MINERAL PROPERTY INTERESTS AND ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	10 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013 Argentina	Jun. 30, 2013 Argentina	Jun. 30, 2013 Telken Tenements	Jun. 30, 2013 Telken Tenements Argentina	Jun. 30, 2013 Telken Tenements Argentina	Jun. 30, 2013 Este Tenements	Jun. 30, 2013 Este Tenements Argentina	Jun. 30, 2013 Este Tenements Argentina	Jun. 30, 2013 Piramides Tenements	Jun. 30, 2013 Piramides Tenements Argentina	Jun. 30, 2013 Piramides Tenements Argentina	Jun. 30, 2013 Tobias Tenements	Jun. 30, 2013 Tobias Tenements Argentina	Jun. 30, 2013 Tobias Tenements Argentina	Jun. 30, 2012 Property, plant and equipment	Jun. 30, 2012 Property, plant and equipment	Jun. 30, 2013 El Gallo Complex	Jun. 30, 2013 El Gallo Complex	Jun. 30, 2013 El Gallo Complex Gold equivalents oz	Jun. 30, 2013 El Gallo Complex Gold equivalents oz	Jun. 30, 2013 El Gallo Complex Gold equivalents oz	Dec. 31, 2012 El Gallo Complex Gold equivalents oz	Jun. 30, 2013 Tonkin property and Magistral mine portion of the El Gallo Complex item	Jun. 30, 2013 Tonkin Complex	May 31, 2013 Limo Complex
MINERAL PROPERTY INTERESTS
Quantity produced (in ounces)																								8,561	15,342	22,291	6,949
Number of most significant properties subject to reclamation obligations																												2
Undiscounted estimated reclamation costs																						$ 4,600,000	$ 4,600,000						$ 3,800,000
Cash bonding for mineral properties in the United States	5,183,000		5,183,000		5,183,000
Amortization of mineral property interests and asset retirement obligations			956,000																			300,000	100,000
Price of mineral property interests under the sale agreement																														800,000
Carrying value of mining claims																														7,200,000
Loss on disposal																														6,400,000
Tax on mining real estate property (as a percent)	1.00%
Deferred income tax	4,800,000
Impairment charges	27,729,000	179,000	27,729,000	179,000		27,729,000	27,729,000	13,792,000	13,792,000	13,792,000	2,784,000	2,784,000	2,784,000	5,079,000	5,079,000	5,079,000	6,074,000	6,074,000	6,074,000	179,000	179,000
Changes in the asset retirement obligations
Asset retirement obligation liability - opening balance			6,359,000	6,253,000	6,253,000
Settlements			(45,000)		(47,000)
Accretion of liability	121,000	120,000	234,000	232,000	447,000
Adjustment reflecting updated estimates					(294,000)
Asset retirement obligation liability - ending balance	6,548,000		6,548,000		6,359,000
Current portion of the asset retirement obligation	$ 1,311,000		$ 1,311,000		$ 130,000