Debt (Details Textual) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		0 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015 debt	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Number of lines of credits, outstanding	2
Debt	$ 65,719,000		$ 65,719,000	$ 17,498,000
Amortization of debt issuance costs	(105,000)	(36,000)
Write off revolver costs, interest expense	0	3,035,000
Line of credit facility, commitment fee amount	0	179,000
Loss on termination of revolving credit facility	0	3,035,000
Percentage of Actual Gold Production	50.00%
Payments to Acquire Royalty Interests in Mining Properties	10,368,000	14,683,000
Additional Long term debt and capital lease obligations(Textual) [Abstract]
Implicit Interest Rate	30.00%
Accretion of Royalty Obligation	2,031,000	3,196,000
Remaining Minimum Obligation Under Royalty Agreements	29,900,000		29,900,000	34,000,000
Expensed Interest	10,765,000	13,054,000
Capitalized interest	735,000	384,000
Convertible Senior Notes Due March 2028 [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate on notes	3.25%		3.25%	3.25%
Debt Instrument, Face Amount				0
Additional Long term debt and capital lease obligations(Textual) [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Carrying Amount of Equity Component	10,900,000		10,900,000
Senior Notes due 2021 [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Repurchase Amount	2,000,000		2,000,000
Long-term Debt	432,900,000		432,900,000
Interest rate on notes	7.875%		7.875%	7.875%
Banco Bisa Line of Credit [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Borrowing under term facility	12,000,000		12,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate at Period End	6.00%		6.00%
Banco de Credito Line of Credit [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Borrowing under term facility	15,000,000		15,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate at Period End	6.00%		6.00%
Palmarejo gold production royalty [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Effective interest rate on the notes	30.50%		30.50%
Palmarejo gold production royalty [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Commodity Royalty Payments	327,586		327,586
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Remaining ounces under royalty obligation	72,414		72,414
Palmarejo gold production royalty [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Payable ounces under royalty obligation	400,000		400,000
3.25% Convertible Senior Notes due March 2028 [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate on notes	3.25%		3.25%
Debt	0		0	5,334,000
Debt Instrument, Repurchased Face Amount	4,600,000		4,600,000
San Bartolome Letter of Credit Facility [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Line of Credit Facility, Fair Value of Amount Outstanding	18,213,000		18,213,000	14,785,000
Short Term Credit Agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized debt issuance expense	200,000		200,000
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Short-term Debt	50,000,000		50,000,000
Covenant compliance, consolidated debt to EBITDA, maximum			3.50
Debt Instrument, Covenant Compliance, Consolidated Debt to Adjusted EBITDA, Minimum			1.00
Debt covenant, minimum required cash and cash equivalent balance	100,000,000		100,000,000
Debt	50,000,000		50,000,000
Debt Instrument, Term	1 year
Banco Bisa Line of Credit [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Term	270 days
Senior Notes due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized debt issuance costs and premium	$ 7,000,000		$ 7,000,000	$ 7,300,000
Palmarejo [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Expected Royalty Duration	1.4
Eurodollar [Member] | Short Term Credit Agreement [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Basis spread on variable rate			2.50%
Basis spread on variable rate, maximum			4.50%