ACQUISTITIONS AND INVESTMENTS - Tonogold Resources Inc Narrative (Details)
 1 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 03, 2021
USD ($)
Oct. 02, 2020
USD ($)
Sep. 08, 2020
USD ($)
May 22, 2020
day
$ / shares
Mar. 20, 2020
USD ($)
Nov. 18, 2019
Jun. 30, 2021
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2022
USD ($)
$ / shares
shares
Mar. 31, 2021
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2021
USD ($)
agreement
$ / shares
shares
Dec. 31, 2020
USD ($)
$ / shares
shares
Feb. 25, 2022
$ / shares
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                        
Cash                   $ 0 $ 240,000  
Investments in equity securities               $ 1,107,742   $ 925,819 3,979,723  
Closing stock price (in usd per share) | $ / shares               $ 1.67   $ 1.29   $ 1.46
Number of counterparty agreements | agreement                   2    
Tonogold note receivable amendment fee income               $ 14,652 $ 262,500 $ 362,500 0  
Net gain on sale                   $ 0 18,275,846  
Decrease in noncontrolling interest                     $ 20,813,761  
Common stock, shares issued (in shares) | shares               67,707,832   71,207,832 34,980,766  
Issuance of convertible preferred stock                   $ 0 $ 0  
Proceeds from the issuance of common stock               $ 0 18,020,000 $ 27,399,999 $ 4,197,622  
Common stock, shares outstanding (in shares) | shares               67,707,832   71,207,832 34,980,766  
Change in estimated fair value of contingent forward asset                   $ 0 $ 765,880  
Initial value of contingent forward                     1,232,952  
Additional                        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                        
Decrease in noncontrolling interest                     20,499,141  
Initial value of contingent forward                     1,232,952  
Non-Controlling                        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                        
Decrease in noncontrolling interest                     313,854  
Tonogold Agreement                        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                        
Expense reimbursements               $ 25,150 $ 21,050 2,800,000 2,600,000  
Comstock Mining LLC                        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                        
Payment of accelerated capital contribution                   812,500    
Note receivable, additional principal             $ 1,000,000          
Tonogold note receivable amendment fee income $ 262,500           100,000     362,500    
Tonogold note receivable, fair value $ 5,550,000           $ 6,650,000          
Comstock Mining LLC | Additional                        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                        
Decrease in noncontrolling interest                     20,499,141  
Comstock Mining LLC | Non-Controlling                        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                        
Decrease in noncontrolling interest                     313,854  
Tonogold Resources, Inc.                        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                        
Cash     $ 7,065,000                  
Tonogold note receivable     6,141,497             7,255,000 $ 5,498,500  
Investments in equity securities     $ 7,607,263                  
Closing stock price (in usd per share) | $ / shares       $ 0.18             $ 0.18  
Threshold percentage of stock price trigger       85.00%                
Threshold consecutive trading days | day       20                
Weighted average conversion price percentage   120.00%   12000.00%                
Ownership percentage     100.00%                  
Tonogold note receivable, fair value                   $ 0 $ 5,498,500  
Consideration received     $ 18,814,928                  
Net gain on sale     $ 18,275,846               18,300,000  
Gain (loss) on change in fair value of CPS                     (2,544,000)  
Convertible preferred stock exchanged, amount                     $ 3,900,000  
Common stock, shares issued (in shares) | shares                     21,800,000  
Issuance of convertible preferred stock   $ 2,200,000                    
Preferred stock redemption price   $ 2,600,000                    
Number of shares issued in transaction (in shares) | shares                   4,300,000 5,300,000  
Sale of stock, price per share (in dollars per share) | $ / shares                   $ 0.1865 $ 0.3957  
Proceeds from the issuance of common stock                   $ 798,313 $ 2,944,929  
Tonogold note receivable, face value                   0 4,475,000  
Change in estimated fair value of contingent forward asset                   765,880 800,000  
Initial value of contingent forward         $ 1,232,952              
Tonogold Resources, Inc. | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring                        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                        
Tonogold note receivable                   7,255,000 5,498,500  
Tonogold Resources, Inc. | Convertible Debt                        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                        
Principal amount         $ 5,475,000         6,650,000 4,475,000  
Change in estimated fair value of contingent forward asset                   418,500 (642,997)  
Tonogold Resources, Inc. | Common Stock                        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                        
Investments in equity securities               $ 1,100,293   $ 910,558 $ 3,939,558  
Closing stock price (in usd per share) | $ / shares               $ 0.15   $ 0.11 $ 0.30  
Gain (loss) on change in fair value of CPS               $ 415,205   $ (2,286,867)    
Common stock, shares outstanding (in shares) | shares               7,419,375   8,671,985 13,131,860  
Change in estimated fair value of contingent forward asset                   $ (891,039) $ 1,636,468  
Tonogold Resources, Inc. | Common Stock | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring                        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                        
Investments in equity securities               $ 1,100,293   $ 910,558 $ 3,939,558  
Tonogold Resources, Inc. | Comstock Mining LLC                        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                        
Membership interest     100.00%   50.00% 50.00%            
Interest rate     12.00%