CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 11,899,574	$ 19,060,378
Certificates of deposit	72,898	259,857
Accounts receivable, net	625,256	784,457
Inventories	1,386,109	1,375,068
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	92,369	137,599
Total current assets	14,076,206	21,617,359
Properties, plants and equipment, net	13,454,491	12,128,124
Restricted cash for reclamation bonds	55,061	57,288
IVA receivable and other assets	509,237	897,679
Total assets	28,094,995	34,700,450
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	456,935	628,803
Accrued liabilities	133,841	201,149
Accrued liabilities - directors	124,810	72,963
Royalties payable	153,429	435,075
Dividends payable	0	787,730
Long-term debt, current portion	28,443	94,150
Total current liabilities	897,458	2,219,870
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net of current portion	0	217,855
Stock payable to directors	38,542	61,459
Asset retirement obligations and accrued reclamation costs	1,638,027	332,011
Total liabilities	2,574,027	2,831,195
Preferred stock $0.01 par value, 10,000,000 shares authorized:
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 150,000,000 shares authorized; 107,647,317 and 106,373,341 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	1,076,472	1,063,732
Additional paid-in capital	63,853,836	64,052,630
Shares to be returned to treasury	0	(202,980)
Accumulated deficit	(39,418,619)	(33,070,332)
Total stockholders' equity	25,520,968	31,869,255
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	28,094,995	34,700,450
Series A Preferred Stock [Member]
Preferred stock $0.01 par value, 10,000,000 shares authorized:
Preferred stock, value	0	0
Series B Preferred Stock [Member]
Preferred stock $0.01 par value, 10,000,000 shares authorized:
Preferred stock, value	7,500	7,500
Series C Preferred Stock [Member]
Preferred stock $0.01 par value, 10,000,000 shares authorized:
Preferred stock, value	1,779	1,779
Series D Preferred Stock [Member]
Preferred stock $0.01 par value, 10,000,000 shares authorized:
Preferred stock, value	$ 0	$ 16,926