Asset Retirement Obligations (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2008
Asset Retirement Obligation, Current		$ 39,000	$ 50,160
Mineral Property Reclamation Surety Deposits	6,800,000	2,068,399	2,043,107	622,500
Number of Holes Related to a Surety Bond				250
Asset Retirement Obligation, Cash Paid to Settle	1,700,000
Other Mineral Property Reclamation Surety Deposits	$ 368,399

Current portion of the carrying amount of a liability for an asset retirement obligation. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 143

-Paragraph 3, 10, 22

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 410

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant