Debt (Details Textual)										3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 12, 2018 USD ($)	Nov. 18, 2015 USD ($)	Nov. 03, 2015 USD ($)	Oct. 22, 2015 USD ($)	Aug. 12, 2015 USD ($)	Jan. 13, 2015 USD ($)	May. 09, 2014 USD ($)	Jan. 23, 2013 USD ($)	Jul. 26, 2011 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Aug. 12, 2019
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Proceeds from revolving facility											$ 292,400,000	$ 40,000,000	$ 40,000,000
Long-term debt, gross										$ 1,003,800,000	1,003,800,000	640,000,000
Repayments of long-term debt											248,100,000	276,500,000	225,000,000
Interest paid											58,100,000	45,800,000	43,200,000
Original issue premium										12,100,000	12,100,000	11,500,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt											500,000	15,400,000	$ 0
Long-term Debt										998,800,000	998,800,000	633,500,000
Unamortized debt issuance expense										17,100,000	17,100,000	$ 18,000,000
Gateway Energy and Coal Company, LLC
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt assumed		$ 44,600,000
SunCoke Energy Partners, L.P.
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Cross default provision										$ 20,000,000	$ 20,000,000
SunCoke Energy Partners, L.P. | Haverhill Coke Company LLC and Middletown Coke Company LLC
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Redemption premium							$ 11,400,000
Proceeds from issuance of private placement							263,100,000
SunCoke Energy Partners, L.P. | Gateway Energy and Coal Company, LLC
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt assumed					$ 44,600,000
SunCoke Energy Partners, L.P. | Convent Marine Terminal
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Proceeds from revolving facility					185,000,000
Debt assumed					114,900,000
Debt assumed					114,900,000
Senior Notes | SunCoke Energy Partners, L.P. | Gateway Energy and Coal Company, LLC
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Redemption premium					1,700,000
Interest paid					500,000
7.375% Partnership notes, due 2020
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate (as a percent)										7.375%	7.375%	7.375%
7.375% Partnership notes, due 2020 | Haverhill Coke Company LLC and Middletown Coke Company LLC
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Proceeds to fund interest							5,000,000
7.375% Partnership notes, due 2020 | SunCoke Energy Partners, L.P.
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Long-term Debt							$ 250,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)							7.375%
7.375% Partnership notes, due 2020 | SunCoke Energy Partners, L.P. | Haverhill Coke Company LLC and Middletown Coke Company LLC
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt issuance cost							$ 2,200,000
Debt assumed							160,000,000
Debt issuance costs expensed immediately							700,000
7.625% senior notes, due 2019
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate (as a percent)										7.625%	7.625%	7.625%
7.625% senior notes, due 2019 | Gateway Energy and Coal Company, LLC
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest paid				$ 1,000,000
Original issue premium				2,300,000
7.625% senior notes, due 2019 | Interest Expense | Gateway Energy and Coal Company, LLC
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Loss on extinguishment of debt				3,200,000
7.625% senior notes, due 2019 | SunCoke Energy Partners, L.P. | Gateway Energy and Coal Company, LLC
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Redemption premium						$ 7,700,000
Repayments of long-term debt						135,000,000
Debt assumed					44,600,000
Uncommitted Incremental Revolving Credit Facility | IPO
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Principal amount of term loan										$ 100,000,000.0	$ 100,000,000.0
SunCoke Revolving Credit Facility, due 2018 | Revolving credit facility | Line of Credit
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Principal amount of term loan									$ 150,000,000
Proceeds from revolving facility				60,400,000
Long-term debt, gross										60,400,000	60,400,000	$ 0
Letters of credit outstanding under revolving facility										2,800,000	2,800,000
Remaining letters of credit agreement amount										$ 86,800,000	$ 86,800,000
Unused capacity commitment fee (as a percent)									0.40%
The weighted-average interest rate for borrowings outstanding under credit agreement (as a percent)										2.30%	2.30%	4.10%
Maximum consolidated leverage ratio										3.25	3.25
Minimum interest coverage ratio										2.75	2.75
Partnership revolver, due 2019 | Line of Credit | SunCoke Energy Partners, L.P. | LIBOR
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Basis spread on variable rate			2.50%
Partnership revolver, due 2019 | Revolving credit facility | Line of Credit
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Principal amount of term loan										$ 250,000,000	$ 250,000,000
Long-term debt, gross										182,000,000	182,000,000	$ 0
Debt issuance costs, amendments												$ 1,800,000
Partnership revolver, due 2019 | Revolving credit facility | Line of Credit | SunCoke Energy Partners, L.P.
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Long-term debt, gross					$ 185,000,000
Letters of credit outstanding under revolving facility										0	0
Remaining letters of credit agreement amount										$ 68,000,000	$ 68,000,000
Unused capacity commitment fee (as a percent)					0.40%
The weighted-average interest rate for borrowings outstanding under credit agreement (as a percent)										2.90%	2.90%	2.40%
Payments on line of credit										$ 3,000,000
Maximum consolidated leverage ratio										4.5	4.5
Minimum interest coverage ratio										2.5	2.5
Credit Agreement and Partner Revolver | Line of Credit
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt issuance cost											$ 700,000
7.625% senior notes, due 2019 | Senior Notes
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Long-term debt, gross										$ 44,600,000	44,600,000	$ 240,000,000
Senior notes									$ 400,000,000
7.375% Partnership notes, due 2020 | Senior Notes
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Long-term debt, gross										552,500,000	552,500,000	400,000,000
Repayments of long-term debt				63,700,000							35,300,000
Extinguishment of debt				60,400,000							47,500,000
Cash portion of debt redemption				3,300,000
7.375% Partnership notes, due 2020 | Senior Notes | Interest Expense
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Loss on extinguishment of debt											(12,100,000)
Write off of debt issuance costs				$ 900,000							900,000
Write-off of original issue premium											800,000
7.375% Partnership notes, due 2020 | Senior Notes | Change in Control
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt redemption price, percent				101.00%
7.375% Partnership notes, due 2020 | Senior Notes | At Any Time
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt redemption price, percent				100.00%
7.375% Partnership notes, due 2020 | Senior Notes | SunCoke Energy Partners, L.P.
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Senior notes								$ 150,000,000.0
Redeem partnership note percentage (as a percent)								35.00%
7.375% Partnership notes, due 2020 | Senior Notes | SunCoke Energy Partners, L.P. | Haverhill Coke Company LLC and Middletown Coke Company LLC
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt issuance cost							4,900,000
Debt issuance costs expensed immediately							900,000
Long-term Debt							250,000,000
Proceeds from issuance of private placement							263,100,000
Original issue premium							13,100,000
Proceeds to fund interest							$ 5,000,000
7.375% Partnership notes, due 2020 | Senior Notes | SunCoke Energy Partners, L.P. | Gateway Energy and Coal Company, LLC
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt issuance cost						5,200,000
Original issue premium						4,000,000
Senior notes						200,000,000
Proceeds from issuance of debt						204,000,000
Proceeds to fund interest						6,800,000
7.375% Partnership notes, due 2020 | Senior Notes | SunCoke Energy Partners, L.P. | Interest Expense | Gateway Energy and Coal Company, LLC
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt issuance cost						$ 1,000,000
Raven Energy LLC Promissory Note | Convent Marine Terminal
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt assumed					$ 114,900,000
Principal payment amount					$ 300,000
Interest rate (as a percent)					6.00%
Raven Energy LLC Promissory Note | Convent Marine Terminal | Scenario, Forecast
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Principal payment amount	$ 2,500,000
Raven Energy LLC Promissory Note | LIBOR | Convent Marine Terminal | Scenario, Forecast
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Basis spread on variable rate	4.50%
Raven Energy LLC Promissory Note | Raven Energy LLC | Convent Marine Terminal
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Maximum consolidated leverage ratio					5
Minimum fixed charge coverage ratio					1
Raven Energy LLC Promissory Note | Raven Energy LLC | Convent Marine Terminal | Scenario, Forecast
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Maximum consolidated leverage ratio														4.5
Partnership Term Loan Due 2019 | Line of Credit
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Long-term debt, gross										$ 50,000,000	$ 50,000,000	$ 0
Debt issuance cost			$ 800,000
Senior notes			50,000,000.0
Quarterly payments			$ 1,300,000
Partnership Term Loan Due 2019 | Line of Credit | SunCoke Energy Partners, L.P. | LIBOR
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Basis spread on variable rate			2.50%