Statement of Operations (USD $)	12 Months Ended			163 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012
Revenue	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Expenses
Depreciation	241,610	215,740	200,266	1,035,035
Accretion expense	49,899	2,518	0	52,417
Foreign exchange	22,612	49,610	5,464	105,107
General and administrative	6,274,247	12,995,662	8,424,053	56,766,466
Mineral property expenditures	22,801,376	12,259,691	6,661,909	85,677,992
Total Operating Expenses	29,389,744	25,523,221	15,291,692	143,637,017
Operating Loss	(29,389,744)	(25,523,221)	(15,291,692)	(143,637,017)
Other Income (Expense)
Gain on sale of investment securities	0	0	0	79,129
Interest income	42,407	79,165	52,290	2,061,331
Loss on settlement of debt	0	0	0	(132,000)
Mineral property option payments received	0	0	0	152,477
Total Other Income	42,407	79,165	52,290	2,160,937
Loss from continuing operations	(29,347,337)	(25,444,056)	(15,239,402)	(141,476,080)
Discontinued operations
Loss from discontinued operations	0	0	0	(28,732)
Gain on disposal of discontinued operations	0	0	0	979,709
Gain on Discontinued Operations	0	0	0	950,977
Net Loss and Comprehensive Loss	(29,347,337)	(25,444,056)	(15,239,402)	(140,525,103)
Net Loss and Comprehensive Loss attributable to non-controlling interest	372,888	570,423	639,419	3,233,887
Net Loss and Comprehensive Loss Attributable to Company Stockholders	(28,974,449)	(24,873,633)	(14,599,983)	(137,291,216)
Amounts attributable to Company stockholders
Loss from continuing operations	(28,974,449)	(24,873,633)	(14,599,983)	(138,242,193)
Gain on discontinued operations	0	0	0	950,977
Net Loss Attributable to the Company	$ (28,974,449)	$ (24,873,633)	$ (14,599,983)	$ (137,291,216)
Net Loss Per Share - Basic and Diluted	$ (0.38)	$ (0.33)	$ (0.23)
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding	77,166,000	75,981,000	64,433,000