BUSINESS ACQUISITION (Details 2) (USD $)
 12 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Jan. 24, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
McEwen Mining (2011)
Dec. 31, 2012
McEwen Mining (2012)
Dec. 31, 2012
Minera Andes
Dec. 31, 2011
Minera Andes
Dec. 31, 2013
MSC
Dec. 31, 2012
MSC
Sep. 30, 2012
MSC
Jun. 30, 2013
Santa Cruz exploration properties
Oct. 31, 2013
Santa Cruz exploration properties
Vend-in agreement
MSC
Jan. 24, 2012
Minera Andes
Dec. 31, 2013
Minera Andes
Dec. 31, 2012
Minera Andes
Dec. 31, 2011
Minera Andes
General and administrative expenses
Dec. 31, 2012
Minera Andes
Acquisition cost
BUSINESS ACQUISITION                                    
Market price of common stock (in dollars per share)       $ 5.22                            
BUSINESS ACQUISITION                                    
Total transaction costs                               $ 5,400,000 $ 3,900,000 $ 1,500,000
Purchase price:                                    
Exchangeable shares of McEwen Mining-Minera Andes Acquisition Corp.   664,671,000                       664,671,000        
Stock options to be exchanged for options of McEwen Mining Inc.   3,175,000                       3,175,000        
Purchase price                           667,846,000        
Net assets acquired:                                    
Cash and cash equivalents                           31,385,000        
Short-term investments                           4,952,000        
Other current assets                           9,828,000        
Inventories                           1,362,000        
Mineral property interests                           539,092,000        
Investment in Minera Santa Cruz S.A.                   262,900,000 225,000,000     262,883,000        
Equipment                           1,647,000        
Accounts payable                           (5,323,000)        
Deferred income tax liability                           (177,980,000)        
Purchase price                           667,846,000        
Excess of fair value over carrying value of the underlying assets for tax purposes                           508,500,000        
Deferred income tax liability related to fluctuations in the foreign exchange rates                           178,000,000   156,900,000    
Deferred income tax recovery related to fluctuations in foreign exchange rates                             36,300,000      
Impairment charges 62,963,000 18,468,000             95,878,000     27,700,000            
Deferred income tax recovery                       2,300,000            
Carrying value of mineral property interest 642,968,000 767,067,000 245,454,000                   53,200,000          
Decrease in deferred tax liability related to properties transferred                         16,700,000          
Deferred income tax liability 158,855,000 229,522,000                         101,500,000      
Unaudited Pro Forma Results                                    
Revenue   31,780,000 44,982,000     26,801,000 4,979,000 44,982,000                    
Net (loss) income for the year   $ (63,156,000) $ (35,330,000)   $ (61,872,000) $ (66,654,000) $ 3,498,000 $ 26,542,000