CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net Loss	$ (9,638,773)	$ (21,347,020)	$ (30,762,273)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation, amortization and depletion	6,876,322	4,821,575	2,503,147
Loss on sale of properties, plant, and equipment	45,499	0	0
Loss on disposal of mineral rights and properties, plant, and equipment	0	1,015,496	14,169
Gain on settlement of debt	0	(286,535)	0
Stock payments and stock-based compensation	1,875,792	3,271,511	7,914,918
Accretion of reclamation liability	343,717	295,484	184,237
Write down of inventories and stockpiles, mineralized material on leach pad	0	1,514,574	0
Amortization of debt discounts and issuance costs	621,196	818,780	752,890
Net change in fair values of derivatives	963,169	(454,681)	(438,519)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(307,777)	(2,103,093)	(634,643)
Inventories	163,726	(291,351)	(662,929)
Stockpiles and mineralized material on leach pads	(1,195,573)	2,580,929	(4,280,664)
Prepaid expenses	(115,926)	26,851	(393,461)
Other assets	25,881	25,882	80,106
Accounts payable	(333,320)	(200,431)	1,450,440
Accrued expenses	(1,744,638)	32,776	1,859,149
NET CASH USED IN OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(2,420,705)	(10,279,253)	(22,413,433)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from maturity of available-for-sale securities	0	0	2,211,287
Purchase of mineral rights and properties, plant and equipment	(2,624,691)	(5,990,941)	(13,366,348)
Proceeds from sale of mineral rights and properties, plant and equipment	150,415	596,820	0
Change in reclamation bond deposit	(800,000)	(1,282,000)	260,944
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(3,274,276)	(6,676,121)	(10,894,117)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Principal payments on long-term debt and capital lease obligations	(6,993,213)	(4,898,744)	(968,006)
Proceeds from long-term debt obligations	4,626,289	0	9,702,500
Long-term debt obligations issuance costs	0	0	(100,000)
Proceeds from the issuance of common stock	10,993,282	18,750,000	24,349,203
Common stock issuance costs	(32,019)	(459,515)	(658,078)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	8,594,339	13,391,741	32,325,619
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	2,899,358	(3,563,633)	(981,931)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF YEAR	2,409,446	5,973,079	6,955,010
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF YEAR	5,308,804	2,409,446	5,973,079
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION:
Cash paid for interest	736,320	349,390	295,258
Cash paid for income taxes	0	0	0
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing
Conversion of Series A-2 and Series B convertible preferred stock	612	5,443	2,042
Dividends paid in common stock (par value)	1,502	1,443	1,431
Issuance of common stock for properties, plant and equipment	1,014,957	0	444,700
Issuance of long-term debt		0	0
Additions to reclamation liability and retirement obligation asset	140,573	531,770	2,405,314
Effective repurchase of common shares	783,784	0	0
Reduction of derivative with issuance of long term debt obligation	1,170,000	0	0
Reclamation bond deposit included in accrued expenses and other liabilities	100,000	1,000,000	2,050,000
Settlement of long-term debt obligations from gold transfers	0	2,723,107	0
Settlement of long-term debt obligations through transfer of properties, plant and equipment	0	1,028,180	0
Properties, plant and equipment purchases in current liabilities	402,803	934,789	139,261
Accrual of derivative liability — contingent dividend with offset to preferred stock	0	0	6,009
Common stock surrendered in cashless exercise of options	0	0	82
Issuance of common stock for long-term debt obligations payment
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing
Issuance of stock	274,119	1,915,000	75,000
Issuance of Series A-1 convertible preferred stock for mineral lease capitalized in prepaid expenses
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing
Issuance of stock	0	2,047,575	2,466,750
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
Issuance of long-term debt	$ 3,730,163	$ 4,472,840	$ 2,801,125