CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares shares
REVENUE:
Gold and silver sales	$ 60,388	$ 72,956	$ 45,303
Total Revenue	60,388	72,956	45,303
COSTS AND EXPENSES:
Production costs applicable to sales	28,133	34,607	40,608
Mine construction costs			1,723
Mine development	3,866	1,169	1,829
Exploration	7,959	8,798	11,332
Property holding	3,536	4,336	6,365
General and administrative	12,734	12,045	12,069
(Income) loss from investment in Minera Santa Cruz S.A., net of amortization (note 6)	(12,951)	(2,414)	5,284
Depreciation	1,169	942	979
Revision of estimates and accretion of reclamation obligations (note 9)	595	429	407
Impairment of investment in Minera Santa Cruz S.A. (note 6)		11,777	21,162
Impairment of mineral property interests and property and equipment (note 5)		50,600	353,736
Total costs and expenses	45,041	122,289	455,494
Operating income (loss)	15,347	(49,333)	(410,191)
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest and other income	835	2,404	259
Gain on sale of assets	24	13	26
Gain on sale of marketable equity securities (note 3)	22
Other-than-temporary impairment on marketable equity securities (note 3)	(882)	0
Unrealized gain on derivatives (note 3)	1,379
Registration taxes			(6,788)
Foreign currency gain (loss)	581	1,906	(2,419)
Total other income (expense)	1,959	4,323	(8,922)
Income (loss) before income taxes	17,306	(45,010)	(419,113)
Income tax recovery (note 10)	(3,749)	(24,560)	(107,170)
Net income (loss)	21,055	(20,450)	(311,943)
OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS):
Other-than-temporary impairment on marketable equity securities (note 3)	882	0
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable equity securities, net of $0.5 million, $nil and $nil, tax benefit, respectively	1,609	(949)	419
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ 23,546	$ (21,399)	$ (311,524)
Net income (loss) per share (note 13):
Basic (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.07	$ (0.07)	$ (1.05)
Diluted (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.07	$ (0.07)	$ (1.05)
Weighted average common shares outstanding (thousands) (note 13):
Basic (in shares) | shares	298,772	300,341	297,763
Diluted (in shares) | shares	300,474	300,341	297,763
Return of capital distribution declared per common share (note 11) | $ / shares	0.005	0.010