MINING PROPERTIES, LAND AND WATER RIGHTS (Details)		1 Months Ended					12 Months Ended
	Oct. 17, 2018 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2020 property	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) property	Aug. 31, 2018 ft	Feb. 28, 2018 ft	Feb. 28, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) property	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) property	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) property $ / item	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) property $ / lb	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) property	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Mining properties
Number of mining properties | property			2				2	2	2	2	2
Common shares issued	$ 2,000,000
Mining properties, land and water rights
Mining properties, land and water rights			$ 244,137,000				$ 244,137,000	$ 244,137,000	$ 244,137,000	$ 244,137,000	$ 244,137,000	$ 229,175,000
Deposits on project property, plant and equipment			$ 87,972,000				$ 87,972,000	$ 87,972,000	$ 87,972,000	$ 87,972,000	$ 87,972,000	88,124,000
Mt. Hope Project
Mining properties
Molybdenum price (in dollars per pound)									8.40	8.40
Backward average price							3 years
Ownership interest (as a percent)			20.00%				20.00%	20.00%	20.00%	20.00%	20.00%
Depth of the recommended 10-hold drilling for confirmation and exploration program | ft				9,400
Mt. Hope Project | Minimum
Mining properties
Depth of high chargeability anomalies | ft					100
Mt. Hope Project | Maximum
Mining properties
Depth of high chargeability anomalies | ft					1,000
Lease Agreement with WK Mining Ltd
Mining properties
Term of lease						6 years
Lessee, Finance Lease, Existence of Option to Extend [true false]						true
Extended lease term						4 years
Common shares issued						$ 124,000
Initial payment fees						100,000
Annual fees of first installment						$ 12,000
Lease Agreement with SR Minerals, Inc.
Mining properties
Term of lease			5 years				5 years	5 years	5 years	5 years	5 years
Lessee, Finance Lease, Existence of Option to Extend [true false]			true
Extended lease term			5 years
Initial payment fees			$ 16,000
Other Properties
Mining properties
Mineral, land and water rights			$ 100,000				$ 100,000	$ 100,000	$ 100,000	$ 100,000	$ 100,000
Chicago London Group Property
Mining properties
Number of patented mining claims acquired | property			6				6	6	6	6	6
Detroit Property
Mining properties
Number of unpatented mining claims lapsed | property								34
Sanders and Madison Property
Mining properties
Number of unpatented mining claims lapsed | property								83
Sanders and Madison Property | Subsequent event
Mining properties
Number of unpatented mining claims lapsed | property		83
Skamania and Josephine Property
Mining properties
Production royalties percentage											1.50%
Number of undeveloped properties | property								2
Land and Water Rights
Mining properties, land and water rights
Mining properties, land and water rights			$ 244,137,000				$ 244,137,000	$ 244,137,000	$ 244,137,000	$ 244,137,000	$ 244,137,000	229,175,000
Land and Water Rights | Mt. Hope Project
Mining properties
Development costs			179,356,000				179,356,000	179,356,000	179,356,000	179,356,000	179,356,000	176,292,000
Mineral, land and water rights			23,423,000				23,423,000	23,423,000	23,423,000	23,423,000	23,423,000	11,324,000
Advance Royalties			32,988,000				32,988,000	32,988,000	32,988,000	32,988,000	32,988,000	31,800,000
Mining properties, land and water rights
Mining properties, land and water rights			235,767,000				235,767,000	235,767,000	235,767,000	235,767,000	235,767,000	219,416,000
Land and Water Rights | Liberty Project
Mining properties, land and water rights
Mining properties, land and water rights			8,370,000				8,370,000	8,370,000	8,370,000	8,370,000	8,370,000	9,678,000
Land and Water Rights | Other Properties
Mining properties, land and water rights
Mining properties, land and water rights			0				0	0	0	0	0	$ 81,000
Mining properties, land and water rights. | Mt. Hope Project
Mining properties, land and water rights
Deposits on project property, plant and equipment			$ 88,000,000				$ 88,000,000	$ 88,000,000	$ 88,000,000	$ 88,000,000	$ 88,000,000