CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (USD $)	3 Months Ended		128 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2013
REVENUE:
Royalties	$ 8,308	$ 14,748	$ 159,612
OPERATING EXPENSES:
General and administrative	975,401	778,890	33,916,658
Technical services and exploration	795,824	530,071	31,600,309
Depreciation	234,903	244,396	5,659,640
Legal, accounting, and consulting	106,139	125,409	4,770,678
Fees, filing, and licenses	50,686	51,791	2,796,015
Impairment of mineral properties			504,492
Total operating expenses	2,162,953	1,730,557	79,247,792
LOSS FROM OPERATIONS	(2,154,645)	(1,715,809)	(79,088,180)
OTHER INCOME:
Gain from warrant derivatives	0	336,920	476,381
Gain on sale of available-for-sale securities			2,005,904
Interest income, net	7,567	19,305	3,270,401
Total other income	7,567	356,225	5,752,686
NET LOSS	$ (2,147,078)	$ (1,359,584)	$ (73,335,494)
NET LOSS PER SHARE (basic and diluted) (in dollars per share)	$ (0.07)	$ (0.05)
WEIGHTED AVERAGE COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING (basic and diluted)	28,999,752	28,849,000