Debt (Details Textual) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	May 27, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014 oz	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 12, 2014	Jan. 29, 2013	Feb. 12, 2013
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due, Next Twelve Months		$ 12,800,000
Gold production royalty payments		48,395,000	57,034,000	74,734,000
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt		17,498,000	2,505,000
Interest Expense, Debt		0	291,000	881,000
Accretion of debt discount		(357,000)	576,000	2,536,000
Borrowing under term facility		100,000,000
Line of credit facility, increase, additional borrowings		50,000,000
Write off revolver costs, interest expense		3,035,000	0	2,339,000
Line of credit facility, commitment fee amount		179,000	612,000	213,000
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding		14,800,000
Loss on termination of revolving credit facility		0	0	1,036,000
Percentage of Actual Gold Production		50.00%
Further Payment Made on Number of Additional Ounces of Gold		35,500,000
Payments to Acquire Royalty Interests in Mining Properties	2,200,000	48,395,000	57,034,000	74,734,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Receivable, in Two Years		12,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Receivable, in Three Years		6,100,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Receivable, in Four Years		4,600,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Receivable, in Five Years		4,700,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Receivable, Thereafter		6,000,000
Additional Long term debt and capital lease obligations(Textual) [Abstract]
Implicit Interest Rate		30.00%
Accretion of Royalty Obligation		10,773,000	17,641,000	19,139,000
Remaining Minimum Obligation Under Royalty Agreements		34,000,000	51,200,000
Expensed Interest		47,546,000	41,303,000	26,169,000
Capitalized interest		(1,710,000)	(2,694,000)	(2,663,000)
Convertible Senior Notes Due March 2028 [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate on notes		3.25%	3.25%
Debt Instrument, Face Amount		0	5,334,000
Additional Long term debt and capital lease obligations(Textual) [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Carrying Amount of Equity Component		10,900,000
Senior Notes due Two Thousand Twenty One [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Repurchase Amount		15,100,000
Long-term Debt		437,500,000
Interest rate on notes		7.875%	7.875%			7.875%
Debt Instrument, Face Amount		434,900,000			150,000,000	300,000,000
Long-term debt, original principal		450,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding		10,304,000	0
Banco de Credito Line of Credit [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Borrowing under term facility		12,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate at Period End		6.00%
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Period		360 months
Banco Bisa Line of Credit [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Borrowing under term facility		15,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate at Period End		6.00%
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Period		3 months
Palmarejo gold production royalty [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Effective interest rate on the notes		30.50%
Palmarejo gold production royalty [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Royalty Guarantees, Commitments, Ounces of Gold		315,085
Further Payment Made on Number of Additional Ounces of Gold		84,915
Palmarejo gold production royalty [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Royalty Guarantees, Commitments, Ounces of Gold		400,000
3.25% Convertible Senior Notes due March 2028 [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate on notes		3.25%
Debt Instrument, Face Amount		5,334,000
Debt			0				48,700,000
Debt Instrument, Repurchased Face Amount		$ 43,300,000
Palmarejo [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Expected Royalty Duration		1.7