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BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Narrative) (Details)
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6 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | |||||||||||||
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Jun. 30, 2013
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Jun. 30, 2013
Empire [Member]
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Jun. 30, 2013
Black Label And Black Thor Chromite Deposits [Member]
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Jun. 30, 2013
Big Daddy Chromite Deposit [Member]
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Jun. 30, 2013
CLCC [Member]
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Jun. 30, 2013
Wabush [Member]
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Jun. 30, 2013
Bloom Lake [Member]
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Jun. 30, 2013
Asia Pacific Iron Ore [Member]
Cockatoo [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2012
Asia Pacific Iron Ore [Member]
Cockatoo [Member]
AUD
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Jun. 30, 2013
Equity Method Investments [Member]
Amapa [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2012
Equity Method Investments [Member]
Amapa [Member]
USD ($)
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Jun. 30, 2013
Other Liabilities [Member]
Cockatoo [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2012
Other Liabilities [Member]
Cockatoo [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2012
Sonoma [Member]
Asia Pacific Coal [Member]
AUD
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Jul. 10, 2012
Sonoma [Member]
Asia Pacific Coal [Member]
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| Related Party Transaction [Line Items] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Trading Day Window Determining Number of Common Shares Issuable on Conversion | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Depositary Share Interest in a Share of 7% Series A Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, Class A | 0.025 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Current Fiscal Year End Date | --12-31 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Ownership Interest | 79.00% | 100.00% | 70.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 75.00% | 45.00% | ||||||||||||
| Ownership interest, equity method investment | 30.00% | 0.00% | [1] | 50.00% | [1] | ||||||||||||||
| Total percentage of Amapa sold | 100.00% | ||||||||||||||||||
| Equity Method Investment, Other than Temporary Impairment | $ 67,600,000 | $ 365,400,000 | |||||||||||||||||
| Proceeds from sale of economic interest (in AUD) | 4.00 | 141,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||
| Estimated rehabilitation costs | $ 18,600,000 | ||||||||||||||||||
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