Statements Of Stockholders' Equity (Deficit) (USD $)	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Accumulated Deficit Prior to Exploration Stage [Member]	Accumulated Deficit During Exploration Stage [Member]	Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Total
Balance at Dec. 31, 2008	$ 59,216	$ 22,096,327	$ (20,009,496)	$ 0	$ (1,466)	$ 52,415	$ 2,196,996
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2008	59,215,628
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Shares issued for directors fees and other services	78	17,172	0	0	0	0	17,250
Shares issued for directors fees and other services (in shares)	78,497
Issuance of common stock for conversion of debt including accrued interest	10,487	4,085,434	0	0	0	0	4,095,921
Issuance of common stock for conversion of debt including accrued interest (in shares)	10,487,226
Amortization of convertible debt discount	0	365,341	0	0	0	0	365,341
Fair value of stock options and warrants issued to directors and consultants	0	401,234	0	0	0	0	401,234
Net change in un-realized gain on available for sale securities	0	0	0	0	139	0	(1,327)
Change in non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0	0	(77)	(77)
Net Loss	0	0	0	(6,766,172)	0	0	(6,766,172)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2009	69,781	26,965,508	(20,009,496)	(6,766,200)	(1,327)	52,338	310,604
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2009	69,781,351
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Shares issued for directors fees and other services	82	64,997	0	0	0	0	65,079
Shares issued for directors fees and other services (in shares)	81,911
Issuance of common stock for conversion of debt including accrued interest	2,458	2,341,464	0	0	0	0	2,343,922
Issuance of common stock for conversion of debt including accrued interest (in shares)	2,457,500
Amortization of convertible debt discount	0	365,341	0	0	0	0	365,341
Shares issued to related parties relating to forbearance agreement	428	320,358	0	0	0	0	320,786
Shares issued to related parties relating to forbearance agreement (in shares)	427,714
Fair value of stock options and warrants issued to directors and consultants	0	334,669	0	0	0	0	334,669
Shares canceled from forfeiture agreed upon in legal settlement	(3,045)	(166,955)	0	0	0	0	(170,000)
Shares canceled from forfeiture agreed upon in legal settlement (in shares)	(3,044,083)
Net change in un-realized gain on available for sale securities	0	0	0	0	139	0	1,327
Change in non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0	0	(18)	(18)
Net Loss	0	0	0	(4,767,715)	1,327	0	(4,767,697)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2010	69,704	29,860,041	(20,009,496)	(11,533,915)	0	52,320	(1,561,346)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2010	69,704,393						69,704,393
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Shares issued for directors fees and other services	98	118,301	0	0	0	0	118,399
Shares issued for directors fees and other services (in shares)	97,612
Issuance of common stock for conversion of debt including accrued interest	5,020	5,014,875	0	0	0	0	5,019,895
Issuance of common stock for conversion of debt including accrued interest (in shares)	5,019,895
Fair value of stock options and warrants issued to directors and consultants	0	2,181,394	0	0	0	0	2,181,394
Net change in un-realized gain on available for sale securities							0
Shares issued for cashless option and warrant exercise	48	(48)	0	0	0	0	0
Shares issued for cashless option and warrant exercise (in shares)	47,505
Shares issued for cash	14,250	10,590,787	0	0	0	0	10,605,037
Shares issued for cash (in shares)	14,250,000
Impairment of consolidation	0	0	0		0	(52,320)	(52,320)
Net Loss	0	0	0		0	0	(7,430,316)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	$ 89,120	$ 47,765,350	$ (20,009,496)	$ (19,016,551)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 8,828,423
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2011	89,119,405						89,119,405