VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES - Other VIEs (Details) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) company
MGP
Variable Interest Entities
Percentage of available cash distributed	100.00%
MGP
Variable Interest Entities
Ownership interest (as a percent)	100.00%
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary \| ARLP \| Limited Partners' Capital
Variable Interest Entities
Ownership interest in VIE (as a percent)	41.80%
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary \| ARLP \| General Partner Interest
Variable Interest Entities
Ownership interest in VIE (as a percent)	1.98%
WKY CoalPlay \| Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary
Variable Interest Entities
Number of limited liability companies related to MGP, that formed the related party together with SGP Land \| company	2
WKY CoalPlay \| Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary \| Coal lease
Variable Interest Entities
Payments for royalties	$ 10.8
Advance royalties	$ 21.0

Represents the percentage of available cash distributed to members or limited partners of an LLC or LP.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	ahgp_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of capitalized amounts paid for mineral royalties.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ahgp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of limited liability companies owned by irrevocable trusts established by the President and Chief Executive Officer of the partnership's managing general partner, that own the related party together with a subsidiary of the partnership's special general partner.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ahgp_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of cash paid for royalties during the current period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 25
-Subparagraph (g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3536-108585

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of units or percentage investment held in the subsidiary by the limited liability company or limited partnership.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 320
-Section S99
-Paragraph 9
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=50485924&loc=d3e611443-123010

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of the Variable Interest Entity's (VIE) voting interest owned by (or beneficial interest in) the reporting entity (directly or indirectly).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=52262685&loc=SL6759159-111685

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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