Mining Properties (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Mining Properties
Operational mining properties:	$ 756,468	$ 687,964
Accumulated depletion	(503,693)	(471,874)
Operational mining properties, net	252,775	216,090
Mineral interest	737,093	784,365
Accumulated depletion	(453,667)	(442,000)
Mineral interest, net	283,426	342,365
Total mining properties	536,201	558,455
Palmarejo [Member]
Mining Properties
Operational mining properties:	191,562	174,890
Accumulated depletion	(142,262)	(134,995)
Operational mining properties, net	49,300	39,895
Mineral interest	629,303	629,303
Accumulated depletion	(418,512)	(381,686)
Mineral interest, net	210,791	247,617
Total mining properties	260,091	287,512
Rochester [Member]
Mining Properties
Operational mining properties:	192,734	165,230
Accumulated depletion	(142,686)	(138,244)
Operational mining properties, net	50,048	26,986
Mineral interest	0	0
Accumulated depletion	0	0
Mineral interest, net	0	0
Total mining properties	50,048	26,986
Kensington [Member]
Mining Properties
Operational mining properties:	294,388	271,175
Accumulated depletion	(170,343)	(154,744)
Operational mining properties, net	124,045	116,431
Mineral interest	0	0
Accumulated depletion	0	0
Mineral interest, net	0	0
Total mining properties	124,045	116,431
Wharf [Member]
Mining Properties
Operational mining properties:	38,339	37,485
Accumulated depletion	(14,984)	(11,699)
Operational mining properties, net	23,355	25,786
Mineral interest	45,837	45,837
Accumulated depletion	(23,264)	(19,249)
Mineral interest, net	22,573	26,588
Total mining properties	45,928	52,374
San Bartolome [Member]
Mining Properties
Operational mining properties:	39,445	39,184
Accumulated depletion	(33,418)	(32,192)
Operational mining properties, net	6,027	6,992
Mineral interest	12,868	12,868
Accumulated depletion	(11,891)	(11,695)
Mineral interest, net	977	1,173
Total mining properties	7,004	8,165
La Preciosa [Member]
Mining Properties
Operational mining properties:	0	0
Accumulated depletion	0	0
Operational mining properties, net	0	0
Mineral interest	49,085	49,085
Accumulated depletion	0	0
Mineral interest, net	49,085	49,085
Total mining properties	$ 49,085	49,085
Joaquin Project - Argentina [Member]
Mining Properties
Operational mining properties:		0
Accumulated depletion
Operational mining properties, net		0
Mineral interest		10,000
Accumulated depletion		0
Mineral interest, net		10,000
Total mining properties		10,000
Other Mining Properties [Member]
Mining Properties
Operational mining properties:		0
Accumulated depletion		0
Operational mining properties, net		0
Mineral interest		37,272
Accumulated depletion		(29,370)
Mineral interest, net		7,902
Total mining properties		$ 7,902