CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (USD $)	Total	7.5% Series A-1 Convertible Preferred Stock	Preferred Stock 7.5% Series A-1 Convertible Preferred Stock	Preferred Stock 7.5% Series A-2 Convertible Preferred Stock	Preferred Stock 7.5% Series B Convertible Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Common Stock 7.5% Series A-2 Convertible Preferred Stock	Common Stock 7.5% Series B Convertible Preferred Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Additional Paid-in Capital 7.5% Series A-1 Convertible Preferred Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital 7.5% Series A-2 Convertible Preferred Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital 7.5% Series B Convertible Preferred Stock	Retained Earnings
BALANCE at Dec. 31, 2010	$ 24,666,005		$ 15	$ 5	$ 24	$ 14,089			$ 139,906,683				$ (115,254,811)
BALANCE, shares at Dec. 31, 2010			21,775	8,382	35,749	21,154,663
Common stock issued for:
Employee and director compensation	980,000					200			979,800
Employee and director compensation, shares						300,000
Payment of dividends, shares						1,174,604
Payment of dividends	0					782			(782)
Purchase of mineral property, properties, plant and equipment, shares						192,600
Purchase of mineral property, properties, plant and equipment	430,000					128			429,872
Services, shares						2,500
Services	8,125					2			8,123
Stock-based compensation	203,731								203,731
Deemed dividend on beneficial conversion	638,276								638,276
Contingent dividend related to convertible preferred stock	(15,954)								(15,954)
feature related to convertible preferred stock									(638,276)
Issuance of convertible preferred stock, shares		862.5	862
Issuance of convertible preferred stock		1,931,999	0							1,931,999
Conversion of convertible preferred stock into common stock	0			(1)	(4)		1,749	2,358			(1,748)	(2,354)
Conversion of convertible preferred stock into common stock, shares				(1,710)	(5,842)		(2,625,514)	(3,540,749)
Net Loss	(11,606,231)												(11,606,231)
BALANCE at Dec. 31, 2011	16,597,675		15	4	20	19,308			143,439,370				(126,861,042)
BALANCE, shares at Dec. 31, 2011			22,637	6,672	29,907	28,990,630
Common stock issued for:
Public offering, shares						13,325,521
Public offering	26,549,997					8,875			26,541,122
Public offering issuance costs	(2,858,871)								(2,858,871)
Vested restricted stock, shares						609,500
Vested restricted stock	0					406			(406)
Payment of dividends, shares						2,148,934
Payment of dividends	0					1,431			(1,431)
Purchase of properties, plant, and equipment, shares						170,986
Purchase of properties, plant and equipment	444,700					114			444,586
Deemed dividend on beneficial conversion	1,242,927								1,242,927
Contingent dividend related to convertible preferred stock	(6,009)								(6,009)
feature related to convertible preferred stock	(1,242,927)								(1,242,927)
Issuance of convertible preferred stock, shares		862.5	862
Issuance of convertible preferred stock	2,466,750		1						2,466,749
Cashless exercise of warrants and options, shares						122,848
Cashless exercise of warrants and options	0					82			(82)
Conversion of convertible preferred stock into common stock	0			0	(1)		1,433	609			(1,433)	(608)
Conversion of convertible preferred stock into common stock, shares				(1,401)	(1,508)		(2,152,217)	(913,910)
Payment of long-term debt obligation (in shares)						31,721
Payment of long-term debt obligation	75,000					21			74,979
Stock-based compensation	5,887,593								5,887,593
Net Loss	(30,762,273)												(30,762,273)
BALANCE at Dec. 31, 2012	18,394,562		16	4	19	32,279			175,985,559				(157,623,315)
BALANCE, shares at Dec. 31, 2012			23,499	5,271	28,399	48,466,267
Common stock issued for:
Public offering, shares						9,146,920
Public offering	18,750,000					6,091			18,743,909
Public offering issuance costs	(459,515)								(459,515)
Vested restricted stock, shares	1,199,300					1,199,300
Vested restricted stock	0					799			(799)
Payment of dividends, shares						2,167,398
Payment of dividends	0					1,443			(1,443)
Deemed dividend on beneficial conversion	304,724								304,724
feature related to convertible preferred stock	(304,724)								(304,724)
Issuance of convertible preferred stock, shares			863
Issuance of convertible preferred stock	2,047,575		0						2,047,575
Conversion of convertible preferred stock into common stock	0			(3)	(3)		3,745	1,698			(3,742)	(1,695)
Conversion of convertible preferred stock into common stock, shares				(3,661)	(4,206)		(5,623,003)	(2,548,908)
Payment of long-term debt obligation (in shares)						1,037,141
Payment of long-term debt obligation	1,915,000					691			1,914,309
Stock-based compensation	943,146								943,146
Net Loss	(21,347,020)
BALANCE at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 20,243,748		$ 16	$ 1	$ 16	$ 46,746			$ 199,167,304				$ (178,970,335)
BALANCE, shares at Dec. 31, 2013			24,362	1,610	24,193	70,188,937