Equity Components [Axis] Common Stock Additional Paid-in Capital Accumulated Deficit Antidilutive Securities [Axis] Stock options Warrants Asset Class [Axis] Option on water rights lease agreements, net Prepaid insurance and other expenses Income Tax Authority [Axis] Federal State Award Type [Axis] Warrant 1 Warrant 2 Warrant 3 Plan Name [Axis] 2011 Stock Option/Restricted Stock Plan Mining Interest Stock Option 1 Stock Option 2 Other Receivables Related Party [Axis] Board of Directors Document And Entity Information Entity Registrant Name Entity Central Index Key Document Type Document Period End Date Amendment Flag Current Fiscal Year End Date Is Entity a Well-known Seasoned Issuer? Is Entity a Voluntary Filer? Is Entity's Reporting Status Current? Entity Filer Category Entity Emerging Growth Company Entity Small Business Entity Shell Company Entity Interactive Data Current Entity Incorporation State Country Code Entity File Number Entity Public Float Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding Document Fiscal Period Focus Document Fiscal Year Focus Statement of Financial Position [Abstract] ASSETS CURRENT ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents Other current assets (NOTE 5) TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS EQUIPMENT AND MINING INTEREST, net (NOTE 4) OTHER ASSETS - NON-CURRENT (NOTE 5) RECLAMATION BOND TOTAL ASSETS LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY CURRENT LIABILITIES: Accounts payable and accrued liabilities Deferred compensation to officers and directors TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES OTHER LIABILITIES NOTE PAYABLE, RELATED PARTY TOTAL LIABILITIES COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (NOTE 4) STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Preferred Stock, par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized, none issued and outstanding Common Stock, $.001 par value; 300,000,000 shares authorized; 77,394,841 shares issued and outstanding, respectively Additional paid-in capital Accumulated deficit TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Preferred stock, shares authorized Preferred stock, shares issued Preferred stock, shares outstanding Common stock, par or stated value per share Common stock, shares authorized Common stock, shares issued Common stock, shares outstanding Income Statement [Abstract] OPERATING EXPENSE Mineral exploration expense Pre-development expense Legal and professional fees Management and administrative Depreciation TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES LOSS FROM OPERATIONS OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE) Interest income Interest expense Interest expense, related party TOTAL OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE) NET LOSS BEFORE INCOME TAXES Provision (benefit) for income tax NET LOSS Basic and diluted loss per share Basic and diluted weighted average number shares outstanding Statement [Table] Statement [Line Items] Beginning balance, shares Beginning balance, amount Common stock issued for accounts payable, shares Common stock issued for accounts payable, amount Options issued for mining interest Net loss Ending balance, shares Ending balance, amount Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract] CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used by operating activities: Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Other current assets Other assets Accounts payable and accrued liabilities Deferred compensation to officers and directors Other liabilities Net cash used by operating activities CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES: Payments for equipment and mining interest Payments for collateral on reclamation bonds Net cash used in investing activities CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES: Proceeds from note payable, related party Net cash provided by financing activities Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF YEAR SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION: Interest paid in cash NON-CASH FINANCING AND INVESTING ACTIVITIES: Common stock issued for accounts payable Options issued for mining interest Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] NATURE OF OPERATIONS Accounting Policies [Abstract] SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Earnings Per Share [Abstract] EARNINGS PER SHARE Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract] EQUIPMENT AND MINING INTEREST Other Assets [Abstract] OTHER ASSETS Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract] INCOME TAXES Related Party Transactions [Abstract] RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent [Abstract] STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract] WARRANTS STOCK OPTIONS Subsequent Events [Abstract] SUBSEQUENT EVENTS Basis of Presentation Going Concern Use of Estimates Risks and Uncertainties Cash and Cash Equivalents Reclamation Bond Financial Instruments Fair Value Measures Mining Interests and Mineral Exploration Expenditures Pre-development Expenditures Equipment Reclamation and Remediation Impairment of Long-lived Assets Stock-based Compensation Income Taxes Reclassifications New Accounting Pronouncements Dilutive securities Equipment and mining interest Future minimum required expenditures, annual payments, and number of stock options Other assets Deffered tax asset, net Income tax provision (benefit) Warrant activity Warrants outstanding Assumptions Stock option activity Additional information about the options Options outstanding and exercisable Total possible dilutive shares Equipment Less accumulated depreciation Equipment, net of accumulated depreciation Mining interest - Longstreet TOTAL EQUIPMENT AND MINING INTEREST Other assets Other assets, current Other assets, non-current Net operating loss carryforward Stock-based compensation Equipment and mining interests Other Total deferred tax assets Valuation allowance NET DEFERRED TAX ASSETS Amount computed using the statutory rate Effect of state taxes Other Change in valuation allowance TOTAL INCOME TAX PROVISION (BENEFIT) Amount computed using the statutory rate, percent Effect of state taxes, percent Other, percent Change in valuation allowance, percent TOTAL INCOME TAX PROVISION (BENEFIT), percent Net operating loss carry forward Rent expense Consulting and investor services Warrants outstanding, beginning Warrants issued Warrants outstanding, ending Weighted average exercise price, beginning Weighted average exercise price issued Weighted average exercise price, ending Warrants Exercise price Remaining life (years) Issue Date Expiration Date Options outstanding and exercisable, shares Options outstanding and exercisable, price Options outstanding and exercisable, remaining term Assets, Current Assets Liabilities, Current Liabilities Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent Liabilities and Equity Operating Expenses Operating Income (Loss) Interest Expense, Debt Interest Expense, Related Party Other Nonoperating Income (Expense) Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest Shares, Outstanding Increase (Decrease) in Other Current Assets Increase (Decrease) in Other Noncurrent Assets Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Payable, Trade Increase (Decrease) in Deferred Compensation Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities Payments to Acquire Mining Assets Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease) Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value Fair Value of Assets Acquired Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block] Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment PropertyPlantAndEquipment Other Assets Deferred Tax Assets, Gross Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Other Adjustments, Amount Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Percent Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Percent Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Non-Option Equity Instruments, Outstanding, Number Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Non-Option Equity Instruments, Granted