Note 4 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Notes Tables

Property, Plant and Equipment [Table Text Block]

	Estimated Useful Life (years)
Building and Building Improvements	5	–	40
Mining equipment	2	–	7
Office and shop furniture and equipment	3	–	7
Vehicles		5

Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Table Text Block]

	Fair value measurement using inputs				Carrying amount
	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3		September 30, 2015		December 31, 2014 (a)
Financial instruments:
Series 2023 PIK Note Derivative			$	215,842	$	215,842	$	478,149
Series A PIK Note Derivative			$	3,420,627	$	3,420627	$	9,557,476

Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Table Text Block]

Balance at December 31, 2014	$	10,035,625
Issuance of Series 2023 PIK Interest Notes and Series A PIK Interest Notes		199,552
Net unrealized gain (1)		(6,598,708	)
Balance at September 30, 2015	$	3,636,469

Schedule of Share-based Payment Award, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Valuation Assumptions [Table Text Block]

Series 2023 PIK Note Derivative Liability
	Fair Value Measurements Using Inputs
	September 30, 2015			December 31, 2014
Market price and estimated fair value of stock	$	0.26		$	0.73
Exercise price	$	1.36		$	1.36
Term (years) (1)		7.83			8.58
Dividend yield	$	- 0 -		$	- 0 -
Expected volatility		65.5	%		52.0	%
Risk-free interest rate		1.84	%		2.08	%

Series A PIK Note Derivative Liability
	Fair Value Measurements Using Inputs
	September 30, 2015			December 31, 2014
Market price and estimated fair value of stock	$	0.26		$	0.73
Exercise price	$	0.92		$	0.92
Term (years) (1)		3.08			3.83
Dividend yield	$	- 0 -		$	- 0 -
Expected volatility		65.5	%		52.0	%
Risk-free interest rate		1.84	%		2.08	%