ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS - Asset Retirement Obligations (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) item	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Changes in the asset retirement obligations
Asset retirement obligation liability, beginning balance	$ 7,784	$ 7,471	$ 7,471
Adjustment reflecting updated estimates			(116)
Accretion of liability	124	$ 101	429
Asset retirement obligation liability, ending balance	7,908		7,784
Current portion of the asset retirement obligation	$ 215		$ 215
Tonkin property and El Gallo 1 mine portion of the El Gallo Complex
Changes in the asset retirement obligations
Number of most significant properties subject to reclamation obligations \| item	2

Represents the number of properties of the entity which are subject to reclamation obligations.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	mux_
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- Definition

The carrying amount of a liability for an asset retirement obligation. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 410
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Asset Retirement Obligation
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6505190

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of accretion expense recognized during the period that is associated with an asset retirement obligation. Accretion expense measures and incorporates changes due to the passage of time into the carrying amount of the liability.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 410
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 410
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392676&loc=d3e7480-110848

+ Details

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

- Definition

Current portion of the carrying amount of a liability for an asset retirement obligation. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of the Increase or Decrease in the amount of the asset retirement obligation during the current period for changes in the amount or timing of the estimated cash flows associated with the settlement of the obligation.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
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- Details

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Balance Type:
Period Type: