CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY - USD ($)	Total	Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Deficit	Noncontrolling interest in Subsidiary	Mercury Clean Up LLC	Mercury Clean Up LLC Common Stock	Mercury Clean Up LLC Additional Paid-in Capital	Pelen LLC	Pelen LLC Additional Paid-in Capital
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		0	15,067,655
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 9,384,902	$ 0	$ 50,175	$ 241,419,897	$ (232,085,170)	$ 0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock (in shares)			1,090,400
Issuance of common stock	813,561		$ 3,631	809,930
Common stock issuance costs	(85,093)			(85,093)
Net income (loss)	(1,835,065)				(1,835,065)
Ending balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019		0	16,158,055
Ending balance at Mar. 31, 2019	8,278,305	$ 0	$ 53,806	242,144,734	(233,920,235)	0
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		0	15,067,655
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2018	9,384,902	$ 0	$ 50,175	241,419,897	(232,085,170)	0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	(3,525,912)
Ending balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019		0	23,246,040
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2019	8,888,947	$ 0	$ 77,409	244,422,620	(235,611,082)	0
Beginning balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019		0	16,158,055
Beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2019	8,278,305	$ 0	$ 53,806	242,144,734	(233,920,235)	0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock (in shares)			941,945
Issuance of common stock	924,758		$ 3,137	921,621
Common stock issuance costs	(374,885)			(374,885)
Issuance of convertible preferred stock ( in shares)		1,274
Issuance of convertible preferred stock	1,515,000	$ 1		1,514,999
Net income (loss)	(2,077,744)				(2,077,744)
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019		1,274	17,100,000
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2019	8,265,434	$ 1	$ 56,943	244,206,469	(235,997,979)	0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock (in shares)			2,259,330
Issuance of common stock	1,263,838		$ 7,523	1,256,315
Issuance of common stock for convertible preferred (in shares)			2,240,441
Issuance of common stock for convertible preferred	1,515,000		$ 7,461	1,507,539
Common stock issuance costs	(60,772)			(60,772)
Preferred stock converted to common (in shares)		(1,274)
Preferred stock converted to common	(1,515,000)	$ (1)		(1,514,999)
Payment for mineral rights (in shares)			746,269
Payment for mineral rights	482,500		$ 2,485	480,015
Investment in affiliate (in shares)								900,000
Investment in affiliate							$ 751,050	$ 2,997	$ 748,053
Termination of share option with Tonogold	(2,200,000)			(2,200,000)
Net income (loss)	386,897				386,897
Ending balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019		0	23,246,040
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2019	8,888,947	$ 0	$ 77,409	244,422,620	(235,611,082)	0
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019		0	27,236,489
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2019	23,492,560	$ 0	$ 18,139	259,095,152	(235,890,272)	269,541
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock (in shares)			638,511
Issuance of common stock	242,621		$ 425	242,196
Common stock issuance costs	(50,070)			(50,070)
Initial value of contingent forward	1,232,952			1,232,952
Sale of membership interests in Comstock Mining LLC	100,000			100,000
Net income (loss)	(263,212)				(263,212)
Ending balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020		0	27,875,000
Ending balance at Mar. 31, 2020	24,754,851	$ 0	$ 18,564	260,620,230	(236,153,484)	269,541
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019		0	27,236,489
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2019	23,492,560	$ 0	$ 18,139	259,095,152	(235,890,272)	269,541
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	18,342,836
Ending balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020		0	34,440,766
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2020	35,190,073	$ 0	$ 22,937	252,715,337	(217,548,201)	0
Beginning balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020		0	27,875,000
Beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2020	24,754,851	$ 0	$ 18,564	260,620,230	(236,153,484)	269,541
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Investment in affiliate (in shares)								625,000
Investment in affiliate							$ 314,687	$ 416	$ 314,271	$ 585,000	$ 585,000
Director Compensation (in shares)			315,000
Director compensation	176,400		$ 210	176,190
Employee share-based compensation	27,849			27,849
Sale of membership interests in Comstock Mining LLC	500,000			475,384		24,616
Net income (loss)	1,275,986				1,275,986
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020		0	28,815,000
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2020	27,634,773	$ 0	$ 19,190	262,198,924	(234,877,498)	294,157
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock (in shares)			5,282,708
Issuance of common stock	4,080,001		$ 3,519	4,076,482
Common stock issuance costs	(205,000)			(205,000)
Payment for mineral rights (in shares)			343,058
Payment for mineral rights	482,500		$ 228	482,272
Termination of share option with Tonogold	(20,813,760)			(20,499,141)	(765)	(313,854)
Sale of membership interests in Comstock Mining LLC	6,681,497			6,661,800		19,697
Net income (loss)	17,330,062				17,330,062
Ending balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020		0	34,440,766
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2020	$ 35,190,073	$ 0	$ 22,937	$ 252,715,337	$ (217,548,201)	$ 0