Vista Gold (VGZ) 10-Q 30 Oct 13 2013 Q3 Quarterly report Financial data

Document_and_Entity_Informatio

Document and Entity Information	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Oct. 28, 2013
Document and Entity Information [Abstract]
Entity Registrant Name	VISTA GOLD CORP
Entity Central Index Key	783324
Current Fiscal Year End Date	-19
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	No
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Accelerated Filer
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2013
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3
Document Type	10-Q
Amendment Flag	FALSE
Document Period End Date	30-Sep-13
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		81,788,835
Trading Symbol	vgz

Condensed_Consolidated_Balance

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets(USD ($))	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$4,329	$18,281
Restricted cash	43	70
Marketable securities (Note 4)	231	626
Other investments (Note 5)	26,714	69,489
Other current assets	1,750	2,963
Total current assets	33,067	91,429
Non-current assets:
Mineral properties (Note 6)	13,701	13,701
Plant and equipment (Note 7)	5,090	3,592
Assets held for sale (Note 7)	6,500	10,000
Amayapampa interest (Note 15)	4,813	4,813
Long-term investments	65	65
Long-term deferred tax asset	9,139	9,465
Total non-current assets	39,308	41,636
Total assets	72,375	133,065
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	442	4,409
Debt (Note 8)	9,698
Accrued liabilities and other	1,415	1,839
Current deferred tax liability	9,139	24,839
Total current liabilities	20,694	31,087
Non-current liabilities
Other long-term liabilities	635	635
Total non-current liabilities	635	635
Total liabilities	21,329	31,722
Commitments and contingencies - (Note 14)
Shareholders' equity:
Common shares, no par value - unlimited shares authorized; shares outstanding: 2013 - 81,788,835 and 2012 - 81,563,498 (Note 9)	404,252	403,583
Additional paid-in capital (Note 10)	32,957	32,155
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (Note 11)	-318	2
Accumulated deficit (including during exploration stage: 2013 - $186,773 and 2012 - $135,325)	-385,845	-334,397
Total shareholders' equity	51,046	101,343
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$72,375	$133,065

Condensed_Consolidated_Balance1

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
Condensed Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets [Abstract]
Development Stage Enterprise, Deficit Accumulated During Development Stage	$186,773	$135,325
Shareholders' equity:
Capital stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	81,788,835	81,563,498

Condensed_Consolidated_Stateme

Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Income/(Loss) And Comprehensive Income/(Loss) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		141 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013
Operating income and (expenses):
Exploration, property evaluation and holding costs	($2,213)	($6,294)	($15,220)	($18,759)	($110,479)
Corporate administration and investor relations	-1,060	-1,739	-4,195	-5,816	-48,302
Depreciation and amortization	-250	-132	-792	-391	-3,190
Loss on extinguishment of convertible debt					-1,218
Gain/(loss) on currency translation	-246	183	126	100	-104
Gain/(loss) on disposal of mineral property, net		1,000		1,934	79,766
Write-down of mineral property					-250
Total operating income/(expense)	-3,523	-7,165	-20,207	-23,032	-83,673
Non-operating income and (expenses):
Gain/(loss) on sale of marketable securities	-15	1	-33	145	8,016
Unrealized gain/(loss) on other investments (Note 5)	4,547	29,132	-42,775	-13,184	-55,791
Write down of marketable securities					-959
Write-down of plant and equipment	-3,500		-3,500		-10,617
Interest income	5	11	30	32	2,808
Interest expense	-193		-399		-4,511
Other income/(expense)	101	-32	63	-204	1,807
Total non-operating income/(expense)	497	29,359	-46,614	-12,703	-62,965
Income/(loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	-3,026	22,194	-66,821	-35,735	-146,638
Deferred income tax benefit/(expense)	-1	-9,925	15,373	6,276	-2
Income/(loss) from continuing operations after income taxes	-3,027	12,269	-51,448	-29,459	-146,640
Loss from discontinued operations					-5,192
Net income/(loss)	-3,027	12,269	-51,448	-29,459	-151,832
Other comprehensive income/(loss):
Unrealized fair value increase/(decrease) on available-for-sale securities	45	70	-320	-156	-318
Comprehensive income/(loss)	($2,982)	$12,339	($51,768)	($29,615)	($152,150)
Basic:
Weighted average number of shares outstanding (in shares)	81,788,835	75,859,161	81,711,289	73,183,166
Net income/(loss) per share (in dollars per share)	($0.04)	$0.16	($0.63)	($0.40)
Diluted:
Weighted average number of shares outstanding (in shares)	81,788,835	76,725,177	81,711,289	73,183,166
Net income/(loss) per share (in dollars per share)	($0.04)	$0.16	($0.63)	($0.40)

Condensed_Consolidated_Stateme1

Condensed Consolidated Statements Shareholders' Equity (USD $)	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Deficit [Member]	Accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) [Member]	Total
In Thousands, except Share data
Balances at Dec. 31, 2001	$197,900	$2,786	($199,072)		$1,614
Shares outstanding, Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2001					4,535,752
Shares issued	151,819	9,329			161,148
Warrants and Options		10,866			10,866
Dividend-in-kind			-34,941		-34,941
Shares issued (shares)					57,384,000
Other comprehensive income/(loss)				929	929
Net income/(loss)			-81,274		-81,274
Balances at Dec. 31, 2010	349,719	22,981	-315,287	929	58,342
Shares outstanding, Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2010					61,919,752
Shares issued	30,400	588			30,988
Warrants and Options		1,101			1,101
Shares issued (shares)					9,584,131
Other comprehensive income/(loss)				-754	-754
Net income/(loss)			51,546		51,546
Balances at Dec. 31, 2011	380,119	24,670	-263,741	175	141,223
Shares outstanding, Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2011					71,503,883
Shares issued	23,464				23,464
Warrants and Options		7,485			7,485
Shares issued (shares)					10,059,615
Other comprehensive income/(loss)				-173	-173
Net income/(loss)			-70,656		-70,656
Balances at Dec. 31, 2012	403,583	32,155	-334,397	2	101,343
Shares outstanding, Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2012					81,563,498
Shares issued	259				259
Warrants and Options	410	802			1,212
Shares issued (shares)					225,337
Other comprehensive income/(loss)				-320	-320
Net income/(loss)			-51,448		-51,448
Balances at Sep. 30, 2013	$404,252	$32,957	($385,845)	($318)	$51,046
Shares outstanding, Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2013					81,788,835

Condensed_Consolidated_Stateme2

Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Cash Flows (USD $)	9 Months Ended		141 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income/(loss) for the period	($51,448)	($29,459)	($151,832)
Adjustments to reconcile net income/(loss) for the period to net cash used in operations:
Depreciation and amortization	792	391	3,190
Stock-based compensation	1,212	3,036	13,263
Gain on disposal of marketable securities	33	-145	-8,016
Loss on extinguishment of convertible notes			1,218
Accrued interest and accretion of interest			3,519
Gain on disposal of mineral property		-1,934	-80,035
Write-down of non-current assets	3,500		10,867
Transaction Costs			1,841
Unrealized (gain)/loss on other investments	42,775	13,184	55,791
Write down of marketable securities			959
Deferred tax (benefit)/expense	-15,373	-6,276	2
Other non-cash items	66		-2,129
Change in working capital account items:
Other current assets	1,491	-590	-723
Accrued interest payable			-7,586
Accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other	-4,392	-1,402	404
Net cash used in operating activities	-21,476	-23,195	-155,009
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of marketable securities		-138	-1,841
Proceeds from sales of marketable securities	150	248	11,693
Acquisition of long-term investments			-3,632
Additions to mineral property			-11,571
Additions to plant and equipment	-2,290	-861	-24,933
Change in restricted cash	27	75	-43
Proceeds from additional option agreement		4,500	6,740
Cash transferred to Allied Nevada Gold Corp., net of receivable			-24,517
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities	-2,113	3,824	-48,104
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds from equity financings		14,231	161,542
Proceeds from debt financing (Note 8)	9,637		9,637
Repayment of convertible notes			-26,108
Proceeds from exercise of warrants		1,365	40,754
Proceeds from exercise of compensation options		733	733
Proceeds from exercise of stock options		21	4,068
Issuance of convertible notes			28,345
Cash paid in lieu of capital stock issuances			-107
Transaction costs			-1,841
Net cash provided by financing activities	9,637	16,350	217,023
Increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	-13,952	-3,021	13,910
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents - discontinued operations			-10,255
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	-13,952	-3,021	3,655
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	18,281	17,873	674
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$4,329	$14,852	$4,329

Nature_Of_Operations_And_Basis

Nature Of Operations And Basis Of Presentation	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Nature Of Operations And Basis Of Presentation [Abstract]
Nature Of Operations And Basis Of Presentation	1. Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation
	Vista Gold Corp. and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Vista,” the “Company,” the “Corporation,” “we,” “our” or “us”) operate in the gold mining industry. We are focused on the evaluation, acquisition, exploration and advancement of gold exploration and potential development projects, which may lead to gold production or value adding strategic transactions such as earn-in right agreements or leases to third parties, joint venture arrangements with other mining companies, or outright sales of assets for cash and/or other consideration. As such, we are considered an Exploration Stage Enterprise. Our approach to acquisitions of gold projects has generally been to seek projects within political jurisdictions with well-established mining, land ownership and tax laws, which have adequate drilling and geological data to support the completion of a third-party review of the geological data and to complete an estimate of the gold mineralization. In addition, we look for opportunities to improve the value of our gold projects through exploration drilling and/or technical studies resulting in changes to the operating assumptions underlying previous engineering work.
	We are currently conducting a strategic review of our portfolio of gold assets, focused on our Mt. Todd gold project in Northern Territory, Australia. Our portfolio of assets also includes approximately 24.9% of the common shares of Midas Gold Corp. (TSX: MAX), a company exploring for gold and developing the Golden Meadows project in the Yellow Pine-Stibnite District in Idaho; the Guadalupe de los Reyes gold/silver project in Mexico (a preliminary economic assessment on this project was completed in March 2013);  the Awak Mas gold project in Indonesia (One Asia Resources Ltd. working to earn an 80% interest in this project);  the Long Valley gold project in California and a royalty on the Amayapampa gold project in Bolivia (project being advanced by LionGold Corp Ltd).
	These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) and should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts, which are based on information available as of the date of the financial statements. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments, which are of a normal and recurring nature, necessary to present fairly in all material respects the financial results for the period presented. Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2013 or for any future period. The December 31, 2012 condensed consolidated balance sheets were derived from audited financial statements, but do not include all disclosures required in the annual financial statements by U.S. GAAP.

Liquidity

Liquidity	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Nature Of Operations And Basis Of Presentation [Abstract]
Liquidity and Capital Resources Disclosure [Text Block]	2. Liquidity
	These unaudited condensed consolidated 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.  Accordingly, the continuing operations of the Company are dependent upon our ability to secure sufficient funding and to generate future profits from operations.  The underlying value and recoverability of the amounts shown as mineral properties, plant and equipment, assets held for sale, investments and other property interests in the consolidated balance sheets are also dependent on our ability to generate positive cash flow from operations and to continue to fund exploration and development activities that would lead to profitable production or proceeds from the disposition of these assets.  There can be no assurance that we will be successful in generating future profitable operations, disposing of these assets or securing additional funding in the future on terms acceptable to us or at all.  These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded assets or liabilities which might be necessary should we not be able to continue as a going-concern.
	Management is strongly committed to careful cash management and maintaining liquidity. The Company’s cash burn rate has been dramatically reduced since the first half of the year as several cash intensive programs such as water treatment, environmental impact statement, and preliminary feasibility study have been completed. In addition, several significant cost cutting measures have been introduced including a reduction of management positions, significant reductions in cash compensation for executives, senior management and the Company’s Board of Directors, and the delay or elimination of all discretionary programs, including exploration activities. Other aggressive cost cutting measures, particularly at Mt. Todd, are being pursued. We continue to advance several important value-adding initiatives, including the authorization process for the Mt. Todd project environmental impact statement, none of which are capital intensive. The Company’s cash burn rate is expected to be reduced to approximately  $3,250 for the fourth quarter of 2013, with further reductions to $2,500 to $3,000 per quarter planned for 2014, assuming a normal wet season in the Northern Territory.
	Subsequent to the period end (Note 16), as a result of the sale of the Los Cardones gold project, the Company reduced its debt from approximately $9,700 to approximately $6,700, and expects to reduce the debt by a further $3,000 (to approximately $3,700) in January 2014, subject to the receipt of a $6,000 final payment (to be made to us at the purchaser’s option) from the sale of the Los Cardones gold project.
	We believe that our current cash position, together with the proceeds from the sale of the Los Cardones gold project (Note 16) will be sufficient to fund the Company through the third quarter of 2014, subject to the $6,000 final payment to be made to us at the purchaser’s option. In addition, the Company will continue to seek other financing sources with priority given to non-dilutive sources such as sale of our used mill equipment and monetization of other non-core assets. However, there can be no assurance that we will be able to timely monetize the non-core assets at a value acceptable to us or at all. The Company also believes that given its ability to liquidate all or a portion of its Other Investments (Note 5), if necessary, it will have access to sufficient financing to fully repay its debt, and to fund operations well into 2015.

Recent_Accounting_Pronouncemen

Recent Accounting Pronouncements	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Recent Accounting Pronouncements [Abstract]
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	3. Recent Accounting Pronouncements
	Reporting of Amounts Reclassified out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
	In February 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance related to items reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income. The new standard requires either in a single note or parenthetically on the face of the financial statements: (i) the effect of significant amounts reclassified from each component of accumulated other comprehensive income based on its sources; and (ii) the income statement line items affected by the reclassification.  The standard was effective for us as of January 1, 2013, with early adoption permitted.  The adoption of this guidance did not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
	Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists
	In July 2013, the FASB issued guidance related to the financial statement presentation of an unrecognized tax benefit, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists.   The new standard requires that an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion of an unrecognized tax benefit, be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward unless certain circumstances exist.  The standard is effective for us as of January 1, 2014, with early adoption permitted.  The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Marketable_Securities

Marketable Securities	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Marketable Securities [Abstract]
Marketable Securities	4. Marketable Securities
		At September 30, 2013						At December 31, 2012
			Cost		Unrealized loss		Fair value		Cost		Unrealized gain		Fair value
	Current Marketable Equity Securities	$	549	$	-318	$	231	$	624	$	2	$	626
		$	549	$	-318	$	231	$	624	$	2	$	626
	During the year ended December 31, 2012, we determined that certain of our securities had an other-than-temporary decline in value and a write-down of $39 was recorded in other income/(expense) in our Consolidated Statements of Income/(Loss) and Comprehensive Income/(Loss). There were no such write-downs during the nine months ended September 30, 2013. In January 2013, we received a non-cash distribution of $109 that was paid in shares from an investment we held recorded in other income/(expense) in our Consolidated Statements of Income/(Loss) and Comprehensive Income/(Loss).

Other_Investments

Other Investments	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Other Investments [Abstract]
Other Investments	5. Other Investments
	Midas Gold Corp. Combination
	In April 2011, Vista completed a combination (the “Combination”) with Midas Gold, Inc. As part of the Combination, each party contributed their respective interests in gold assets in the Yellow Pine-Stibnite District in Idaho to form a new Canadian private company named Midas Gold Corp. (“Midas Gold”). In exchange for the contribution of its equity interests in Idaho Gold Holding Company, the holding company in which we held our assets in the Yellow Pine-Stibnite District, Vista Gold U.S., Inc. (“Vista US”) was issued 30,402,615 common shares in the capital of Midas Gold (“Midas Gold Shares”). Concurrently with the Combination, we purchased 1,400,000 Midas Gold Shares for an aggregate purchase price of $3,632 as part of a Midas Gold private placement. Following completion of these transactions, Vista holds a total of 31,802,615 Midas Gold Shares, or 24.9%  of the total Midas Gold Shares outstanding based on the latest Midas Gold Corp financial information available).
	During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, we recorded an unrealized gain on the Midas Gold Shares of $4,547 and an unrealized loss of $42,775, respectively with a corresponding U.S. tax expense of $1,670 and tax benefit of $15,701, respectively. As of September 30, 2013, the fair value of the Midas Gold Shares we hold was $26,714.

Mineral_Properties

Mineral Properties	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Mineral Properties [Abstract]
Mineral Properties	6. Mineral Properties
			At September 30, 2013		At December 31, 2012
	Mt. Todd, Australia	$	2,146	$	2,146
	Guadalupe de los Reyes, Mexico		2,752		2,752
	Los Cardones, Mexico		8,053		8,053
	Long Valley, United States		750		750
		$	13,701	$	13,701
	See Note 16 for subsequent events related to mineral properties.

Plant_And_Equipment

Plant And Equipment	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Plant And Equipment [Abstract]
Plant And Equipment	7. Plant and Equipment
			30-Sep-13						31-Dec-12
			Cost		Accumulated depreciation and write downs		Net		Cost		Accumulated depreciation and write downs		Net
	Mt. Todd, Australia	$	5,500	$	1,789	$	3,711	$	3,497	$	1,124	$	2,373
	Los Cardones, Mexico		1,219		125		1,094		1,194		109		1,085
	Guadalupe de los Reyes, Mexico		21		5		16		21		3		18
	Corporate, United States		818		549		269		556		440		116
	Awak Mas, Indonesia		242		242		-		242		242		-
		$	7,800	$	2,710	$	5,090	$	5,510	$	1,918	$	3,592
	Assets held for sale (mill equipment)	$	10,000	$	3,500	$	6,500	$	10,000	$	-	$	10,000
	During the three months ended September 30, 2013, based on an independent assessment from a third party, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $3,500 to write down the value of our mill equipment held for sale. The impairment is based on an estimated sale value of approximately $7,300, net of commissions and other costs to sell of approximately $800 and is included in our Consolidated Statements of Income/(Loss) and Comprehensive Income/(Loss) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013.
	See Note 16 for subsequent events related to plant and equipment.

Debt

Debt	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Debt [Text Block]	8. Debt
	During March 2013, the Company entered into a credit agreement with Sprott Resources Lending Partnership (the “Lender”) for purposes of establishing a C$10,000 ($9,698) loan facility (the “2013 Facility”). The 2013 Facility originally matured March 2014, with early repayment of the 2013 Facility allowed, at the Company’s option, provided that at least four months interest has been paid.
	The 2013 Facility bears an interest rate of 8% per annum, payable monthly. In addition to interest, the 2013 Facility provided the Lender total fees of 3.5% of the 2013 Facility amount, including C$100 ($99) in cash and the issuance of 125,798 Vista common shares. The 2013 Facility is secured by a general security agreement (“GSA”) with certain exclusions. If the Company completes an asset disposition or other financing subject to certain conditions the Company is required to utilize 50% of the net proceeds exceeding $1,000 to repay the 2013 Facility up to the full amount outstanding. The Company is in compliance with all related debt covenants.
	The Company and the Lender have reached an agreement, subject to certain conditions, to extend the maturity date of the 2013 Facility to March 2015. The Company has agreed to pledge all the Company’s Midas Gold Shares (Note 5) as security and to pay the Lender an extension fee comprised of 486,382 Vista common shares.

Capital_Stock

Capital Stock	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Capital Stock [Abstract]
Capital Stock	9. Capital Stock
	Common shares issued and outstanding
		Number of shares issued
	As of December 31, 2012	81,563,498
	Shares issued for restricted stock units	99,539
	Shares issued in connection with debt issuance	125,798
	As of September 30, 2013	81,788,835
	During the nine months ended September 30, 2013, the Company issued 99,539 common shares in connection with the vesting of restricted stock units (“RSUs”). The Company also issued 125,798 common shares as part of the 2013 Facility (Note 8) which had a fair value of $272 at the time of the debt issuance.

Additional_PaidIn_Capital

Additional Paid-In Capital	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Additional Paid-In Capital [Abstract]
Additional Paid-In Capital	10. Additional Paid-in Capital
			Warrants			Stock options and RSUs			Compensation options			Other paid-in capital			Total additional paid-in capital
	As of December 31, 2012	$	12,936		$	7,655		$	294		$	11,270		$	32,155
	Stock options amortization		-			290			-			-			290
	Restricted stock units expensed		-			922			-			-			922
	Restricted stock units vested		-			-410			-			-			-410
	Compensation options expired		-			-			-294			294			-
	As of September 30, 2013	$	12,936		$	8,457		$	-		$	11,564		$	32,957
	Warrants
	Warrant activity is summarized in the following table:
			Warrants outstanding		Valuation		Weighted average exercise price per share		Weighted average remaining life (yrs.)		Intrinsic value
	As of December 31, 2012		19,977,743	$	12,936	$	4.25		2.6	$	-
	As of September 30, 2013		19,977,743	$	12,936	$	4.25		1.8	$	-
	The 19,977,743 outstanding warrants expire in the following time frames: 2,666,666 expire in July 2014, 2,091,275 expire in December 2014, and 15,219,802 expire in October 2015.
	Compensation Options
			Compensation options outstanding			Valuation			Weighted average exercise price per share		Expiry date		Weighted average remaining life (yrs.)
	As of December 31, 2012		225,000		$	294		$	3.30		Apr-13		0.3
	Expired		-225,000			-294
	As of September 30, 2013		-		$	-
	Stock-Based Compensation
	Under our Stock Option Plan (the “Plan”) and our Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan (the “LTIP”), we may grant stock options and/or restricted stock units (“RSUs”) or restricted stock awards (“RSAs”) to our directors, officers, employees and consultants. The combined maximum number of our common shares that may be reserved for issuance under the Plan and the LTIP is a variable number equal to 10% of the issued and outstanding common shares on a non-diluted basis. Options under the Plan are granted from time to time at the discretion of the Board of Directors (“Board”), with vesting periods and other terms as determined by the Board. The LTIP is administered by the Board, which can delegate the administration to the Compensation Committee of the Board or to such other officers and employees of Vista as designated by the Board. Stock-based compensation expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 is as follows:
			Three months ended September 30,					Nine months ended September 30,
			2013			2012		2013			2012
	Stock options	$	72		$	429	$	290		$	872
	Restricted stock units		396			614		922			2,164
		$	468		$	1,043	$	1,212		$	3,036
	As of September 30, 2013, stock options and RSUs had unrecognized compensation expense of $24 and $2,932, respectively, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 0.22 and 1.96 years, respectively.
	Stock Options
	A summary of stock option activity under the Plan as of September 30, 2013 and changes during the period then ended is set forth in the following table:
			Number of options		Weighted average exercise price per option		Weighted average remaining contractual term		Aggregate intrinsic value
	Outstanding - December 31, 2012		3,102,500	$	2.80		2.68	$	637
	Cancelled/Forfeited		-100,000		3.24
	Expired		-755,000		3.32
	Outstanding - September 30, 2013		2,247,500	$	2.61		2.41	$	-
	Exercisable - September 30, 2013		2,147,500	$	2.61		2.32	$	-
	A summary of the status of our unvested stock options as of September 30, 2013 and changes during the period then ended is set forth in the following table:
							Number of options		Weighted average grant-date fair value per option		Weighted average remaining amortization period (Years)
	Unvested - December 31, 2012						300,000	$	1.47
	Vested						-200,000		1.65
	Unvested - September 30, 2013						100,000	$	1.10		0.22
	Restricted Stock Units
	A summary of RSU activity under the LTIP as of September 30, 2013 and changes during the period then ended is set forth in the following table:
			Number of units		Weighted average grant-date fair value per unit
	Unvested - December 31, 2012		1,994,507	$	3.52
	Cancelled/forfeited		-351,340		3.58
	Vested		-116,875		3.51
	Granted		1,850,424		0.82
	Unvested - September 30, 2013		3,376,716	$	2.03
	In general, a portion of the RSUs vest over a defined period of time, usually three years, and the remainder vest subject to certain Company and/or share price performance criteria, provided the recipient continues to be affiliated with Vista on the vesting date.

Accumulated_Other_Comprehensiv

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	11. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
			Accumulated
			other comprehensive
			income (loss)
	As of December 31, 2012	$	2
	Other comprehensive loss due to change in fair market value of marketable securities during period before reclassifications		-287
	Reclassifications due to realization of gain/loss on sale of marketable securities (1)		-33
	Net current-period other comprehensive loss		-320
	As of September 30, 2013	$	-318
	(1) Reclassified to gain/(loss) on sale of marketable securities on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income/(Loss) and Comprehensive Income/(Loss).

Geographic_And_Segment_informa

Geographic And Segment information	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Geographic And Segment information [Abstract]
Geographic And Segment Information	12. Geographic and Segment Information
	We evaluate, acquire, explore and advance gold exploration and potential development projects, which may lead to gold production or value adding strategic transactions. These activities are focused principally in Australia, North America and Indonesia. We reported no revenues during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012. Geographic location of mineral properties and plant and equipment is provided in Notes 6 and 7, respectively. The Company has one reportable operating segment, consisting of evaluation, acquisition, and exploration activities.

Related_Party_Transactions

Related Party Transactions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]
Related Party Transactions	13. Related Party Transactions
	On April 1, 2009, we entered into an agreement with Sierra Partners LLC (“Sierra”) pursuant to which Sierra provided us with support for and analysis of our general corporate finance and strategy efforts. A founder and partner of Sierra is also one of our directors. As compensation for these services, we paid Sierra a monthly retainer fee of $10 for the duration of the agreement, which was terminated on August 31, 2103. We paid to Sierra $20 and $80 during the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2013 and $30 and $90 during the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2012, respectively.

Commitments_And_Contingencies

Commitments And Contingencies	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Commitments And Contingencies [Abstract]
Commitments And Contingencies	14. Commitments and Contingencies
	Our exploration and development 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. As such, the future expenditures that may be required for compliance with these laws and regulations cannot be predicted. We conduct our operations to minimize effects on the environment and we believe that operations are in compliance with applicable laws and regulations in all material respects.
	We have entered into, or may enter into, various agreements to find, lease or purchase mineral interests. These agreements typically require initial payments plus future payments for the life of the agreement, and may include provisions requiring the Company to pay a net smelter return (“NSR”) royalty on gold produced. The Company can at its discretion terminate any of these agreements within defined notice periods.

Fair_Value_Of_Financial_Instru

Fair Value Of Financial Instruments	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Fair Value Of Financial Instruments [Abstract]
Fair Value of Financial Instruments	15. Fair Value Accounting
	U.S. GAAP defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or be paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (exit price) and establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value using the following definitions (from highest to lowest priority):
	·	Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities.
	·	Level 2 – Observable inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, including quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets and liabilities in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means.
	·	Level 3 – Prices or valuation techniques requiring inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable.
				Fair value at September 30, 2013
				Total		Level 1		Level 3
	Assets:
		Cash equivalents	$	1,351	$	1,351	$	-
		Marketable securities		231		231		-
		Other investments (Midas Gold Shares)		26,714		26,714		-
		Amayapampa interest		4,813		-		4,813
		Mill equipment		6,500		-		6,500
				Fair value at December 31, 2012
				Total		Level 1		Level 3
	Assets:
		Cash equivalents	$	15,834	$	15,834	$	-
		Marketable securities		626		626		-
		Other investments (Midas Gold Shares)		69,489		69,489		-
		Amayapampa interest		4,813		-		4,813
		Mill equipment		10,000		-		10,000
	Our cash equivalent instruments, marketable securities and investment in Midas Gold Shares are classified as Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy as they are valued at quoted market prices in an active market.
	The estimated fair value of the Amayapampa interest is based on probability-weighted cash flow scenarios discounted using a risk-adjusted discount rate (15%) and assumptions including future gold prices (average gold prices realized range from $1,038 to $1,247 per ounce, depending on timing of assumed start-up), estimated life-of-mine gold production (ranging from 350,000 to 650,000 ounces) and the expected timing of commercial production (periods ranging from 3 to 6 years or never), which are management’s best estimates based on currently available information. Significant changes in any of the unobservable inputs in isolation would result in a significant change in fair value measurement. As a result of our analysis no change in fair value was deemed necessary as of September 30, 2013.
	The Company incurred an impairment loss on certain mill equipment in 2013. This equipment was valued at $6,500 and $10,000 based on a third party assessment of the projected sale value, net of costs to sell and commissions, at September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. The mill equipment is categorized as assets held for sale on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
	At September 30, 2013, the assets classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy represent 29% of the total assets measured at fair value.  There were no transfers between levels in 2013.

Subsequent_Events

Subsequent Events	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Subsequent Events [Abstract]
Subsequent Events	16. Subsequent Events
	During October 2013, Vista and Invecture Group S.A. de C.V. (“Invecture”) terminated the 2012 Earn-in Right Agreement whereby Invecture could earn a 62.5% interest in the Los Cardones gold project located in Baja California Sur, Mexico, and entered into new agreements whereby Vista sold 100% of its debt and equity interests in the Los Cardones gold project (the “Los Cardones Sale”) to Invecture and RPG Structured Finance S.a.R.L. (the “Purchasers”), for a total of $13,000 ($7,000 of which was paid in October 2013 and $6,000 is payable in January 2014), subject to the Purchasers’ option to elect to not make this payment.  If the Purchasers elect to not make the $6,000 payment, Vista will retain the $7,000 already received and 100% of the Los Cardones gold project will be returned to Vista.
	Per the terms of Vista’s 2013 Facility, Vista repaid $3,000 of the 2013 Facility using proceeds from the Los Cardones Sale.

Recent_Accounting_Pronouncemen1

Recent Accounting Pronouncements (Policy)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Recent Accounting Pronouncements [Abstract]
Presentation Of Comprehensive Income	Reporting of Amounts Reclassified out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
	In February 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance related to items reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income. The new standard requires either in a single note or parenthetically on the face of the financial statements: (i) the effect of significant amounts reclassified from each component of accumulated other comprehensive income based on its sources; and (ii) the income statement line items affected by the reclassification.  The standard was effective for us as of January 1, 2013, with early adoption permitted.  The adoption of this guidance did not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Income Taxes	Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists
	In July 2013, the FASB issued guidance related to the financial statement presentation of an unrecognized tax benefit, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists.   The new standard requires that an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion of an unrecognized tax benefit, be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward unless certain circumstances exist.  The standard is effective for us as of January 1, 2014, with early adoption permitted.  The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Fair_Value_Of_Financial_Instru1

Fair Value Of Financial Instruments (Policy)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Fair Value Of Financial Instruments [Abstract]
Fair Value Measurement, policy	U.S. GAAP defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or be paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (exit price) and establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value using the following definitions (from highest to lowest priority):
	·	Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities.
	·	Level 2 – Observable inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, including quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets and liabilities in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means.
	·	Level 3 – Prices or valuation techniques requiring inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable.

Marketable_Securities_Tables

Marketable Securities (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Marketable Securities [Abstract]
Schedule Of Marketable Securities
		At September 30, 2013						At December 31, 2012
			Cost		Unrealized loss		Fair value		Cost		Unrealized gain		Fair value
	Current Marketable Equity Securities	$	549	$	-318	$	231	$	624	$	2	$	626
		$	549	$	-318	$	231	$	624	$	2	$	626

Mineral_Properties_Tables

Mineral Properties (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Mineral Properties [Abstract]
Schedule Of Business Acquisitions By Acquisition
			At September 30, 2013		At December 31, 2012
	Mt. Todd, Australia	$	2,146	$	2,146
	Guadalupe de los Reyes, Mexico		2,752		2,752
	Los Cardones, Mexico		8,053		8,053
	Long Valley, United States		750		750
		$	13,701	$	13,701

Plant_And_Equipment_Tables

Plant And Equipment (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Plant And Equipment [Abstract]
Schedule Of Plant And Equipment
			30-Sep-13						31-Dec-12
			Cost		Accumulated depreciation and write downs		Net		Cost		Accumulated depreciation and write downs		Net
	Mt. Todd, Australia	$	5,500	$	1,789	$	3,711	$	3,497	$	1,124	$	2,373
	Los Cardones, Mexico		1,219		125		1,094		1,194		109		1,085
	Guadalupe de los Reyes, Mexico		21		5		16		21		3		18
	Corporate, United States		818		549		269		556		440		116
	Awak Mas, Indonesia		242		242		-		242		242		-
		$	7,800	$	2,710	$	5,090	$	5,510	$	1,918	$	3,592
	Assets held for sale (mill equipment)	$	10,000	$	3,500	$	6,500	$	10,000	$	-	$	10,000

Capital_Stock_Tables

Capital Stock (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Capital Stock [Abstract]
Schedule Of Common Shares Issued And Outstanding
		Number of shares issued
	As of December 31, 2012	81,563,498
	Shares issued for restricted stock units	99,539
	Shares issued in connection with debt issuance	125,798
	As of September 30, 2013	81,788,835

Additional_PaidIn_Capital_Tabl

Additional Paid-In Capital (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Additional Paid-In Capital [Abstract]
Schedule Of Additional Paid-In Capital
			Warrants			Stock options and RSUs			Compensation options			Other paid-in capital			Total additional paid-in capital
	As of December 31, 2012	$	12,936		$	7,655		$	294		$	11,270		$	32,155
	Stock options amortization		-			290			-			-			290
	Restricted stock units expensed		-			922			-			-			922
	Restricted stock units vested		-			-410			-			-			-410
	Compensation options expired		-			-			-294			294			-
	As of September 30, 2013	$	12,936		$	8,457		$	-		$	11,564		$	32,957
Summary Of Warrant Activity
			Warrants outstanding		Valuation		Weighted average exercise price per share		Weighted average remaining life (yrs.)		Intrinsic value
	As of December 31, 2012		19,977,743	$	12,936	$	4.25		2.6	$	-
	As of September 30, 2013		19,977,743	$	12,936	$	4.25		1.8	$	-
Schedule Of Compensation Options
			Compensation options outstanding			Valuation			Weighted average exercise price per share		Expiry date		Weighted average remaining life (yrs.)
	As of December 31, 2012		225,000		$	294		$	3.30		Apr-13		0.3
	Expired		-225,000			-294
	As of September 30, 2013		-		$	-
Summary Of The Fair Value Of All Awards issued Under Stock Compensation Plans
			Three months ended September 30,					Nine months ended September 30,
			2013			2012		2013			2012
	Stock options	$	72		$	429	$	290		$	872
	Restricted stock units		396			614		922			2,164
		$	468		$	1,043	$	1,212		$	3,036
Summary Of Option Activity
			Number of options		Weighted average exercise price per option		Weighted average remaining contractual term		Aggregate intrinsic value
	Outstanding - December 31, 2012		3,102,500	$	2.80		2.68	$	637
	Cancelled/Forfeited		-100,000		3.24
	Expired		-755,000		3.32
	Outstanding - September 30, 2013		2,247,500	$	2.61		2.41	$	-
	Exercisable - September 30, 2013		2,147,500	$	2.61		2.32	$	-
Summary Of The Status Of Unvested Stock Options
							Number of options		Weighted average grant-date fair value per option		Weighted average remaining amortization period (Years)
	Unvested - December 31, 2012						300,000	$	1.47
	Vested						-200,000		1.65
	Unvested - September 30, 2013						100,000	$	1.10		0.22
Summary Of Restricted Stock Units Activity
			Number of units		Weighted average grant-date fair value per unit
	Unvested - December 31, 2012		1,994,507	$	3.52
	Cancelled/forfeited		-351,340		3.58
	Vested		-116,875		3.51
	Granted		1,850,424		0.82
	Unvested - September 30, 2013		3,376,716	$	2.03

Accumulated_Other_Comprehensiv1

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Reconciliation Of Amounts Contained In Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
			Accumulated
			other comprehensive
			income (loss)
	As of December 31, 2012	$	2
	Other comprehensive loss due to change in fair market value of marketable securities during period before reclassifications		-287
	Reclassifications due to realization of gain/loss on sale of marketable securities (1)		-33
	Net current-period other comprehensive loss		-320
	As of September 30, 2013	$	-318

Fair_Value_Assets_Tables

Fair Value Assets (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
Fair Value Of Financial Instruments [Abstract]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis [Table Text Block]
				Fair value at September 30, 2013
				Total		Level 1		Level 3
	Assets:
		Cash equivalents	$	1,351	$	1,351	$	-
		Marketable securities		231		231		-
		Other investments (Midas Gold Shares)		26,714		26,714		-
		Amayapampa interest		4,813		-		4,813
		Mill equipment		6,500		-		6,500
				Fair value at December 31, 2012
				Total		Level 1		Level 3
	Assets:
		Cash equivalents	$	15,834	$	15,834	$	-
		Marketable securities		626		626		-
		Other investments (Midas Gold Shares)		69,489		69,489		-
		Amayapampa interest		4,813		-		4,813
		Mill equipment		10,000		-		10,000

Nature_of_Operations_Details

Nature of Operations (Details)	3 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Oct. 18, 2013
Nature Of Operations And Basis Of Presentation [Abstract]
Sale of Stock, Percentage of Ownership after Transaction	24.90%
Percentage Ownership Possible Through Earn In	80.00%	62.50%

Liquidity_Details

Liquidity (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013	Jan. 31, 2014	Oct. 18, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
				Maximum [Member]	Minimum [Member]
Cash Burn Rate per Quarter	$3,250			$3,000	$2,500
Approximate Value of Debt Before Paydown			9,700
Approximate Value of Debt After Paydown		3,700	6,700
Expected Debt Paydown		3,000
Final Payment for Sale of Mineral Property		$6,000

Marketable_Securities_Details

Marketable Securities (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended	141 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013
				Current Marketable Equity Securities [Member]	Current Marketable Equity Securities [Member]
Schedule of Marketable Securities [Line Items]
Cost	$549	$549	$624	$624	$549
Available For Sale Securities Gross Unrealized Gain Loss Accumulated In AOCI	-318	-318	2	2	-318
Fair value	231	231	626	626	231
Write down of marketable securities		959		39
Dividend Income Paid in Shares	$109

Other_Investments_Narrative_De

Other Investments (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		141 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Apr. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Apr. 06, 2011
							Midas Gold Corp [Member]	Midas Gold Corp [Member]	Midas Gold Corp [Member]	Midas Gold Corp [Member]
Sale of Stock, Number of Shares Issued in Transaction							30,402,615
Capital stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	81,788,835	81,788,835	81,788,835	81,788,835	81,788,835	81,563,498				31,802,615
Fair value of shares received								$26,714	$26,714
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	1	9,925	-15,373	-6,276	2			1,670	15,701
Percentage Of Shares Owned of Fair Value Investee								24.90%	24.90%
Unrealized gain/ (loss) on long-term investments	4,547	29,132	-42,775	-13,184	-55,791			4,547	42,775
Number of Shares Acquired							1,400,000
Purchase Price of Private Placement							$3,632
Sale of Stock, Percentage of Ownership after Transaction	24.90%

Mineral_Properties_Schedule_Of

Mineral Properties (Schedule Of Business Acquisitions By Acquisition) (Details) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Mineral properties net, Beginning balance	$13,701	$13,701
Mineral properties net, Ending balance	13,701	13,701
Long Valley, United States [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Mineral properties net, Beginning balance	750	750
Mineral properties net, Ending balance	750	750
Los Cardones, Mexico [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Mineral properties net, Beginning balance	8,053	8,053
Mineral properties net, Ending balance	8,053	8,053
Guadalupe de los Reyes, Mexico [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Mineral properties net, Beginning balance	2,752	2,752
Mineral properties net, Ending balance	2,752	2,752
Mt. Todd, Australia [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Mineral properties net, Beginning balance	2,146	2,146
Mineral properties net, Ending balance	$2,146	$2,146

Plant_And_Equipment_Details

Plant And Equipment (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	141 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	$7,800	$7,800	$7,800	$5,510
Accumulated depreciation and write downs	2,710	2,710	2,710	1,918
Net	5,090	5,090	5,090	3,592
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed of	3,500	3,500	10,617
Assets held for sale (mill equipment)	6,500	6,500	6,500	10,000
Cost of Assets Held for Sale	10,000	10,000	10,000	10,000
Writedowns of Assets Held For Sale	3,500	3,500	3,500
Gross Sale Price of Assets Held For Sale	7,300	7,300	7,300
Commissions and Costs to Sell of Assets Held For Sale	800	800	800
Awak Mas, Indonesia [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	242	242	242	242
Accumulated depreciation and write downs	242	242	242	242
Mt. Todd, Australia [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	5,500	5,500	5,500	3,497
Accumulated depreciation and write downs	1,789	1,789	1,789	1,124
Net	3,711	3,711	3,711	2,373
Los Cardones, Mexico [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	1,219	1,219	1,219	1,194
Accumulated depreciation and write downs	125	125	125	109
Net	1,094	1,094	1,094	1,085
Guadalupe de los Reyes, Mexico [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	21	21	21	21
Accumulated depreciation and write downs	5	5	5	3
Net	16	16	16	18
Corporate, United States [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	818	818	818	556
Accumulated depreciation and write downs	549	549	549	440
Net	$269	$269	$269	$116

Debt_Narrative_Details

Debt (Narrative) (Details)	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Oct. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013
		USD ($)	CAD	USD ($)	CAD
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Short-term Bank Loans and Notes Payable				$9,698	10,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		8.00%	8.00%
Debt Issuance Cost		99	100
Shares Issued as Debt Issuance Costs	486,382	125,798	125,798
Total Debt Closing Fees		3.50%	3.50%
Equity Financing Debt Repayment Threshold				$1,000
Equity Financing Percentage Paid to Debt				50.00%

Capital_Stock_Narrative_Detail

Capital Stock (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended		141 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013
Capital Stock [Abstract]
Proceeds from issuance of common shares		$733	$733
Shares Issued for Restricted Stock	99,539
Shares issued in connection with debt issuance	125,798
Value of shares issued in connection with debt issuance	$272

Capital_Stock_Schedule_Of_Comm

Capital Stock (Schedule Of Common Shares Issued And Outstanding) (Details)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Capital Stock [Abstract]
Common shares issued and outstanding, Beginning balance (in shares)	81,563,498	81,788,835
Shares Issued for Restricted Stock	99,539
Shares issued in connection with debt issuance	125,798
Common shares issued and outstanding, Ending balance (in shares)	81,788,835	81,788,835

Additional_PaidIn_Capital_Narr

Additional Paid-In Capital (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Warrants outstanding (in shares)	19,977,743	19,977,743	19,977,743
Unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested options	$24
Weighted average compensation recognition period	2 months 19 days
Number of awards cancelled	351,340
In December 2014 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of warrants expected to expire in future (in shares)	2,091,275
Stock Option Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Percentage of common shares reserved for issuance	10.00%
Weighted average compensation recognition period	2 months 19 days
2012 Offering [Member] | In October 2015 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of warrants expected to expire in future (in shares)	15,219,802
2012 Offering [Member] | In July 2014 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of warrants expected to expire in future (in shares)	2,666,666
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested options	$2,932
Weighted average compensation recognition period	1 year 11 months 16 days

Additional_PaidIn_Capital_Sche

Additional Paid-In Capital (Schedule Of Additional Paid-In Capital) (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013
		Warrants [Member]	Warrants [Member]	Stock Based Compensation [Member]	Compensation Options [Member]	Other Paid-In Capital [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]
Balance, beginning of year		$12,936	$12,936	$7,655	$294	$11,270	$32,155
Stock options expensed				290			290
Restricted stock units expensed				922			922
Restricted Stock Units Exercised				-410			-410
Compensation Options Expired	-294				-294	294
Balance, end of period		$12,936	$12,936	$8,457		$11,564	$32,957

Additional_PaidIn_Capital_Summ

Additional Paid-In Capital (Summary Of Warrant Activity) (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012
Additional Paid-In Capital [Abstract]
Warrants outstanding (in shares)	19,977,743	19,977,743	19,977,743
Warrants valuation	$12,936	$12,936
Weighted average exercise price per share	$4.25	$4.25
Weighted average remaining life (yrs.)	1 year 9 months 18 days	2 years 7 months 6 days

Additional_PaidIn_Capital_Sche1

Additional Paid-In Capital (Schedule Of Compensation Options) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Compensation option outstanding (in shares)	225,000		225,000
Compensation options, Valuation	$294		$294
Compensation options, Weighted average exercise price per share (in dollars per share)			$3.30
Compensation Options Expired		-294
Number of options, Expired (in shares)		-755,000
Expiry date	1-Apr-13
Compensation options, Weighted average remaining life (yrs.)			3 months 18 days
Compensation Options [Member]
Compensation Options Expired		-294
Number of options, Expired (in shares)		225,000
Other Paid-In Capital [Member]
Compensation Options Expired		$294

Additional_PaidIn_Capital_Summ1

Additional Paid-In Capital (Summary Of the Fair Value Of All Awards issued Under Stock Compensation Plans) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		141 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013
Additional Paid-In Capital [Abstract]
Stock options	$72	$429	$290	$872
Restricted stock units	396	614	922	2,164
Share-based compensation	$468	$1,043	$1,212	$3,036	$13,263

Additional_PaidIn_Capital_Summ2

Additional Paid-In Capital (Summary Of Option Activity) (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Additional Paid-In Capital [Abstract]
Number of options, Outstanding	2,247,500	3,102,500
Number of options, Expired (in shares)	-755,000
Number of options, Cancelled/Forfeited	100,000
Number of options, Exercisable (in shares)	2,147,500
Weighted average exercise price per share, Outstanding (in dollars per share)	$2.61	$2.80
Weighted average exercise price per option, Expired (in dollars per share)	$3.32
Weighted average exercise price per share, Cancelled/Forfeited (in dollars per share)	$3.24
Weighted average exercise price per share, Exercisable (in dollars per share)	$2.61
Weighted average remaining contractual term, Outstanding	2 years 4 months 28 days	2 years 8 months 5 days
Weighted average remaining contractual term, Exercisable	2 years 3 months 26 days
Aggregate intrinsic value, Outstanding		$637

Additional_PaidIn_Capital_Summ3

Additional Paid-In Capital (Summary Of The Status Of Unvested Stock Options) (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Additional Paid-In Capital [Abstract]
Unvested, Number of options (in shares)	100,000	300,000
Vested, Number of options (in shares)	-200,000
Unvested, Weighted average grant-date fair value per option (in dollars per share)	$1.10	$1.47
Vested, weighted average grant-date fair value per option (in dollars per share)	$1.65
Weighted average remaining amortization period	2 months 19 days

Additional_PaidIn_Capital_Summ4

Additional Paid-In Capital (Summary Of Restricted Stock Units Activity) (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Additional Paid-In Capital [Abstract]
Unvested, Number of units (in shares)	3,376,716	1,994,507
Cancelled, Number of units (in shares)	351,340
Vested, Number of units (in shares)	116,875
Granted, Number of units (in shares)	1,850,424
Unvested, Weighted average fair value (in dollars per share)	$2.03	$3.52
Vested, Weighted average fair value (in dollars per share)	$3.51
Cancelled, Weighted average fair value (in dollars per share)	$3.58
Granted, Weighted average fair value (in dollars per share)	$0.82

Accumulated_Other_Comprehensiv2

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Decreases to fair market value during period		($287)
Decreases due to realization of a gain	-33
Net Current-Period other comprehensive loss, before tax		-320
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss	($318)		$2

Related_Party_Transactions_Nar

Related Party Transactions (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013
			Sierra Partners LLC [Member]	Sierra Partners LLC [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Monthly retainer fee				$10
Payments to related party	$30	$90	$20	$80

Fair_Value_Of_Financial_Instru2

Fair Value Of Financial Instruments (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended							9 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013
				Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]	Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]	Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]	Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]	Maximum [Member]	Maximum [Member]	Minimum [Member]	Minimum [Member]
									Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]		Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Assets, Quantitative Information [Line Items]
Weighted average gold price per ounce (in dollars per ounce)								1,247		1,038
Estimated gold production (in ounces)									650,000		350,000
Timing of commencement of commercial production									6 years		3 years
Cash Equivalents		$1,351	$15,834	$1,351	$15,834
Marketable Securities		231	626	231	626
Amayapampa interest		4,813	4,813			4,813	4,813
Other investments (Midas Gold shares)		26,714	69,489	26,714	69,489
Assets held for sale (mill equipment)		$6,500	$10,000			$6,500	$10,000
Level Three Assets Percentage	29.00%
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	15.00%

Subsequent_Events_Narrative_De

Subsequent Events (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Oct. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Jan. 31, 2014	Oct. 18, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013
Subsequent Events [Abstract]
Final Payment for Sale of Mineral Property			$6,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		8.00%
Shares Issued as Debt Issuance Costs	486,382	125,798
Percentage Ownership Possible Through Earn In				62.50%	80.00%
Percentage of Mineral Property Sold				100.00%
Percentage Ownership of Mineral Property Retained			100.00%
Total Sales Price of Mineral Property Sold				13,000
Amount of First Payment on Sale of Mineral Properties				7,000
Payment of Debt Related to Sale				$3,000