CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net Loss	$ (21,347,020)	$ (30,762,273)	$ (11,606,231)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation, amortization and depletion	4,821,575	2,503,147	269,549
Gain on sale of properties, plant, and equipment	0	0	(15,785)
Loss on disposal of mineral rights and properties, plant, and equipment	1,015,496	14,169	0
Gain on settlement of debt	(286,535)	0	0
Stock payments and stock-based compensation	3,271,511	7,914,918	3,284,239
Accretion of reclamation liability	295,484	184,237	97,346
Write down of inventories and stockpiles, mineralized material on leach pad	1,514,574	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0	(76,081)
Amortization of debt discounts and issuance costs	818,780	752,890	0
Net change in fair values of derivatives	(454,681)	(438,519)	(3,864,146)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of affects from acquisition:
Accounts receivable	(2,103,093)	(634,643)	0
Inventories	(291,351)	(662,929)	0
Stockpiles and mineralized material on leach pads	2,580,929	(4,280,664)	0
Prepaid expenses	26,851	(393,461)	66,000
Other assets	25,882	80,106	(98,516)
Accounts payable	(200,431)	1,450,440	126,414
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	32,776	1,859,149	169,310
NET CASH USED IN OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(10,279,253)	(22,413,433)	(11,647,901)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from maturity of available-for-sale securities	0	2,211,287	4,403,950
Purchase of available-for-sale securities	0	0	(2,205,000)
Purchase of mineral rights and properties, plant and equipment	(5,990,941)	(13,366,348)	(7,799,058)
Acquisition of Gold Hill Hotel	0	0	(500,000)
Proceeds from sale of mineral rights and properties, plant and equipment	596,820	0	102,000
Change in reclamation bond deposit	(1,282,000)	260,944	0
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(6,676,121)	(10,894,117)	(5,998,108)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Principal payments on long-term debt and capital lease obligations	(4,898,744)	(968,006)	(782,290)
Proceeds from long-term debt obligations	0	9,702,500	0
Long-term debt obligations issuance costs	0	(100,000)	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common stock	18,750,000	24,349,203	0
Common stock issuance costs	(459,515)	(658,078)	0
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	13,391,741	32,325,619	(782,290)
DECREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	(3,563,633)	(981,931)	(18,428,299)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF YEAR	5,973,079	6,955,010	25,383,309
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF YEAR	2,409,446	5,973,079	6,955,010
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION:
Cash paid for interest	349,390	295,258	64,837
Cash paid for income taxes	0	0	0
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Conversion of Series A-2 and Series B convertible preferred stock	5,443	2,042	4,107
Dividends paid in common stock (par value)	1,443	1,431	782
Issuance of common stock for properties, plant and equipment	0	444,700	430,000
Additions to reclamation liability and retirement obligation asset	531,770	2,405,314	577,529
Reclamation bond deposit included in accrued expenses and other liabilities	1,000,000	2,050,000	0
Settlement of long-term debt obligations from gold transfers	2,723,107	0	0
Settlement of long-term debt obligations through transfer of properties, plant and equipment	1,028,180	0	0
Accrual of derivative liability — contingent dividend with offset to preferred stock	0	6,009	15,954
Properties, plant and equipment purchases in current liabilities	934,789	139,261	809,150
Common stock surrendered in cashless exercise of options	0	82	0
Issuance of common stock for long-term debt obligations payment
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Issuance of stock	1,915,000	75,000	0
Issuance of Series A-1 convertible preferred stock for mineral lease capitalized in prepaid expenses
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Issuance of stock	2,047,575	2,466,750	1,931,999
Issuance of long-term debt and capital lease obligations for purchase of mineral rights and properties, plant and equipment
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Issuance of debt	4,472,840	2,801,125	426,960
Issuance of long-term debt obligations for Gold Hill Hotel acquisition
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Issuance of debt	$ 0	$ 0	$ 340,000