Segment Reporting (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2017		Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017		Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	[3]
Financial information relating to reporting segments
Revenue		$ 175,963		$ 176,386	$ 555,455		$ 503,219
Royalty Revenue				(139)			3,422
Revenues		175,963		176,247	555,455		506,641
Costs applicable to sales	[1]	118,924		105,408	377,257		307,428
Amortization		33,830		27,763	106,880		93,232
Exploration		9,814		3,706	22,879		7,669
Write-downs		0		0	0		4,446
Other operating expenses		15,373		11,604	41,495		35,848
Gain (Loss) on Extinguishment of Debt		0		(10,040)	(9,342)		(10,040)
Fair value adjustments, net		0		(961)	(864)		(13,235)
Interest expense, net		(3,606)		(8,068)	(10,941)		(30,063)
Other, net		3,164		6,405	28,439		5,862
Income and mining tax benefit (expense)		(14,232)		54,455	(23,180)		53,118
Net income (loss)		(16,652)		69,557	(8,944)		63,660
Assets, Net		1,092,430	[2]		1,092,430	[2]		$ 1,122,038	$ 1,109,910
Capital expenditures		29,461		25,627	90,922		71,087
Palmarejo [Member]
Financial information relating to reporting segments
Revenue		60,677		30,663	191,616		108,748
Royalty Revenue				0
Revenues				30,663			108,748
Costs applicable to sales	[1]	33,255		16,033	110,150		59,936
Amortization		16,414		5,761	50,995		27,815
Exploration		4,517		1,262	9,272		2,625
Write-downs							0
Other operating expenses		319		305	930		898
Gain (Loss) on Extinguishment of Debt				0	0		0
Fair value adjustments, net				(110)	0		(5,814)
Interest expense, net		(112)		(184)	(339)		1,343
Other, net		(218)		(2,223)	(345)		(7,818)
Income and mining tax benefit (expense)		(7,898)		35,671	(22,313)		(38,922)
Net income (loss)		(2,056)		40,456	(2,728)		41,421
Assets, Net		388,044	[2]		388,044	[2]			430,716
Capital expenditures		5,540		10,012	22,972		27,690
Rochester [Member]
Financial information relating to reporting segments
Revenue		31,156		37,946	102,926		103,689
Royalty Revenue				0
Revenues				37,946			103,689
Costs applicable to sales	[1]	23,275		21,783	73,875		65,989
Amortization		4,591		5,244	15,345		15,994
Exploration		531		129	990		426
Write-downs							0
Other operating expenses		846		703	2,487		2,084
Gain (Loss) on Extinguishment of Debt				0	0		0
Fair value adjustments, net				(851)	(864)		(5,787)
Interest expense, net		(136)		(157)	(386)		509
Other, net		(73)		17	2,239		(3,840)
Income and mining tax benefit (expense)		41		7,844	(413)		(7,429)
Net income (loss)		1,745		16,940	10,805		16,489
Assets, Net		253,477	[2]		253,477	[2]			212,477
Capital expenditures		9,737		3,383	34,121		10,557
Kensington [Member]
Financial information relating to reporting segments
Revenue		36,603		40,164	110,134		112,376
Royalty Revenue				0
Revenues				40,164			112,376
Costs applicable to sales	[1]	27,658		26,709	84,089		73,738
Amortization		7,864		8,046	25,389		26,203
Exploration		2,966		1,208	5,785		2,138
Write-downs							0
Other operating expenses		356		263	1,051		772
Gain (Loss) on Extinguishment of Debt				0	0		0
Fair value adjustments, net				0	0		0
Interest expense, net		(113)		(30)	(266)		107
Other, net		(28)		(7)	(893)		(26)
Income and mining tax benefit (expense)		0		0	0		0
Net income (loss)		(2,382)		3,901	(7,339)		9,392
Assets, Net		211,052	[2]		211,052	[2]			192,204
Capital expenditures		10,144		8,602	24,314		24,228
Wharf [Member]
Financial information relating to reporting segments
Revenue		31,334		39,316	88,598		101,250
Royalty Revenue				0
Revenues				39,316			101,250
Costs applicable to sales	[1]	17,330		19,697	49,418		49,500
Amortization		3,223		6,461	8,883		15,640
Exploration		207		2	210		2
Write-downs							0
Other operating expenses		648		521	1,899		1,702
Gain (Loss) on Extinguishment of Debt				0	0		0
Fair value adjustments, net				0	0		0
Interest expense, net		(16)		(22)	(52)		49
Other, net		4		45	429		259
Income and mining tax benefit (expense)		(963)		30,208	(2,980)		(29,972)
Net income (loss)		8,951		42,866	25,585		64,588
Assets, Net		103,843	[2]		103,843	[2]			105,456
Capital expenditures		3,135		567	5,493		3,488
San Bartolome [Member]
Financial information relating to reporting segments
Revenue		16,043		27,485	60,441		73,948
Royalty Revenue				0
Revenues				27,485			73,948
Costs applicable to sales	[1]	17,365		20,813	58,979		56,955
Amortization		1,430		1,723	5,053		5,330
Exploration		23		0	23		0
Write-downs							0
Other operating expenses		2,998		1,165	4,048		2,532
Gain (Loss) on Extinguishment of Debt				0	0		0
Fair value adjustments, net				0	0		0
Interest expense, net		(11)		(8)	(23)		18
Other, net		754		549	1,125		1,275
Income and mining tax benefit (expense)		(518)		5,905	(304)		(5,182)
Net income (loss)		(5,548)		10,230	(6,864)		15,570
Assets, Net		64,463	[2]		64,463	[2]			81,704
Capital expenditures		479		3,001	1,242		4,839
Other Mining Properties [Member]
Financial information relating to reporting segments
Revenue		150		812	1,740		3,208
Royalty Revenue				(139)			3,422
Revenues				673			6,630
Costs applicable to sales	[1]	41		373	746		1,310
Amortization		308		528	1,215		2,250
Exploration		1,570		1,105	6,599		2,478
Write-downs							4,446
Other operating expenses		10,206		8,647	31,080		27,860
Gain (Loss) on Extinguishment of Debt				(10,040)	(9,342)		(10,040)
Fair value adjustments, net				0	0		(1,634)
Interest expense, net		(3,218)		(7,667)	(9,875)		28,037
Other, net		2,725		8,024	25,884		16,012
Income and mining tax benefit (expense)		(4,894)		(25,173)	2,830		28,387
Net income (loss)		(17,362)		(44,836)	(28,403)		(83,800)
Assets, Net		71,551	[2]		71,551	[2]			$ 87,353
Capital expenditures		$ 426		$ 62	$ 2,780		$ 285

[1] Excludes amortization

[2] Segment assets include receivables, prepaids, inventories, property, plant and equipment, and mineral interest

[3] Segment assets include receivables, prepaids, inventories, property, plant and equipment, and mineral interests