FAIR VALUE ACCOUNTING (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / oz shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) $ / oz	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Jan. 24, 2012
Liabilities:
Fair Value of remaining common shares outstanding payable				$ 400
Number of shares remaining under agreement | shares				319,640
Investment in MSC	$ 167,107	$ 177,018		$ 167,107	$ 177,018	$ 212,947
Total Loss				50,600	353,736	$ 62,963
Recovery of deferred income tax				$ 10,400	$ 76,600
Los Azules Copper Project
Liabilities:
Total Loss	11,400	107,900	$ 120,400
Recovery of deferred income tax	1,300	$ 19,300	$ 22,500
Tonkin Complex
Liabilities:
Total Loss	6,100
Recovery of deferred income tax	1,700
North Battle Mountain Complex Located in Nevada, United States
Liabilities:
Total Loss	1,400
Recovery of deferred income tax	$ 500
MSC
Liabilities:
Discount Rate (as a percent)				20.00%
Ownership interest (as a percent)	49.00%	49.00%		49.00%	49.00%	49.00%	49.00%
Investment in MSC	$ 167,107	$ 177,018		$ 167,107	$ 177,018	$ 212,947
Total Loss					21,200
Recurring
Assets:
Investments	1,032	1,082		1,032	1,082
Assets	1,032	1,082		1,032	1,082
Liabilities:
Portion of accounts payable and accrued liabilities recorded at fair value		355			355
Liabilities		355			355
Recurring | Level 1
Assets:
Investments	1,032	1,082		1,032	1,082
Assets	1,032	1,082		1,032	1,082
Liabilities:
Portion of accounts payable and accrued liabilities recorded at fair value		355			355
Liabilities		355			355
Nonrecurring
Assets:
Assets	394,945	454,134		394,945	454,134
Liabilities:
Total Loss				60,405	308,210
Nonrecurring | Los Azules Copper Project
Assets:
Assets	191,490	202,889		191,490	202,889
Liabilities:
Total Loss				11,399	228,301
Nonrecurring | Tonkin Complex
Assets:
Assets	4,833	20,423		4,833	20,423
Liabilities:
Total Loss				14,939	31,391
Nonrecurring | Gold Bar Complex
Assets:
Assets	30,730	51,577		30,730	51,577
Liabilities:
Total Loss				20,847	25,435
Nonrecurring | North Battle Mountain Complex Located in Nevada, United States
Assets:
Assets	785	2,227		785	2,227
Liabilities:
Total Loss				1,443	1,921
Nonrecurring | MSC
Assets:
Assets	167,107	177,018		167,107	177,018
Liabilities:
Total Loss				11,777	21,162
Nonrecurring | Level 3
Assets:
Assets	394,945	454,134		394,945	454,134
Nonrecurring | Level 3 | Los Azules Copper Project
Assets:
Assets	191,490	202,889		191,490	202,889
Nonrecurring | Level 3 | Tonkin Complex
Assets:
Assets	4,833	20,423		4,833	20,423
Nonrecurring | Level 3 | Gold Bar Complex
Assets:
Assets	30,730	51,577		30,730	51,577
Nonrecurring | Level 3 | North Battle Mountain Complex Located in Nevada, United States
Assets:
Assets	785	2,227		785	2,227
Nonrecurring | Level 3 | MSC
Assets:
Assets	167,107	177,018		$ 167,107	$ 177,018
Nonrecurring | Level 3 | MSC | Weighted Average
Liabilities:
Discount Rate (as a percent)				10.00%
Long Term Silver Price (in dollars per ounce) | $ / oz				18
Nonrecurring | Level 3 | MSC | Weighted Average | Argentina
Liabilities:
Inflation index (as a percent)				21.00%
Nonrecurring | Level 3 | MSC | Weighted Average | United States
Liabilities:
Inflation index (as a percent)				2.40%
Nonrecurring | Level 3 | MSC | Market Approach Valuation | Weighted Average | Argentina
Liabilities:
Discount Rate (as a percent)					20.00%
Nonrecurring | Level 3 | MSC | Discounted Cash Flow | Weighted Average
Liabilities:
Discount Rate (as a percent)					10.00%
Long Term Gold Price (in dollars per ounce) | $ / oz					1,300
Long Term Silver Price (in dollars per ounce) | $ / oz					20.50
Nonrecurring | Level 3 | MSC | Discounted Cash Flow | Weighted Average | Argentina
Liabilities:
Inflation index (as a percent)					11.90%
Nonrecurring | Level 3 | MSC | Discounted Cash Flow | Weighted Average | United States
Liabilities:
Inflation index (as a percent)					2.10%
Nonrecurring | Level 3 | MSC | Los Azules Copper Project | Market Approach Valuation | Weighted Average
Liabilities:
Discount Rate (as a percent)					35.00%
Long Term Gold Price (in dollars per ounce) | $ / oz				1,245
Nevada
Liabilities:
Total Loss				$ 29,700	$ 98,400
Recovery of deferred income tax					31,600
Nevada | Other United States Properties
Liabilities:
Total Loss					9,611	9,497
Nevada | Tonkin Complex
Liabilities:
Total Loss				20,847	25,435
Nevada | Gold Bar Complex
Liabilities:
Total Loss				14,939	31,391
Nevada | Limo Complex
Liabilities:
Total Loss					23,438	19,450
Nevada | North Battle Mountain Complex Located in Nevada, United States
Liabilities:
Total Loss				1,443	1,921
Nevada | East Battle Mountain Complex Located in Nevada, United States
Liabilities:
Total Loss					4,060
Nevada | West Battle Mountain Complex
Liabilities:
Total Loss					2,567	6,287
Argentina
Liabilities:
Investment in MSC	$ 167,107	$ 177,018		167,107	177,018	212,947
Total Loss				11,399	255,313	27,729
Recovery of deferred income tax					3,200
Argentina | Telken Tenements
Liabilities:
Total Loss						13,792
Argentina | Este Tenements
Liabilities:
Total Loss						2,784
Argentina | Piramides Tenements
Liabilities:
Total Loss						5,079
Argentina | Tobias Tenements
Liabilities:
Total Loss						$ 6,074
Argentina | Los Azules Copper Project
Liabilities:
Total Loss				11,399	228,301
Other Argentina Properties
Liabilities:
Total Loss					$ 27,000
Mexico
Liabilities:
Total Loss				$ 1,972