Vista Gold (VGZ) 10-Q 29 Apr 16 2016 Q1 Quarterly report Financial data

Document and Entity Information

Document and Entity Information - shares	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Apr. 27, 2016
Document and Entity Information [Abstract]
Entity Registrant Name	VISTA GOLD CORP
Entity Central Index Key	783,324
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Smaller Reporting Company
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2,016
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Document Type	10-Q
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Mar. 31, 2016
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		82,904,132
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 2,547	$ 902
Short-term investments	9,409	11,990
Other investments, at fair value (Note 3)	2,341	1,798
Other current assets	539	512
Total current assets	14,836	15,202
Non-current assets:
Mineral properties (Note 4)	3,874	3,874
Plant and equipment, net (Note 5)	8,639	8,792
Total non-current assets	12,513	12,666
Total assets	27,349	27,868
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	150	115
Accrued liabilities and other	689	688
Total current liabilities	839	803
Total liabilities	$ 839	$ 803
Commitments and contingencies – (Note 7)
Shareholders' equity:
Common shares, no par value - unlimited shares authorized; shares outstanding: 2016 - 82,904,132 and 2015 - 82,883,562 (Note 6)	$ 439,042	$ 438,900
Accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss)	(18)	(35)
Accumulated deficit	(412,514)	(411,800)
Total shareholders' equity	26,510	27,065
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ 27,349	$ 27,868

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE3

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical) - $ / shares	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Shareholders' equity:
Common Shares, par value	$ 0	$ 0
Common shares outstanding	82,904,132	82,883,562

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMEN

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME/(LOSS) AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME/(LOSS) AUD in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016USD ($)$ / sharesshares	Mar. 31, 2015USD ($)$ / sharesshares
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME/(LOSS) AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME/(LOSS) [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 0	$ 0
Operating expense:
Exploration, property evaluation and holding costs	(987)	(975)
Corporate administration	(1,088)	(1,044)
Depreciation and amortization	(153)	(191)
Gain on disposal of mineral property, net (Note 4)	150	1,958
Total operating expense	(2,078)	(252)
Non-operating income/(expenses):
Gain/(loss) on sale of marketable securities		12
Gain/(loss) on other investments (Note 3)	543	(738)
Research and development grant, net (Note 10)	744
Interest income	12	1
Other income/(expense)	65	30
Total non-operating income/(expense)	1,364	(695)
Net income/(loss)	(714)	(947)
Other comprehensive income/(loss):
Unrealized fair value increase/(decrease) on available-for-sale securities	17	(24)
Comprehensive income/(loss)	$ (697)	$ (971)
Basic:
Weighted average number of basic shares outstanding (in shares) | shares	82,888,987	82,390,217
Net income/(loss) per share, Basic | $ / shares	$ (0.01)	$ (0.01)
Diluted:
Weighted average number of diluted shares outstanding (in shares) | shares	82,888,987	82,390,217
Net income/(loss) per share, Diluted | $ / shares	$ (0.01)	$ (0.01)

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEME5

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Common Stock [Member]	Accumulated Deficit [Member]	Accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) [Member]	Total
Balances, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 438,083	$ (412,811)	$ 11	$ 25,283
Balances, end of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014	82,390,217
Shares issued (RSUs vested) (in shares)	493,345
Stock-based compensation	$ 817			817
Other comprehensive income			(46)	(46)
Net loss		1,011		1,011
Balances, end of period at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 438,900	(411,800)	(35)	27,065
Balances, end of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015	82,883,562
Shares issued (RSUs vested) (in shares)	20,570
Stock-based compensation	$ 142			142
Other comprehensive income			17	17
Net loss		(714)		(714)
Balances, end of period at Mar. 31, 2016	$ 439,042	$ (412,514)	$ (18)	$ 26,510
Balances, end of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2016	82,904,132

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEME6

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income/(loss) for the period	$ (714)	$ (947)
Adjustments to reconcile net income/(loss) for the period to net cash provided by/(used in) operations
Depreciation and amortization	153	191
Stock-based compensation	142	228
(Gain)/loss on disposal of marketable securities		(12)
Gain on disposal of mineral property	(150)	(1,958)
(Gain)/loss on other investments	(543)	738
Change in working capital account items:
Other current assets	(10)	75
Accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other	36	324
Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities	(1,086)	(1,361)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sales of marketable securities		41
Proceeds from sale of other investments, net		2,772
Disposition of short-term investments, net of acquisitions	2,581
Proceeds from option/sale agreements, net	150	3,494
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities	2,731	6,307
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	1,645	4,946
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	902	3,714
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 2,547	$ 8,660

Nature of Operations and Basis

Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016
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,” “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, option agreements, leases to third parties, joint venture arrangements with other mining companies, or outright sales of assets for cash and/or other consideration. We look for opportunities to improve the value of our gold projects through exploration drilling and/or technical studies focused on optimizing previous engineering work. Our principal asset is our flagship Mt Todd gold project (“Mt Todd”) in Northern Territory, Australia where we continue to work to identify opportunities to improve project economics with the goal of advancing the project toward development. We also hold 4.4% of the outstanding common shares in the capital of Midas Gold Corp. (“Midas Gold Shares”), non-core projects in Mexico and the United States, and royalty interests in Indonesia. The interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (“interim statements”) of the Company are unaudited. In the opinion of management, all adjustments and disclosures necessary for a fair presentation of these interim statements have been included. The results reported in these interim statements are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be reported for the entire year. These interim statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2015 as filed on February 26, 2016 on Form 10-K. The year-end balance sheet data was derived from the audited financial statements and, in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q, certain information and footnote disclosures required by United States generally accepted accounting principles have been condensed or omitted. References to C$ refer to Canadian currency, A$ to Australian currency and $ to United States currency .

Recent Accounting Pronouncement

Recent Accounting Pronouncements	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016
Recent accounting pronouncements [Abstract]
Recent accounting pronouncements	2. Recent accounting pronouncements Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting (Accounting Standard Update 2016-09) In March 2016, the FASB issued guidance related to accounting for stock-based compensation which is intended to improve the accounting for employee share-based payments and affect all organizations that issue share-based payment awards to their employees. Several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment award transactions are simplified, including: (a) income tax consequences; (b) classification of awards as either equity or liabilities; and (c) classification on the statement of cash flows. For public companies, the amendments are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted for any organization in any interim or annual period. We do not expect to early adopt this guidance and do not believe that the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on our financial statements .

Other Investments

Other Investments	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016
Investments, All Other Investments [Abstract]
Other Investments	3. Other Investments Midas Gold Shares During March 2015, we sold 8,000,000 Midas Gold Shares, at a price of C$0.46 ($0.36) per Midas Gold Share, for net proceeds of $2,772 , reducing the total Midas Gold Shares we own to 7,802,615 or approximately 4.4% of the Midas Gold Shares outstanding, on a non-dilutive basis. Upon initial recognition of its investment in the Midas Gold Shares, Vista elected to apply the fair value option, and as such, the investment is recorded at fair value in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Subsequent changes in fair value are recorded in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income/(Loss) and Comprehensive Income/(Loss) in the period in which they occur. The following table summarizes our investment in Midas Gold Shares as of March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015. March 31, 2016 December 31, 2015 Fair value at beginning of period $ $ Sale of Midas Gold Shares, net of costs to sell — Gain/(loss) during the period Fair value at end of period $ $ Midas Gold Shares held at the end of the period

Mineral Properties

Mineral Properties	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016
Mineral Properties [Abstract]
Mineral Properties	4. Mineral Properties At March 31, 2016 At December 31, 2015 Mt Todd, Australia $ $ Guadalupe de los Reyes, Mexico $ $ Guadalupe de los Reyes Gold/Silver Project, Sinaloa, Mexico During April 2014, Minera Gold Stake S.A. de C.V. (“MGS”), Vista’s wholly-owned subsidiary, entered into a definitive option agreement (the “Option Agreement”) to option a 70% interest in the Guadalupe de los Reyes gold/silver project in Sinaloa, Mexico to Great Panther Silver Limited (formerly Cangold Limited) (“Great Panther”) for consideration of $5,000 in payments over a three -year period, with payments totaling $1,000 in the first year ($ 500 received in 2014 and $ 500 net of legal costs was received in March 2015), $1,500 due in February 2016 (postponed from January 2016) and $2,500 in January 2017. The Option Agreement provided that all cash payments are non-refundable and optional to Great Panther, and in the event Great Panther failed to pay any of the required amounts on the scheduled dates or failed to comply with its other obligations, the Option Agreement would terminate and Great Panther would have no interest in the Guadalupe de los Reyes gold/silver project. On February 25, 2016 Vista received notification from Great Panther that it was terminating the Option Agreement and the $1,500 option payment due in February 2016 was not made. Pursuant to the terms of the Option Agreement, Vista retains all amounts already paid by Great Panther and 100% of the Guadalupe de los Reyes gold/silver project. Los Cardones In October 2013, we sold our 100% debt and equity participation in the Los Cardones gold project located in Baja California Sur, Mexico (“Los Cardones Sale”) to Invecture Group, S.A. de C.V. (“Invecture”) and RPG Structured Finance S.a.r.l. (together the “Purchasers”) for a total of $13,000 ( $7,000 of which was paid in October 2013 and $6,000 of which was originally payable in January 2014 (the “Subsequent Payment”) subject to the Purchasers’ option to elect to not make the Subsequent Payment. In 2014, the due date for the Subsequent Payment was extended to January 30, 2015 for additional consideration of $500 . In October 2014, Invecture announced that the Los Cardones gold project had been suspended because the conditions for its development were not favorable at that time, which introduced substantial doubt that the Subsequent Payment would be made. After making this announcement, there were no apparent significant favorable changes to incentivize Invecture to lift the suspension. In January 2015, we agreed to amend the payment terms (the “Amendment”) of the Los Cardones Sale. Under the Amendment, the Company received a payment of $2,994 net of legal costs from the Purchasers as the final payment for 100% of the Company’s interest in the project. This resulted in a realized gain of $1,958 . Utah Claims During the first quarter of 2016, we sold our unpatented mining claims located in Utah for $ 150 and a 2% net smelter return royalty (“NSR”) on any future production from said claims. This resulted in a realized gain of $ 150 .

Plant And Equipment

Plant And Equipment	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016
Plant And Equipment [Abstract]
Plant And Equipment	5. Plant and Equipment March 31, 2016 December 31, 2015 Accumulated Accumulated Cost depreciation Net Cost depreciation Net Mt Todd, Australia $ $ $ $ $ $ Guadalupe de los Reyes, Mexico Corporate, United States — Used mill equipment, Canada — — $ $ $ $ $ $

Common Shares

Common Shares	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Common Shares	6. Common Shares Stock-Based Compensation Under our Stock Option Plan (the “Plan”) and our Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan (the “LTIP”), we may grant options and/or restricted stock units (“RSUs”) or restricted stock awards to our directors, officers, employees and consultants. The combined maximum number of shares in the capital of Vista (“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 and RSUs under the Plan and LTIP, respectively, are granted from time to time at the discretion of the Board of Directors of the Company (“Board”), with vesting periods and other terms as determined by the Board. Stock-based compensation expense for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 is as follows: Three Months Ended March 31, 2016 2015 Stock options $ $ Restricted stock units $ $ As of March 31, 2016, stock options and RSUs had unrecognized compensation expense of $ 21 and $ 438 , respectively, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.75 and 0.98 years, respectively. Stock Options A summary of options under the Plan as of March 31, 2016 is set forth in the following table: Weighted average Weighted average Aggregate Number of exercise price remaining intrinsic options per option contractual term value Outstanding - December 31, 2015 $ $ — Outstanding - March 31, 2016 $ $ Exercisable - March 31, 2016 $ $ A summary of our unvested stock options as of March 31, 2016 is set forth in the following table: Weighted Weighted average average remaining grant-date amortization Number of fair value period options per option (Years) Unvested - December 31, 2015 $ Unvested - March 31, 2016 $ Restricted Stock Units The following table summarizes the RSUs under the LTIP as of March 31, 2016: Weighted average Number grant-date fair of units value per unit Unvested - December 31, 2015 $ Vested Granted Unvested - March 31, 2016 $ A portion of the RSU awards vest on a fixed future date provided the recipient continues to be affiliated with Vista on that date. Other RSU awards vest subject to certain performance and market criteria, including the accomplishment of certain corporate objectives and the Company’s share price performance. The vesting period for RSUs is at least one year.

Commitments And Contingencies

Commitments And Contingencies	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016
Commitments And Contingencies [Abstract]
Commitments And Contingencies	7. 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 believe our operations are in compliance with applicable laws and regulations in all material respects. Under ou r agreement with the Jawoyn Association Aboriginal Corporation (the “ JAAC”), we must offer the JAAC the opportunity to establish a joint venture with Vista holding 90% and the JAAC holding a 10% participating interest in the Mt Todd mining licenses. In addition, the JAAC will be entitled to an annual cash payment, or payment in kind, equal to 1% of the value of the annual gold production from the current mining licenses, and a 1% NSR royalty on other metals, subject to a minimum payment of A$50 per year. During November 2015, we entered into a two -year lease agreement to store our used mill equipment. Monthly rent for the term of the lease is C$18 ($13) .

Fair Value Accounting

Fair Value Accounting	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016
Fair Value [Abstract]
Fair Value Accounting	8. Fair Value Accounting The following table sets forth the Company’s assets measured at fair value by level within the fair value hierarchy. As required by accounting guidance, assets are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Fair value at March 31, 2016 Total Level 1 Level 3 Marketable securities $ $ $ — Other investments (Midas Gold Shares) — Used mill equipment (non-recurring) — Fair value at December 31, 2015 Total Level 1 Level 3 Marketable securities $ $ $ — Other investments (Midas Gold Shares) — Used mill equipment (non-recurring) — Our 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. Marketable securities are included in other current assets on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets for each period presented. The mill equipment is classified as Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy as its value at December 31, 2015 was based on a third party assessment of the projected sale value less costs to sell giving full consideration to current market conditions and an orderly sale process. The mill equipment is included in plant and equipment on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets for each period presented. At March 31, 2016, the assets classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy represent 73 % of the total assets measured at fair value. There have been no transfers between levels in 2016 nor have there been any changes in valuation techniques.

Geographic And Segment Informat

Geographic And Segment Information	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016
Geographic And Segment information [Abstract]
Geographic And Segment Information	9. Geographic and Segment Information The Company has one reportable operating segment, consisting of evaluation, acquisition, and exploration activities. 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 and North America. We reported no revenues during the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015. Geographic location of mineral properties and plant and equipment is provided in Notes 4 and 5, respectively.

Research and Development Grant

Research and Development Grant	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016
Research and Development Grant
Research and Development Grant	10. Research and Development Grant In March 2016, the Company received an A$992 ($744) Research & Development (“R&D”) Tax Incentive refund, net of costs to prepare and file, paid under the Australian Government’s R&D Tax Incentive Program, a program designed to e ncourage industry to engage in R&D activities that benefit Australia. This refund is related to costs we incurred during the 2014 fiscal year for qualifying R&D programs.

Significant Accounting Policies

Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016
Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Recent accounting pronouncements	Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting (Accounting Standard Update 2016-09) In March 2016, the FASB issued guidance related to accounting for stock-based compensation which is intended to improve the accounting for employee share-based payments and affect all organizations that issue share-based payment awards to their employees. Several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment award transactions are simplified, including: (a) income tax consequences; (b) classification of awards as either equity or liabilities; and (c) classification on the statement of cash flows. For public companies, the amendments are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted for any organization in any interim or annual period. We do not expect to early adopt this guidance and do not believe that the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on our financial statements .

Other Investments (Tables)

Other Investments (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016
Investments, All Other Investments [Abstract]
Schedule Of Summary Of Investment	March 31, 2016 December 31, 2015 Fair value at beginning of period $ $ Sale of Midas Gold Shares, net of costs to sell — Gain/(loss) during the period Fair value at end of period $ $ Midas Gold Shares held at the end of the period

Mineral Properties (Tables)

Mineral Properties (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016
Mineral Properties [Abstract]
Schedule of Mineral Properties	At March 31, 2016 At December 31, 2015 Mt Todd, Australia $ $ Guadalupe de los Reyes, Mexico $ $

Plant And Equipment (Tables)

Plant And Equipment (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016
Plant And Equipment [Abstract]
Schedule Of Plant And Equipment	March 31, 2016 December 31, 2015 Accumulated Accumulated Cost depreciation Net Cost depreciation Net Mt Todd, Australia $ $ $ $ $ $ Guadalupe de los Reyes, Mexico Corporate, United States — Used mill equipment, Canada — — $ $ $ $ $ $

Common Shares (Tables)

Common Shares (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016
Capital Stock [Abstract]
Summary of Stock-based Compensation Expense	Three Months Ended March 31, 2016 2015 Stock options $ $ Restricted stock units $ $
Summary Of Option Activity	Weighted average Weighted average Aggregate Number of exercise price remaining intrinsic options per option contractual term value Outstanding - December 31, 2015 $ $ — Outstanding - March 31, 2016 $ $ Exercisable - March 31, 2016 $ $
Summary Of The Status Of Unvested Stock Options	Weighted Weighted average average remaining grant-date amortization Number of fair value period options per option (Years) Unvested - December 31, 2015 $ Unvested - March 31, 2016 $
Summary Of Restricted Stock Units Activity	Weighted average Number grant-date fair of units value per unit Unvested - December 31, 2015 $ Vested Granted Unvested - March 31, 2016 $

Fair Value Accounting (Tables)

Fair Value Accounting (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016
Fair Value Accounting [Abstract]
Fair Value Accounting	Fair value at March 31, 2016 Total Level 1 Level 3 Marketable securities $ $ $ — Other investments (Midas Gold Shares) — Used mill equipment (non-recurring) — Fair value at December 31, 2015 Total Level 1 Level 3 Marketable securities $ $ $ — Other investments (Midas Gold Shares) — Used mill equipment (non-recurring) —

Nature of Operations and Basi23

Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation (Details)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2016
Midas Gold Shares [Member]
Holding percentage	4.40%	4.40%

Other Investments (Details)

Other Investments (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016shares	Mar. 31, 2015USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)shares	Mar. 31, 2015CAD / sharesshares	Mar. 31, 2015$ / sharesshares
Subsidiary, Sale of Stock [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of other investments, net | $			$ 2,772
Midas Gold Shares [Member]
Subsidiary, Sale of Stock [Line Items]
Number of shares sold | shares					8,000,000	8,000,000
Sale of shares (dollars per share) | (per share)					CAD 0.46	$ 0.36
Proceeds from sale of other investments, net | $	$ 2,772			$ 2,772
Shares owned | shares		7,802,615		7,802,615	7,802,615	7,802,615
Holding percentage	4.40%	4.40%

Other Investments (Summary) (De

Other Investments (Summary) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Sale of Midas Gold Shares, net of costs to sell			$ (2,772)
Midas Gold Shares [Member]
Fair value at beginning of period		$ 1,798	$ 6,163	$ 6,163
Sale of Midas Gold Shares, net of costs to sell	$ (2,772)			(2,772)
Gain/(loss) during the period		543		(1,593)
Fair value at end of period		$ 2,341		$ 1,798
Midas Gold Shares held at end of the period	7,802,615	7,802,615	7,802,615	7,802,615

Mineral Properties (Properties)

Mineral Properties (Properties) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Mineral Properties, Net	$ 3,874	$ 3,874
Mt Todd, Australia [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Mineral Properties, Net	2,146	2,146
Guadalupe De Los Reyes, Mexico [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Mineral Properties, Net	$ 1,728	$ 1,728

Mineral property (GDLR) (Detail

Mineral property (GDLR) (Details) - Guadalupe De Los Reyes, Mexico [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Feb. 25, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Apr. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Percentage of interest owned	100.00%
Option Agreement [Member] | Great Panther Silver Limited [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Percentage of interest in joint venture to be returned upon election not to make payment			70.00%
Sale price of gold project			$ 5,000
Period of payment			3 years
Proceeds from sale of gold project				$ 500
Proceeds from sale of gold project, net of legal costs		$ 500
First Year [Member] | Option Agreement [Member] | Great Panther Silver Limited [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Sale price of gold project			$ 1,000
Second Year [Member] | Option Agreement [Member] | Great Panther Silver Limited [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Sale price of gold project			1,500
Amount of payment not made	$ 1,500
Third Year [Member] | Option Agreement [Member] | Great Panther Silver Limited [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Sale price of gold project			$ 2,500

Mineral Properties (LosCardones

Mineral Properties (LosCardones) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Gain on disposal of mineral property, net			$ 150	$ 1,958
Los Cardones Sale [Member] | Sold | Los Cardones, Mexico [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Percentage of interest sold	100.00%	100.00%
Sale price of gold project		$ 13,000
Proceeds from sale of gold project	$ 2,994	7,000
Future proceeds		$ 6,000
Additional consideration received					$ 500
Gain on disposal of mineral property, net				$ 1,958

Mineral Properties (Utah) (Deta

Mineral Properties (Utah) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Gain on disposal of mineral property, net	$ 150	$ 1,958
Utah Sale [Member] | Sold
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of gold project	$ 150
Net smelter return royalty (as a percent)	2.00%
Gain on disposal of mineral property, net	$ 150

Plant And Equipment (Details)

Plant And Equipment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	$ 12,532	$ 12,537
Accumulated depreciation and write downs	3,893	3,745
Net	8,639	8,792
Mt Todd, Australia [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	5,614	5,617
Accumulated depreciation and write downs	3,480	3,346
Net	2,134	2,271
Guadalupe De Los Reyes, Mexico [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	15	17
Accumulated depreciation and write downs	10	9
Net	5	8
Corporate, United States [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	403	403
Accumulated depreciation and write downs	403	390
Net		13
Used mill equipment, Canada [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cost	6,500	6,500
Net	$ 6,500	$ 6,500

Common Shares (Summary Of the F

Common Shares (Summary Of the Fair Value Of All Awards issued Under Stock Compensation Plans) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Percentage of issued and outstanding Common Shares	10.00%
Stock-based expense	$ 142	$ 228
Employee, Directors and Consultants Stock Options [Member]
Stock-based expense	2	2
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Stock-based expense	$ 140	$ 226

Common Shares (Narrative) (Deta

Common Shares (Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016USD ($)
Employee, Directors and Consultants Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Unrecognized compensation expense related to stock options	$ 21
Weighted average compensation recognition period	2 years 9 months
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested awards	$ 438
Weighted average compensation recognition period	11 months 23 days

Common Shares (Summary Of Optio

Common Shares (Summary Of Option Activity) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Capital Stock [Abstract]
Number of options, beginning of period (in shares)	2,257,500
Number of options, end of period (in shares)	2,257,500	2,257,500
Number of options, Exercisable (in shares)	2,011,250
Weighted average exercise price per option, beginning of period (in dollars per share)	$ 1.60
Weighted average exercise price per option, end of period (in dollars per share)	1.60	$ 1.60
Weighted average exercise price, Exercisable (in dollars per share)	$ 1.75
Weighted average remaining contractual term, Outstanding	1 year 9 months 7 days	2 years 7 days
Weighted average remaining contractual term, Exercisable	1 year 7 months 24 days
Aggregate intrinsic value, Outstanding, end of period (in dollars)	$ 108
Aggregate intrinsic value, Options, Exercisable	$ 81

Common Shares (Summary Of The S

Common Shares (Summary Of The Status Of Unvested Stock Options) (Details) - Employee, Directors and Consultants Stock Options [Member]	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016$ / sharesshares
Unvested, Number of options, beginning of period (in shares) | shares	246,250
Unvested, Number of options, end of period (in shares) | shares	246,250
Unvested, Weighted average grant date fair value, beginning of period (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.22
Unvested, Weighted average grant date fair value per option, end of period (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.22
Weighted average remaining amortization period	2 years 9 months

Common Shares (Summary Of Restr

Common Shares (Summary Of Restricted Stock Units Activity) (Details) - Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016$ / sharesshares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Unvested, Number of units, beginning of period (in shares) | shares	4,085,446
Vested, Number of units (in shares) | shares	(20,570)
Granted, Number of units (in shares) | shares	483,000
Unvested, Number of units, end of period (in shares) | shares	4,547,876
Unvested, weighted average fair value, beginning of year (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.44
Vested, Weighted average fair value (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	1.68
Granted, Weighted average fair value (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	0.52
Unvested, weighted average fair value, end of year (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.44
Minimum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Vesting period	1 year

Commitments And Contingencies (

Commitments And Contingencies (Details) CAD in Thousands, AUD in Thousands, $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2015CAD	Nov. 30, 2015USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016AUD
Used mill equipment, Canada [Member]
Term of lease	2 years	2 years
Monthly rental payment	CAD 18	$ 13
Mt Todd, Australia [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent			90.00%
Percentage of participating interest in gold project by affiliate			10.00%
Percentage of royalty on gold			1.00%
Percentage of royalty on other metals			1.00%
Minimum payment per year			AUD 50

Fair Value Accounting (Details)

Fair Value Accounting (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Mill Equipment, held for sale	$ 6,500	$ 6,500
Level 3 percentage of fair value assets	73.00%
Fair Value Transfers Between Levels	$ 0
Equity Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	78	61
Cost-method Investments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	2,341	1,798
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Equity Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	78	61
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Cost-method Investments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	2,341	1,798
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Mill Equipment, held for sale	$ 6,500	$ 6,500

Geographic And Segment Inform38

Geographic And Segment Information (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016USD ($)segment	Mar. 31, 2015USD ($)
Geographic And Segment information [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments | segment	1
Revenues | $	$ 0	$ 0

Research and Development Grant

Research and Development Grant (Details) AUD in Thousands, $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016AUD	Mar. 31, 2016USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016USD ($)
Research and Development Grant
R&D tax incentive refund	AUD 992	$ 744	$ 744