Debt (Details Textual) shares in Millions			12 Months Ended
	Jun. 23, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) debt oz shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Mar. 12, 2014 USD ($)	Jan. 29, 2013 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Cash payments on gold production royalty			$ 39,235,000	$ 48,395,000	$ 57,034,000
Debt Instrument, Commodity Royalty Payments | oz			366,505
Debt principal under share exchange			$ 54,200,000
Shares exchanged for debt principal | shares			14.4
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Number of lines of credits, outstanding | debt			2
Debt			$ 10,431,000	17,498,000
Amortization of debt issuance costs			(409,000)	(357,000)	576,000
Write off revolver costs, interest expense			0	3,035,000	0
Line of credit facility, commitment fee amount			0	179,000	612,000
Loss on termination of revolving credit facility			$ 0	3,035,000	0
Percentage of Actual Gold Production			50.00%
Remaining ounces under royalty obligation | oz			33,495
Additional Long term debt and capital lease obligations(Textual) [Abstract]
Remaining Minimum Obligation Under Royalty Agreements			$ 15,200,000	34,000,000
Accretion of Royalty Obligation			6,567,000	10,773,000	17,641,000
Expensed Interest			$ 45,703,000	$ 47,546,000	$ 41,303,000
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
Senior Notes due 2021 [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Repurchase Amount			$ 71,300,000
Interest rate on notes			7.875%	7.875%			7.875%
Debt Instrument, Face Amount						$ 150,000,000	$ 300,000,000
Debt			$ 378,700,000
Long-term debt, original principal				$ 450,000,000
Banco Bisa 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%
Banco de Credito 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%
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] | Maximum [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Payable ounces under royalty obligation | oz			400,000
Convertible Senior Notes Due March 2028 [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt			$ 0	5,334,000
Debt Instrument, Repurchased Face Amount			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			4,571,000	14,785,000
Short Term Credit Agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized debt issuance expense			5,000,000
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Short-term Debt		$ 50,000,000.0
Debt			94,489,000
Term Loan due 2020 [Member] | Secured Debt [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Long-term Debt	$ 100,000,000
Prepayment premium for payments between first and second anniversary (as a percent)	105.00%
Prepayment premium for payments after second anniversary (as a percent)	103.00%
Amortization payments (as a percent)	1.00%
Debt Instrument, Annual Principal Payment			500,000
Senior Notes due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount (Premium), Net			$ 5,300,000	$ 7,300,000
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Redemption of aggregate principal, allowable amount (as a percent)			35.00%
Redemption price (as a percent)			107.875%
Redemption period, low range			30 days
Redemption period, upper range			60 days
Redemption price after initial redemption period (as a percent)			100.00%
Loss on termination of revolving credit facility			$ (15,900,000)
Palmarejo [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Expected Royalty Duration			0.7
Eurodollar [Member] | Short Term Credit Agreement [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)		2.50%
Eurodollar [Member] | Term Loan due 2020 [Member] | Secured Debt [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)	1.00%
Adjusted Eurodollar [Member] | Term Loan due 2020 [Member] | Secured Debt [Member]
Debt and capital lease obligations (Textual) [Abstract]
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)	8.00%