NATURE OF OPERATIONS	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
NATURE OF OPERATIONS [Text Block]	1. NATURE OF OPERATIONS Nord Resources Corporation and Subsidiary (the “Company”) is a United States based corporation involved in all phases of the mining business including exploration, permitting, developing and operating mining projects. The Company’s primary asset is the Johnson Camp Copper Mine (“Johnson Camp Mine”) located in Arizona. In July 2007, the Company commenced the reactivation of the Johnson Camp Mine. The Company commenced copper cathode production from leaching existing dumps in January 2008. The Company commenced mining of new ore upon completion of the reactivation work in January 2009, and commenced production of nominal amounts of copper from newly-mined ore during the testing and development phase of the mine in February and March 2009. The Company achieved commercial copper cathode production from newly-mined ore on April 1, 2009 and entered the production stage, following substantial completion of the testing and development phase. On July 5, 2010, the Company announced that it was implementing measures to reduce its costs, maximize cash flow, and improve its operating efficiencies. As part of this program, the Company temporarily suspended the mining and crushing of ore at the Johnson Camp Mine. The Company continues to produce copper through the leaching of ore already in place on its existing pads and processing the solution through the SX-EW plant. The suspension has resulted in an immediate reduction of costs and has enabled the Company to maximize operating cash flow from the production of copper achieved through continued leaching of ore on the Company’s existing pads and the operation of its SX-EW plant. The suspension has provided the Company with the opportunity to further evaluate its geological data, continue column leach testing, expand mineralogical classification of the reserve and perform additional drilling as appropriate. The resulting improved database and geologic block model will provide the necessary tools to optimize the mine plan by focusing on higher grade acid-soluble ore.

NATURE OF OPERATIONS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

1. NATURE OF OPERATIONS

Nord Resources Corporation and Subsidiary (the “Company”) is a United States based corporation involved in all phases of the mining business including exploration, permitting, developing and operating mining projects. The Company’s primary asset is the Johnson Camp Copper Mine (“Johnson Camp Mine”) located in Arizona. In July 2007, the Company commenced the reactivation of the Johnson Camp Mine. The Company commenced copper cathode production from leaching existing dumps in January 2008. The Company commenced mining of new ore upon completion of the reactivation work in January 2009, and commenced production of nominal amounts of copper from newly-mined ore during the testing and development phase of the mine in February and March 2009. The Company achieved commercial copper cathode production from newly-mined ore on April 1, 2009 and entered the production stage, following substantial completion of the testing and development phase.

On July 5, 2010, the Company announced that it was implementing measures to reduce its costs, maximize cash flow, and improve its operating efficiencies. As part of this program, the Company temporarily suspended the mining and crushing of ore at the Johnson Camp Mine. The Company continues to produce copper through the leaching of ore already in place on its existing pads and processing the solution through the SX-EW plant. The suspension has resulted in an immediate reduction of costs and has enabled the Company to maximize operating cash flow from the production of copper achieved through continued leaching of ore on the Company’s existing pads and the operation of its SX-EW plant. The suspension has provided the Company with the opportunity to further evaluate its geological data, continue column leach testing, expand mineralogical classification of the reserve and perform additional drilling as appropriate. The resulting improved database and geologic block model will provide the necessary tools to optimize the mine plan by focusing on higher grade acid-soluble ore.