Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Note 19 - Subsequent Events (Details Textual)

Note 19 - Subsequent Events (Details Textual)			2 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Note 19 - Subsequent Events (Details Textual)	Feb. 15, 2021 USD ($) ft² $ / shares shares	Jan. 09, 2021 USD ($)	Feb. 25, 2021 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Nov. 29, 2019 ft²
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock				$ 3,676,000	$ 29,380,000
Area of Land Damaged by Fire (Square Foot) \| ft²						30,000
ATM [Member]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues (in shares) \| shares				3,217,426
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock				$ 3,700,000
Subsequent Event [Member] \| LiNiCo [Member]
Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement, Initial Sale of Stock (in shares) \| shares	281,250
Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement, Approximate Proceeds from Initial Sale of Stock	$ 1,500,000
Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement, Number of Shares to be Held Contingent on Proceeds from Initial Sale (in shares) \| shares	93,750
Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement, Approximate Proceeds from Aggregate Sale of Stock	$ 2,000,000
Subsequent Event [Member] \| Series A Preferred Stock [Member] \| LiNiCo [Member]
Preferred Stock, Dividend Rate, Percentage	8.00%
Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares	$ 1,000
Subsequent Event [Member] \| LiNiCo [Member]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Equity Method Invesment (in shares) \| shares	375,000
Subsequent Event [Member] \| LiNiCo [Member] \| Series A Warrant [Member]
Investment Warrant, Term (Year)	3 years
Investment Warrant, Number of Securities Called by Warrants or Rights (in shares) \| shares	500
Investment Warrant, Exercise Price (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares	$ 1,000
Subsequent Event [Member] \| LiNiCo [Member] \| Series A Preferred Stock [Member]
Shares Received in Exchange of Common Stock Issued (in shares) \| shares	1,500
Value of Shares Received in Exchange of Common Stock Issued	$ 1,500,000
Subsequent Event [Member] \| Recycling Facility at TRIC [Member]
Area of Real Estate Property (Square Foot) \| ft²	136,750
Lessor, Operating Lease, Lessee's First Option to Purchase	$ 14,250,000
Lessor, Operating Lease, Lessee's Second Option to Purchase	15,250,000
First Nonrefundable Deposit Subject to Purchase Option	1,250,000
Second Nonrefundable Deposit Subject to Purchase Option	2,000,000
Lessor, Operating Lease, Monthly Payments to be Received	68,000
Lessor, Operating Lease, Monthly Payments to be Received in Last Six Months of Lease Term	$ 100,640
Subsequent Event [Member] \| LiNiCo [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent	11.00%
Subsequent Event [Member] \| LiNiCo [Member] \| Comstock Mining Inc. [Member]
Ownership Percentage	50.00%
Subsequent Event [Member] \| ATM [Member]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues (in shares) \| shares			1,827,635
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock			$ 7,000,000.0
Paycheck Protection Program, CARES Act [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Debt Instrument, Decrease, Forgiveness		$ 131,000