DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS - Capital Requirements and Restructuring (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands, lb in Millions			12 Months Ended
	Nov. 02, 2015 USD ($) director $ / shares $ / lb shares	Apr. 17, 2015 USD ($) lb $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) director $ / lb shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) shares	Apr. 15, 2016	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRUCTURING
Value of common stock issued to acquire mineral rights			$ 111	$ 109
Ownership interest (as a percent)			20.00%
Private Placement				$ 4,000
Common stock issued to acquire mineral rights | shares			110,611,287	109,298,393
Face amount						$ 8,500
AMER International Group
CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRUCTURING
Number Of Board Of Directors Upon Closing Of Equity Investment | director	8
Number of Board of Directors upon closing of the equity investment | director	8
Expense reimbursement from reserve for potential opportunities			$ 800
Private Placement | AMER International Group
CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRUCTURING
Shares agreed to purchase as per agreement | shares		40,000,000
Warrants to purchase common shares | shares		80,000,000
Number of days considered for VWAP		90 days
Volume weighted average price per share | $ / shares		$ 0.50
Purchase price per share acquired (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 0.50
First Tranche | AMER International Group
CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRUCTURING
Private Placement	$ 4,000
Common stock issued to acquire mineral rights | shares	13,300,000
Purchase price per share acquired (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.30
Second Tranche | AMER International Group
CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRUCTURING
Private Placement	$ 6,000
Common stock issued to acquire mineral rights | shares	12,000,000
Purchase price per share acquired (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.50
Funds allocated from private placement of shares for general corporate purposes	$ 5,000
Funds allocated from Private Placement for expense reimbursement	$ 1,000
Third Tranche | AMER International Group
CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRUCTURING
Number of Consecutive Calendar Days	30 days
Private Placement	$ 10,000
Common stock issued to acquire mineral rights | shares	14,700,000
Purchase price per share acquired (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.68
Molybdenum price (in dollars per pound) | $ / lb	12
Consecutive calendar day period	30 days
Minimum | Second Tranche | AMER International Group
CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRUCTURING
Number of Consecutive Calendar Days	30 days
Molybdenum price (in dollars per pound) | $ / lb	8
Consecutive calendar day period	30 days
Hanlong Sub Debt Facility Warrant
CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRUCTURING
Ownership interest (as a percent)			10.00%		6.00%
Number of Board of Directors nominated by Hanlong | director			1
Mt. Hope Project
CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRUCTURING
Molybdenum price (in dollars per pound) | $ / lb			8.00
Mt. Hope Project | AMER International Group
CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRUCTURING
Annual, estimated balance molybdenum production | lb		16.5
Period of time there is an obligation to purchase product		5 years
Percentage of product obligated to purchase after five years		70.00%
Mt. Hope Project | Senior secured term loan | AMER International Group
CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRUCTURING
Face amount		$ 700,000