Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
REVENUES	$ 4,013,134	$ 507,474	$ 234,221
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Production costs	2,282,805	257,654	49,464
Exploration costs	981,045	3,997,039	4,626,139
General and administrative	4,069,508	4,857,015	5,195,830
Depreciation expense	1,348,860	1,312,585	1,164,366
(Gain) from disposition of land	(108,764)	0	0
Total Operating Expenses	8,573,454	10,424,293	11,035,799
Operating Loss	(4,560,320)	(9,916,819)	(10,801,578)
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest expense, net, including amortization of deferred financing cost and debt discount	(6,308,495)	(4,567,952)	(1,667,285)
Gain on revaluation of derivative	0	0	830,000
Gain on revaluation of stock awards	0	0	110,000
Other expense	0	(648,892)	(258,252)
Total Other Income	(3,079,452)	111,671	485,261
Net loss	$ (7,639,772)	$ (9,805,148)	$ (10,316,317)
Net Loss Per Share (Basic and Diluted) (in dollars per share)	$ (0.07)	$ (0.10)	$ (0.11)
Weighted Average Shares Outstanding (Basic and Diluted) (in shares)	103,124,288	96,033,553	94,895,194
PIK Note Derivative Liability [Member]
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Gain on revaluation of derivative	$ 3,229,043	$ 5,328,515	$ 1,470,798