Debt (Details Textual) (USD $)	3 Months Ended												3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014 oz	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Jan. 21, 2009	Mar. 31, 2014 Convertible Senior Notes Due March 2028 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Convertible Senior Notes Due March 2028 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Senior Notes due Two Thousand Twenty One [Member]	Mar. 12, 2014 Senior Notes due Two Thousand Twenty One [Member]	Jan. 29, 2013 Senior Notes due Two Thousand Twenty One [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Banco Bisa Line of Credit [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Banco de Credito Line of Credit [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Palmarejo gold production royalty [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Palmarejo gold production royalty [Member] oz	Mar. 31, 2013 Palmarejo gold production royalty [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Palmarejo gold production royalty [Member] Maximum [Member] oz	Mar. 31, 2014 3.25% Convertible Senior Notes due March 2028 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 3.25% Convertible Senior Notes due March 2028 [Member]	Feb. 12, 2013 3.25% Convertible Senior Notes due March 2028 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Ore on leach pads	$ 59,895,000		$ 50,495,000
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate on notes					3.25%	3.25%	7.875%		7.875%							3.25%
Debt Instrument, Face Amount							450,000,000	150,000,000	300,000,000							0	5,334,000
Debt	8,095,000		2,505,000													5,334,000	0	48,700,000
Debt Instrument, Repurchased Face Amount																43,300,000
Interest Expense, Debt	0	197,000
Accretion of debt discount	(36,000)	577,000
Effective interest rate on the notes												30.00%
Borrowing under term facility	100,000,000									7,000,000	4,000,000
Line of credit facility, increase, additional borrowings	50,000,000
Line of credit facility, commitment fee amount	179,000	125,000
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate at Period End										3.00%	3.00%
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	0
Loss on termination of revolving credit facility	3,035,000	0
Royalty Expense													14,700,000	15,400,000
Sale Portion Life of Mine				50.00%
Royalty Guarantees, Commitments, Ounces of Gold															400,000
Royalty agreement minimum obligation for the period	400,000
Royalty Agreement Minimum Obligation for Per Month	4,167
Royalty Agreement Period				8 years
Percentage of Actual Gold Production	50.00%
Base Average Gold Price in Excess of Minimum Contractual Deduction Rate	400
Payment of Royalty on Ounces of Gold	275,898
Further Payment Made on Number of Additional Ounces of Gold													124,103
Payments to Acquire Royalty Interests in Mining Properties	14,683,000	15,448,000
Additional Long term debt and capital lease obligations(Textual) [Abstract]
Implicit Interest Rate	30.00%
Accretion of Royalty Obligation	3,196,000	4,062,000
Remaining Minimum Obligation Under Royalty Agreements	46,000,000		51,200,000
Expensed Interest	13,054,000	9,732,000
Capitalized interest	(384,000)	(393,000)
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Carrying Amount of Equity Component					$ 10,900,000