INVESTMENTS (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018 CAD ($) item $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 20, 2018 $ / shares	Jan. 01, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 19, 2017 $ / shares	Apr. 26, 2017 $ / shares
Investments rollforward
Opening balance		$ 7,971,000	$ 8,543,000
Additions during the year		2,083,000
Net gains (loss) on securities sold		(767,000)	840,000
Disposals during the year		(3,599,000)	(2,163,000)
Other comprehensive (loss) income (pre -tax)			1,334,000
Unrealized gains (loss) on securities held		(2,557,000)	(583,000)
Fair Value end of the year		3,131,000	7,971,000	$ 8,543,000
Unrealized (loss) gain on derivative instrument		(700,000)	(200,000)	1,400,000
Impairment on marketable securities		0	(400,000)	(900,000)
Unrealized gain on marketable equity securities, net of taxes			1,818,000	1,609,000
Other-than-temporary impairment on marketable equity securities (note 3)			(356,000)	(882,000)
Gain on available-for-sale securities				100,000
Proceeds from sale of investments		2,895,000	2,155,000	470,000
Unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities (note 3)			1,818,000	1,609,000
Other comprehensive income (loss)			840,000
Cost of purchase of marketable equity securities		$ 2,900,000	3,300,000
Price per unit | $ / shares							$ 2.50
Common shares per unit		1
Warrants per unit		0.5
Great Bear
Investments rollforward
Number of units acquired | item	786,186	786,186
Price per unit | $ / shares	$ 1.45
Total cost of private placement transaction	$ 1.1	$ 900,000
Flow Through Common Shares
Investments rollforward
Price per unit | $ / shares					$ 2.24
Marketable equity securities
Investments rollforward
Opening balance		6,404,000	6,749,000
Additions during the year		1,882,000
Net gains (loss) on securities sold		(767,000)	840,000
Disposals during the year		(2,895,000)	(2,163,000)
Other comprehensive (loss) income (pre -tax)			1,334,000
Unrealized gains (loss) on securities held		(1,906,000)	(356,000)
Fair Value end of the year		2,718,000	6,404,000	6,749,000
Warrants
Investments rollforward
Opening balance		1,567,000	1,794,000
Additions during the year		201,000
Disposals during the year		(704,000)
Unrealized gains (loss) on securities held		(651,000)	(227,000)
Fair Value end of the year		$ 413,000	$ 1,567,000	$ 1,794,000
Lexam VG Gold
Investments rollforward
Price per unit | $ / shares								$ 3.00
Accounting Standards Update 2016-01 | Marketable equity securities
Investments rollforward
Cumulative effect of new accounting principle						$ 3,000,000