Interim Financial Statements (Details)				3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Apr. 13, 2016 USD ($) shares	Apr. 01, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) shares	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) oz	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 13, 2016 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 28, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 06, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Ounces of gold sold during the period | oz				1,702
Gold revenue				$ 1,980,764	$ 5,927,174
Ounces of silver sold during the period | oz				29,438
Silver sales				$ 400,000
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)			$ (203,114,930)	(203,114,930)			$ (199,063,535)
Net income (loss)				(4,051,395)	1,289,114
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities				(704,965)	209,498
Cash and cash equivalents			3,587,349	3,587,349	$ 4,179,264		1,663,170			$ 5,308,804
Current assets			7,523,372	7,523,372			5,649,027
Current liabilities			10,758,476	10,758,476			$ 12,142,233
Current liabilities in excess of current assets			$ (3,200,000)	(3,200,000)
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Common stock issued during period (in shares) | shares			10,000,000
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, gross			$ 3,500,000
Proceeds from the issuance of common stock				3,500,000
Mine claims and costs				296,433	$ 421,065
Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility, borrowing capacity									$ 5,000,000
Note Payable (Auramet Facility) | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility, borrowing capacity			$ 10,000,000	10,000,000				$ 10,000,000
Subsequent Event
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Common stock issued during period (in shares) | shares	1,500,000					11,500,000
Proceeds from the issuance of common stock	$ 525,000					$ 4,000,000
Subsequent Event | Note Payable (Auramet Facility) | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Repayments of lines of credit		$ 1,200,000
Reclassification, Effect
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Mine claims and costs				$ (343,042)