Schedule of Prior Year's Consolidated Statement of Operations (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			154 Months Ended	157 Months Ended	160 Months Ended	163 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		154 Months Ended	157 Months Ended	160 Months Ended	163 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		151 Months Ended	154 Months Ended	157 Months Ended	160 Months Ended	163 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Mar. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012 As Reported [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 As Reported [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 As Reported [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 As Reported [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 As Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 As Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 As Reported [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 As Reported [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 As Reported [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 As Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 As Reported [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Restatement Adjustment [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Restatement Adjustment [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Restatement Adjustment [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Restatement Adjustment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Restatement Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Restatement Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Restatement Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Restatement Adjustment [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Restatement Adjustment [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Restatement Adjustment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Restatement Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Restatement Adjustment [Member]
Mineral property expenditures	$ 4,481,607	$ 7,269,922	$ 6,365,807	$ 13,635,729	$ 18,117,336	$ 22,801,376	$ 12,259,691	$ 6,661,909	$ 69,242,426	$ 76,512,347	$ 80,993,954	$ 85,677,992	$ 543,222	$ 450,324	$ 237,787	$ 688,111	$ 1,231,333	$ 8,328,468	$ 5,439,981	$ 53,360,338	$ 53,810,662	$ 54,353,884	$ 64,385,374	$ 3,938,385	$ 6,819,598	$ 6,128,020	$ 12,947,618	$ 16,886,003	$ 14,472,908	$ 6,819,710	$ 9,754,067	$ 15,882,088	$ 22,701,685	$ 26,640,070	$ 21,292,618
Total Operating Expenses	5,744,850	8,590,539	7,851,074	16,441,613	22,186,463	29,389,744	25,523,221	15,291,692	122,098,348	130,688,886	136,433,736	143,637,017	1,806,465	1,770,941	1,723,054	3,493,995	5,300,460	14,916,836	18,703,511	106,216,260	107,987,201	109,793,666	122,344,399	3,938,385	6,819,598	6,128,020	12,947,618	16,886,003	14,472,908	6,819,710		15,882,088	22,701,685	26,640,070	21,292,618
Loss from continuing operations	(5,734,376)	(8,577,977)	(7,834,940)	(16,412,917)	(22,147,293)	(29,347,337)	(25,444,056)	(15,239,402)	(119,963,684)	(128,541,660)	(134,276,036)	(141,476,080)	(1,795,991)	(1,758,379)	(1,706,920)	(3,465,299)	(5,261,290)	(14,874,429)	(18,624,346)	(104,081,596)	(105,839,975)	(107,635,966)	(120,183,462)	(3,938,385)	(6,819,598)	(6,128,020)	(12,947,618)	(16,886,003)	(14,472,908)	(6,819,710)		(15,882,088)	(22,701,685)	(26,640,070)	(21,292,618)
Net Loss and comprehensive loss	(5,734,376)	(8,577,977)	(7,834,940)	(16,412,917)	(22,147,293)	(29,347,337)	(25,444,056)	(15,239,402)	(119,012,707)	(127,590,683)	(133,325,059)	(140,525,103)	(1,795,991)	(1,758,379)	(1,706,920)	(3,465,299)	(5,261,290)	(14,874,429)	(18,624,346)	(103,130,619)	(104,888,998)	(106,684,989)	(119,232,485)	(3,938,385)	(6,819,598)	(6,128,020)	(12,947,618)	(16,886,003)	(14,472,908)	(6,819,710)		(15,882,088)	(22,701,685)	(26,640,070)	(21,292,618)
Net Loss Attributable to the Company	$ (5,607,295)	$ (8,452,231)	$ (7,774,914)	$ (16,227,145)	$ (21,834,440)	$ (28,974,449)	$ (24,873,633)	$ (14,599,983)	$ (116,091,682)	$ (124,543,912)	$ (130,151,207)	$ (137,291,216)	$ (1,668,910)	$ (1,632,633)	$ (1,646,894)	$ (3,279,527)	$ (4,948,437)	$ (14,501,543)	$ (18,053,923)	$ (100,209,594)	$ (101,842,227)	$ (103,511,137)	$ (115,998,598)	$ (3,938,385)	$ (6,819,598)	$ (6,128,020)	$ (12,947,618)	$ (16,886,003)	$ (14,472,908)	$ (6,819,710)		$ (15,882,088)	$ (22,701,685)	$ (26,640,070)	$ (21,292,618)
Net Loss Per Share Basic and Diluted	$ (0.07)	$ (0.11)	$ (0.10)	$ (0.21)	$ (0.28)	$ (0.38)	$ (0.33)						$ (0.02)	$ (0.02)	$ (0.02)	$ (0.04)	$ (0.06)	$ (0.19)	$ (0.24)					$ (0.05)	$ (0.09)	$ (0.08)	$ (0.17)	$ (0.22)	$ (0.19)	$ (0.09)