equity
	During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company issued 30,303 shares of common stock from the conversion of 50 shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock. There were no conversions of A-1 or A-2 Preferred Shares during the three months ended March 31, 2015. The Company also declared and issued 2,587,352 shares of common stock at par value as dividends on outstanding shares of convertible preferred stock. In addition, for the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company issued 60,000 shares of restricted stock vested under the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan.
	During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company entered into an agreement to purchase patented mining claims referred to as "Vulcan". The total purchase price was comprised of $20,500 cash payment and 36,145 shares of Company restricted common stock. No transfer of deed will take place prior to sellers receiving the proceeds from the sale of shares. As of March 31, 2015, no transfer of deed has occurred under the agreement. Accordingly, the related property and equity issued were not given accounting consideration in the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.
	On January 29, 2015, the Company closed escrow on the purchase of additional land lots. The purchase included the issuance of 15,000 shares of common stock with a fair value of $16,040.

Fair_Value_Measurements

Fair Value Measurements	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value Measurements	Fair Value Measurements
	The fair value of a financial instrument is the amount that could be received upon the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Fair value measurements do not include transaction costs.  A fair value hierarchy is used to prioritize the quality and reliability of the information used to determine fair values.  Categorization within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.  The fair value hierarchy is defined into the following three categories:
	Level 1: Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
	Level 2: Observable market-based inputs or unobservable inputs corroborated by market data.
	Level 3: Unobservable inputs that are not corroborated by market data.
	The following table presents our liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis:
					Fair Value Measurements at March 31, 2015
		Total			Quoted		Significant			Significant
					Prices		Other			Unobservable
					in Active		Observable			Inputs
					Markets		Inputs			(Level 3)
					(Level 1)		(Level 2)
	Liabilities:
	Gold call and put options	$	93,353		$	—	$	93,353		$	—
	Gold forwards	(46,000		)	—		(46,000		)	—
	Total Liabilities	$	47,353		$	—	$	47,353		$	—
	The following table presents our liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis:
					Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2014
		Total			Quoted		Significant			Significant
					Prices		Other			Unobservable
					in Active		Observable			Inputs
					Markets		Inputs			(Level 3)
					(Level 1)		(Level 2)
	Liabilities:
	Gold call options	$	32,698		$	—	$	32,698		$	—
	Gold forwards	600			—		600			—
	Total Liabilities	$	33,298		$	—	$	33,298		$	—
	We had no assets measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014. During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and twelve months ended December 31, 2014, there were no transfers of assets or liabilities between Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3.
	Following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for the Company’s financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis as well as the general classification of such instruments pursuant to the valuation hierarchy.
	Gold call and put option, forward, and collar options - The Company’s gold forward, call options, and put option derivatives are valued based on a Black-Scholes model with various observable inputs. These inputs include contractual terms, gold market prices, volatility of gold prices, and risk free interest rates. Because the inputs are all observable market-based inputs, these derivatives are classified within Level 2 of the valuation hierarchy.

Net_Income_Loss_Per_Common_Sha

Net Income (Loss) Per Common Share	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net Income (Loss) Per Common Share	Net Income (Loss) Per Common Share
	Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Diluted (loss) per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if stock options, warrants, and convertible securities were exercised or converted into common stock.
	The following is a reconciliation of the numerator and denominator used in the basic and diluted computation of net income (loss) per share:
		Three Months Ended
		March 31,
		2015				2014
	Numerator:
	Net income (loss)	$	1,289,114			$	(3,824,979	)
	Preferred stock dividends	(898,832		)		(1,061,609		)
	Net income (loss) available to common shareholders	$	390,282			$	(4,886,588	)
	Denominator:
	Basic weighted average shares outstanding	82,492,914				71,808,908
	Effect of dilutive securities	53,608,855				—
	Diluted weighted average shares outstanding	136,101,769				71,808,908
	Net income (loss) per common share:
	Basic	$	0.01			$	(0.07	)
	Diluted	$	0.01			$	(0.07	)
	The following table includes the number of common stock equivalent shares that are not included in the computation of diluted income and (loss) per share, because the inclusion of such shares would be anti-dilutive or certain performance conditions have not been achieved.
		March 31,
		2015			2014
	Convertible preferred stock	—			53,947,036
	Stock Options and Warrants	50,000			783,500
	Restricted stock	1,796,600			3,485,600
		1,846,600			58,216,136

Commitments_and_Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies
	The Company has minimum royalty obligations with certain of its mineral properties and leases. Minimum royalty payments payable are $57,400 per year in 2015, increasing by approximately $5,000 per year through 2017 and $2,000 thereafter. For most of the mineral properties and leases, the Company is subject to a range of royalty obligations once production commences. These royalties range from 0.5% to 6% of net smelter revenues (NSR) from minerals produced on the properties. Some of the factors that will influence the amount of the royalties include ounces extracted and the price of gold.
	The Company has an operating agreement with Northern Comstock LLC, a related party and an entity controlled by a member of the Board of Directors. As part of the operating agreement, the Company obtained the exclusive rights of production and exploration on certain parcels in Storey County, Nevada. The terms of this agreement provide that the Company will make annual contributions in the amount of $862,500, in the form of Series A-1 convertible preferred stock or cash. The operating agreement requires these payments, at least annually, through October 2049. At March 31, 2015, $30.2 million remained due and may be prepaid without penalty. The above disclosure assumes cash payments are made, although the actual fair value of the payment amount may differ if preferred stock is issued in lieu of cash.
	On October 20, 2010, the Company exchanged all of its senior secured convertible and senior indebtedness owed to members of the Winfield Group, shareholders of the Company, for newly created Series A-1 preferred stock. As part of the exchange, the Company agreed to indemnify the Winfield Group for any amounts as part of the exchange that were determined to be taxable as ordinary income to each member of the Winfield Group. As a result of this transaction, the Company recorded an accrual loss contingency provision in 2010. In September 2014, a portion of the indemnity lapsed. In March 2015, the remaining portion of the indemnity has lapsed, and accordingly, the Company recognized a reduction in the loss contingency accrual of approximately $3.2 million, which is included in other income in the condensed consolidated statements of operations.
	The Company’s mining and exploration activities are subject to various laws and regulations governing the protection of the environment. These laws and regulations are continually changing and are generally becoming more restrictive. The Company conducts its operations so as to protect the public health and environment and believes its operations are in compliance with applicable laws and regulations in all material respects. The Company has made, and expects to make in the future, expenditures to comply with such laws and regulations, but cannot predict the full amount of such future expenditures.
	In early February, the Nevada Department of Transportation, (NDOT), closed an approximate two-mile section of SR-342, south of Gold Hill, as a safety precaution following roadway cracking and area specific sinking during a weekend of heavy rains. The area of sinking is above a historic mine-shaft dating back to the early 1900's, and that portion of the road sits on old mine dumps and looser fill that has a history of instability and, in some cases, failure. The Company owns the land, with NDOT granted prescriptive rights to operate the state roadbed over that private land.  Storey County, NDOT, the Company, and other applicable regulatory agencies evaluated several remedies for the realignment of SR-342. The route will be realigned to the east of the historic shaft, enabling safe travel and continued mining, while positioning the area for future mining and development.
	The realignment will occur over two phases, with Phase 1 completion taking approximately 10-12 weeks and Phase 2 requiring an additional six months. Phase 1 begins with the Company removing the unconsolidated fill that now exists above the base bedrock level and beneath the existing road, followed by construction of a bypass road upon the base bedrock. In connection with this project, the historic Silver Hill Shaft will be capped permanently.
	During the construction of Phase 1, SR-342 remains closed. Through traffic continues to detour through nearby State Route 341, commonly known as the truck route.  The truck route provides direct access between Virginia City and U.S. 50 in the Dayton area, with about 1.5 miles of additional travel.
	Once Phase 1 is complete in June, the road will be reopened during construction of the second phase. Phase 2 includes removal of additional material on the east side of the canyon and will conclude with a tie in of the south end of the newly constructed alignment. A short closure will be necessary toward the end of Phase 2 for the tie in and completion of the realignment. The project is estimated to last through December of 2015.  The estimated cost for the project is $3 million. The project will be managed and funded by Comstock Mining, with NDOT and Storey County oversight, resulting ultimately in completing all phases of the realignment, plus achieving and advancing additional reclamation and mining objectives.
	Upon completion of the bypass, NDOT’s prescriptive rights to operate the road would be transferred from the existing closed section of State Route 342 to the new roadway alignment.
	From time to time, we are involved in lawsuits, claims, investigations and proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of business. There are no matters pending that we expect to have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, financial condition or cash flows.

Segment_Reporting

Segment Reporting	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Segment Reporting	Segment Reporting
	As of March 31, 2015 the Company operates two segments, mining and hospitality. The mining segment consists of all activities and expenditures associated with mining. The hospitality segment consists of hotel rooms, cottages, restaurant, bar and other services provided by Gold Hill Hotel.  We evaluate the performance of our operating segments based on operating income (loss). All intercompany transactions have been eliminated, and intersegment revenues are not significant. Financial information relating to our reportable operating segments and reconciliation to the consolidated totals is as follows:
		Three Months Ended
		March 31,
		2015			2014
	Revenue
	Mining	$	5,927,174		$	5,606,064
	Hospitality	110,243			157,397
	Total revenue	6,037,417			5,763,461
	Cost and Expenses
	Mining	(7,510,558		)	(8,880,826		)
	Hospitality	(200,027		)	(286,299		)
	Total cost and expenses	(7,710,585		)	(9,167,125		)
	Operating Income (Loss)
	Mining	(1,583,384		)	(3,274,762		)
	Hospitality	(89,784		)	(128,902		)
	Total loss from operations	(1,673,168		)	(3,403,664		)
	Other income (expense), net	2,962,282			(421,315		)
	Net income (loss)	$	1,289,114		$	(3,824,979	)
	Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization
	Mining	$	1,890,108		$	1,604,648
	Hospitality	23,397			35,661
	Total depreciation, amortization and depletion	$	1,913,505		$	1,640,309
	Capital Expenditures
	Mining	$	3,508,351		$	1,859,842
	Hospitality	14,663			83,477
	Total capital expenditures	$	3,523,014		$	1,943,319
		As of March 31,			As of December 31,
		2015			2014
	Assets
	Mining	$	46,833,337		$	45,029,258
	Hospitality	1,410,121			1,426,614
	Total assets	$	48,243,458		$	46,455,872
	On March 20, 2015, the Company entered into an agreement to lease the Gold Hill Hotel. The lease is effective April 1, 2015. The Company retains ownership to the land and Gold Hill Hotel properties while leasing the facilities to independent operators. The initial term of the lease agreement begins on April 1, 2015, and ends in March 2020. The tenant may renew the lease for two extended terms of five years each. Lease payments are due in monthly installments. The Company does not expect to have hospitality revenue or expenses after April 1, 2015.

Interim_Financial_Statements_P

Interim Financial Statements (Policies)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates
	In preparing financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, we are required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and revenues and expenditures during the reported periods. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. Estimates may include those pertaining to valuation of inventories, stockpiles and mineralized material on leach pads, the estimated useful lives and valuation of plant and equipment, mineral rights, deferred tax assets, convertible preferred stock, derivative assets and liabilities, reclamation liabilities, stock-based compensation and payments, and contingent liabilities.
Derivative Liabilities	Derivative Liabilities
	Derivative liabilities are recorded at fair value when issued and the subsequent change in fair value each period is recorded in the condensed consolidated statements of operations. We do not hold or issue any derivative financial instruments for speculative trading purposes.
	The Company manages its exposure to changes in gold market prices by entering into various derivative contracts including gold forward contracts, gold call option contracts, and gold put option contracts. Depending on the specific nature of each of the derivative contracts, the changes in the fair value are recognized as either a component of revenue or other income (expense) in the condensed consolidated statements of operations.
Income Taxes	Income Taxes
	We recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities based on differences between the consolidated financial statement carrying amounts and tax bases of certain recorded assets and liabilities and for tax loss carry forwards. Realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon our ability to generate sufficient future taxable earnings. Where it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax asset will not be realized, we have provided a valuation allowance. The Company has provided a full valuation allowance at March 31, 2015, and December 31, 2014, for its net deferred tax assets as it cannot conclude it is more likely than not that they will be realized.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements	Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
	There have been no recently issued accounting pronouncements through the date of this report that we believe will have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Inventories_Stockpiles_and_Min1

Inventories, Stockpiles and Mineralized Material on Leach Pads (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Inventory	Inventories, stockpiles and mineralized materials on leach pads consisted of the following:
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
	In-process	$	500,561	$	428,235
	Finished goods	—		—
	Total inventories	$	500,561	$	428,235
	Stockpiles	$	561,979	$	326,126
	Mineralized material on leach pads	1,258,067		1,416,927
	Total stockpiles and mineralized material on leach pads	$	1,820,046	$	1,743,053
	Total	$	2,320,607	$	2,171,288

Derivative_Financial_Instrumen1

Derivative Financial Instruments (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Derivatives	Derivative financial instruments consisted of the following:
		31-Mar-15			31-Dec-14
	Derivative Type
	Derivative liabilities
	Gold call and put options	$	93,353		$	32,698
	Gold forwards	(46,000		)	600
	Total derivative liabilities	$	47,353		$	33,298

LongTerm_Reclamation_Liability1

Long-Term Reclamation Liability and Retirement Obligation Asset (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Asset Retirement Obligation Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Other Noncurrent Liabilities	Following is a reconciliation of the aggregate reclamation liability associated with our reclamation plan for our mining projects:
		March 31,			December 31,
		2015			2014
	Long-term reclamation liability — beginning of period	$	5,908,700		$	5,424,410
	Additional obligations incurred	659,295			140,573
	Accretion of reclamation liability	63,959			343,717
	Long-term reclamation liability — end of period	$	6,631,954		$	5,908,700
Schedule of Asset Retirement Obligations	Following is a reconciliation of the aggregate retirement obligation asset associated with our reclamation plan for our mining projects:
		March 31,			December 31,
		2015			2014
	Retirement obligation asset — beginning of period	$	1,619,101		$	2,491,956
	Additional obligations incurred	659,295			140,573
	Amortization of retirement obligation asset	(279,083		)	(1,013,428		)
	Retirement obligation asset — end of period	$	1,999,313		$	1,619,101

LongTerm_Debt_and_Capital_Leas1

Long-Term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Long-Term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	Long-term debt and capital lease obligations consisted of the following:
	Note Description	March 31,			December 31,
		2015			2014
	Note Payable (Auramet Facility)	$	5,000,000		$	1,071,427
	Note Payable (Caterpillar Equipment)	3,383,397			3,968,019
	Note Payable (Dayton Resource Area)	1,221,181			1,953,784
	Note Payable (Donovan Property)	564,350			574,141
	Note Payable (Gold Hill Hotel)	273,564			278,254
	Note Payable (White House)	285,254			286,595
	Note Payable (Railroad & Gold Property)	205,100			208,274
	Notes Payable - Other	291,203			341,192
	Capital Lease Obligations	2,897,285			2,916,797
	Subtotal	14,121,334			11,598,483
	Less current portion	(8,531,720		)	(5,897,219		)
	Long-term portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$	5,589,614		$	5,701,264

Fair_Value_Measurements_Tables

Fair Value Measurements (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis	The following table presents our liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis:
					Fair Value Measurements at March 31, 2015
		Total			Quoted		Significant			Significant
					Prices		Other			Unobservable
					in Active		Observable			Inputs
					Markets		Inputs			(Level 3)
					(Level 1)		(Level 2)
	Liabilities:
	Gold call and put options	$	93,353		$	—	$	93,353		$	—
	Gold forwards	(46,000		)	—		(46,000		)	—
	Total Liabilities	$	47,353		$	—	$	47,353		$	—
	The following table presents our liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis:
					Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2014
		Total			Quoted		Significant			Significant
					Prices		Other			Unobservable
					in Active		Observable			Inputs
					Markets		Inputs			(Level 3)
					(Level 1)		(Level 2)
	Liabilities:
	Gold call options	$	32,698		$	—	$	32,698		$	—
	Gold forwards	600			—		600			—
	Total Liabilities	$	33,298		$	—	$	33,298		$	—

Net_Income_Loss_Per_Common_Sha1

Net Income (Loss) Per Common Share (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Reconciliation of Numerator and Denominator used in Basic and Diluted Computation of New Loss Per Share	The following is a reconciliation of the numerator and denominator used in the basic and diluted computation of net income (loss) per share:
		Three Months Ended
		March 31,
		2015				2014
	Numerator:
	Net income (loss)	$	1,289,114			$	(3,824,979	)
	Preferred stock dividends	(898,832		)		(1,061,609		)
	Net income (loss) available to common shareholders	$	390,282			$	(4,886,588	)
	Denominator:
	Basic weighted average shares outstanding	82,492,914				71,808,908
	Effect of dilutive securities	53,608,855				—
	Diluted weighted average shares outstanding	136,101,769				71,808,908
	Net income (loss) per common share:
	Basic	$	0.01			$	(0.07	)
	Diluted	$	0.01			$	(0.07	)
Schedule of Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share	The following table includes the number of common stock equivalent shares that are not included in the computation of diluted income and (loss) per share, because the inclusion of such shares would be anti-dilutive or certain performance conditions have not been achieved.
		March 31,
		2015			2014
	Convertible preferred stock	—			53,947,036
	Stock Options and Warrants	50,000			783,500
	Restricted stock	1,796,600			3,485,600
		1,846,600			58,216,136

Segment_Reporting_Tables

Segment Reporting (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Schedule of Financial Information Relating to Reportable Operating Segments and Reconciliation to Condensed Consolidated Totals	Financial information relating to our reportable operating segments and reconciliation to the consolidated totals is as follows:
		Three Months Ended
		March 31,
		2015			2014
	Revenue
	Mining	$	5,927,174		$	5,606,064
	Hospitality	110,243			157,397
	Total revenue	6,037,417			5,763,461
	Cost and Expenses
	Mining	(7,510,558		)	(8,880,826		)
	Hospitality	(200,027		)	(286,299		)
	Total cost and expenses	(7,710,585		)	(9,167,125		)
	Operating Income (Loss)
	Mining	(1,583,384		)	(3,274,762		)
	Hospitality	(89,784		)	(128,902		)
	Total loss from operations	(1,673,168		)	(3,403,664		)
	Other income (expense), net	2,962,282			(421,315		)
	Net income (loss)	$	1,289,114		$	(3,824,979	)
	Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization
	Mining	$	1,890,108		$	1,604,648
	Hospitality	23,397			35,661
	Total depreciation, amortization and depletion	$	1,913,505		$	1,640,309
	Capital Expenditures
	Mining	$	3,508,351		$	1,859,842
	Hospitality	14,663			83,477
	Total capital expenditures	$	3,523,014		$	1,943,319
		As of March 31,			As of December 31,
		2015			2014
	Assets
	Mining	$	46,833,337		$	45,029,258
	Hospitality	1,410,121			1,426,614
	Total assets	$	48,243,458		$	46,455,872

Interim_Financial_Statements_D

Interim Financial Statements (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Mar. 05, 2015
	oz
	coin
	T
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Ounces of gold sold during the period	4,695
Gold revenue	$5,927,174	$5,606,064
Ounces of silver sold during the period	56,482
Silver sales	1,000,000
Accumulated deficit	-187,319,994		-188,609,108
Net income (loss)	1,289,114	-3,824,979
Net cash provided by (used) in operating activities	209,498	-2,385,074
Cash and cash equivalents	4,179,264	2,602,944	5,308,804	2,409,446
Current assets	8,225,425		8,635,858
Current liabilities	12,431,227		12,604,808
Current liabilities in excess of current assets	4,200,000
Proceeds from sale of mineral rights (cryptocurrency coins)	300,000
Fair value of cryptocurrency coins (USD per coin)	10
Mineral rights agreement, amount of underlying gold or gold-equivalent (in tons)	5
Mineral rights license agreement, period	12 years
Mineral rights agreement, amount of underlying HOPE Coins to be supported (in coins)	50,000,000
Previously reported reclamation and exploration costs		1,925,955
Adjustment to tax indemnification due to lapse	3,200,000
Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility, borrowing capacity					8,000,000
Additional future borrowing capacity	8,000,000
Note Payable (Auramet Facility) | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility, borrowing capacity	$8,000,000

Inventories_Stockpiles_and_Min2

Inventories, Stockpiles and Mineralized Material on Leach Pads (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
In-process	$500,561	$428,235
Finished goods	0	0
Total inventories	500,561	428,235
Stockpiles	561,979	326,126
Mineralized material on leach pads	1,258,067	1,416,927
Total stockpiles and mineralized material on leach pads	1,820,046	1,743,053
Total	$2,320,607	$2,171,288

Properties_Plant_and_Equipment1

Properties, Plant and Equipment (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
	acre
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Capital expenditures	$3.50
Capital expenditures for design and construction	1.8
Escrow amount closed on purchase of property	1.7
Area of properties purchased (in acres)	7.5
Depreciation expense	$1.60	$1.40

Derivative_Financial_Instrumen2

Derivative Financial Instruments (Schedule of Derivatives) (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Derivative [Line Items]
Total derivative liabilities	$47,353	$33,298
Call option | Gold contracts
Derivative [Line Items]
Total derivative liabilities	93,353	32,698
Forward contracts | Gold contracts
Derivative [Line Items]
Total derivative liabilities	($46,000)	$600

Derivative_Financial_Instrumen3

Derivative Financial Instruments (Narrative) (Details) (Commodity contracts, USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Forward contracts
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on derivatives	$46,600
Call option
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on derivatives	($60,655)
Forward contracts and call options
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Number of gold ounces covered by contract	13,150
Number of silver ounces covered by contract	45,000
Average forward price (in dollars per oz)	1,206

LongTerm_Reclamation_Liability2

Long-Term Reclamation Liability and Retirement Obligation Asset (Reconciliation of Aggregate Retirement Liability) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Mine Reclamation and Closing Liability [Roll Forward]
Long-term reclamation liability b beginning of period	$5,908,700	$5,424,410
Additional obligations incurred	659,295	140,573
Accretion of reclamation liability	63,959	343,717
Long-term reclamation liability b end of period	$6,631,954	$5,908,700

LongTerm_Reclamation_Liability3

Long-Term Reclamation Liability and Retirement Obligation Asset (Reconciliation of Aggregate Retirement Asset) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]
Retirement obligation asset b beginning of period	$1,619,101	$2,491,956	$2,491,956
Additional obligations incurred	659,295	0	140,573
Amortization of retirement obligation asset	-279,083		-1,013,428
Retirement obligation asset b end of period	$1,999,313		$1,619,101

LongTerm_Debt_and_Capital_Leas2

Long-Term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations (Schedule of Long-Term Debt) (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Subtotal	$14,121,334	$11,598,483
Less current portion	-8,531,720	-5,897,219
Long-term portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations	5,589,614	5,701,264
Capital Lease Obligations
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Subtotal	2,897,285	2,916,797
Note Payable (Auramet Facility)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Subtotal	5,000,000	1,071,427
Note Payable (Caterpillar Equipment)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Subtotal	3,383,397	3,968,019
Note Payable (Dayton Resource Area)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Subtotal	1,221,181	1,953,784
Note Payable (Donovan Property)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Subtotal	564,350	574,141
Note Payable (Gold Hill Hotel)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Subtotal	273,564	278,254
Note Payable (White House)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Subtotal	285,254	286,595
Note Payable (Railroad & Gold Property)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Subtotal	205,100	208,274
Notes Payable - Other
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Subtotal	$291,203	$341,192

LongTerm_Debt_and_Capital_Leas3

Long-Term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations (Long-Term Debt Obligations) (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 06, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 10, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 05, 2015
		payment
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
New capital lease obligations			$175,015
Long term debt and capital lease obligations		14,121,334		11,598,483
Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility, borrowing capacity					8,000,000
Revolving credit facility, interest rate (as a percent)					9.50%
Covenant compliance, required liquidity amount					1,000,000
Covenant compliance, percentage of dore included in liquidity amount					90.00%
Amounts borrowed on facility	5,000,000
Proceeds from lines of credit	4,400,000
Amount of line of credit drawn in prepaid assets	600,000
Number of cash payments		25
Periodic installments amount		200,000
Total principal payment		5,000,000
Additional future borrowing capacity		$8,000,000

Stockholders_Equity_Details

Stockholders' Equity (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Jan. 29, 2015
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Restricted stock awards vested in period	60,000
Restricted common shares issued towards purchase of mining claims	36,145
Payments to acquire mining claims	$20,500
Common Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Shares issued upon conversion of convertible preferred stock	30,303
Common stock dividends declared and issued (in shares)	2,587,352
7.5% Series B Convertible Preferred Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Conversion of preferred stock to common stock, shares	50
Additional Land Lots
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Stock issued during period for purchase of assets (in shares)		15,000
Purchase of properties, plant and equipment		$16,040

Fair_Value_Measurements_Detail

Fair Value Measurements (Details) (Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring, USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Liabilities:
Total Liabilities	$47,353	$33,298
Call and put options
Liabilities:
Derivative liability	93,353
Call option
Liabilities:
Derivative liability		32,698
Forward contracts
Liabilities:
Derivative liability	-46,000	600
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1)
Liabilities:
Total Liabilities	0	0
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) | Call and put options
Liabilities:
Derivative liability	0
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) | Call option
Liabilities:
Derivative liability		0
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) | Forward contracts
Liabilities:
Derivative liability	0	0
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)
Liabilities:
Total Liabilities	47,353	33,298
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Call and put options
Liabilities:
Derivative liability	93,353
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Call option
Liabilities:
Derivative liability		32,698
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Forward contracts
Liabilities:
Derivative liability	-46,000	600
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Liabilities:
Total Liabilities	0	0
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Call and put options
Liabilities:
Derivative liability	0
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Call option
Liabilities:
Derivative liability		0
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Forward contracts
Liabilities:
Derivative liability	$0	$0

Net_Income_Loss_Per_Common_Sha2

Net Income (Loss) Per Common Share (Reconciliation of Net Loss Per Share) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Numerator:
Net income (loss)	$1,289,114	($3,824,979)
Preferred stock dividends	-898,832	-1,061,609
NET INCOME (LOSS) AVAILABLE TO COMMON SHAREHOLDERS	$390,282	($4,886,588)
Denominator:
Weighted average common shares outstanding b basic	82,492,914	71,808,908
Effect of dilutive securities	53,608,855	0
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding	136,101,769	71,808,908
Net income (loss) per common share:
Basic	$0.01	($0.07)
Diluted	$0.01	($0.07)

Net_Income_Loss_Per_Common_Sha3

Net Income (Loss) Per Common Share (Schedule of Excluded Common Stock Equivalent Shares) (Details)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share (in shares)	1,846,600	58,216,136
Convertible preferred stock
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share (in shares)	0	53,947,036
Stock Options and Warrants
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share (in shares)	50,000	783,500
Restricted stock
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share (in shares)	1,796,600	3,485,600

Commitments_and_Contingencies_

Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Estimated cost of project	$3,000,000
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Minimum annual lease payments	57,400
Annual lease payment increase for years 2016 and 2017	5,000
Annual lease payment increase, thereafter	2,000
Affiliated Entity [Member]
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Annual lease payment	862,500
Operating lease, future minimum payments	30,187,500
Minimum
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Percentage of royalty obligations	0.50%
Maximum
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Percentage of royalty obligations	6.00%
Winfield Group Indemnity
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency accrual	$3,200,000

Segment_Reporting_Details

Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
	segments
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of operating segments	2
Renewal term	5 years
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$6,037,417	$5,763,461
Cost and Expenses	-7,710,585	-9,167,125
LOSS FROM OPERATIONS	-1,673,168	-3,403,664
Other income (expense), net	2,962,282	-421,315
NET INCOME (LOSS)	1,289,114	-3,824,979
Depreciation, amortization and depletion	1,913,505	1,640,309
Capital Expenditures	3,523,014	1,943,319
Assets	48,243,458		46,455,872
Mining [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	5,927,174	5,606,064
Cost and Expenses	-7,510,558	-8,880,826
LOSS FROM OPERATIONS	-1,583,384	-3,274,762
Depreciation, amortization and depletion	1,890,108	1,604,648
Capital Expenditures	3,508,351	1,859,842
Assets	46,833,337		45,029,258
Hospitality [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	110,243	157,397
Cost and Expenses	-200,027	-286,299
LOSS FROM OPERATIONS	-89,784	-128,902
Depreciation, amortization and depletion	23,397	35,661
Capital Expenditures	14,663	83,477
Assets	$1,410,121		$1,426,614