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Label Element Value
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading International Investors Gold Fund
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The International Investors Gold Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing in common stocks of gold-mining companies. The Fund may take current income into consideration when choosing investments.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading FUND FEES AND EXPENSES
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for Class A sales charge discounts if you and your family (includes spouse and children under age 21) invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000, in the aggregate, in Classes A and C of the Van Eck Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the “Shareholder Information” section of the Fund’s prospectus and in the “Availability of Discounts” and “Breakpoint Linkage Rules for Discounts” sections of the Fund’s SAI.

Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) Non
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate that the Fund pays higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 30% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 30.00%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Expense Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then either redeem all of your shares at the end of these periods or continue to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual expenses may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text] rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption Sold
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text] rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption Held
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

Under normal conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in securities of companies principally engaged in gold-related activities, instruments that derive their value from gold, gold coins and bullion. A company principally engaged in gold-related activities is one that derives at least 50% of its revenues from gold-related activities, including the exploration, mining or processing of or dealing in gold. The Fund concentrates its investments in the gold-mining industry and therefore invests 25% or more of its total assets in such industry. The Fund is considered to be “non-diversified” which means that it may invest a larger portion of its assets in a single issuer.


The Fund invests in securities of companies with economic ties to countries throughout the world, including the U.S. Under ordinary circumstances, the Fund will invest in securities of issuers from a number of different countries, which may include emerging market countires. The Fund may invest in non-U.S. dollar denominated securities, which are subject to fluctuations in currency exchange rates, and securities of companies of any capitalization range. The Fund primarily invests in companies that the portfolio manager believes represent value opportunities and/or that have growth potential within their market niche, through their ability to increase production capacity at reasonable cost or make gold discoveries around the world. The portfolio manager utilizes both a macro-economic examination of gold market themes and a fundamental analysis of prospective companies in the search for value and growth opportunities.


The Fund may invest up to 25% of its net assets, as of the date of the investment, in gold and silver coins, gold, silver, platinum and palladium bullion and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) that invest primarily in such coins and bullion and derivatives on the foregoing. The Fund’s investments in coins and bullion will not earn income, and the sole source of return to the Fund from these investments will be from gains or losses realized on the sale of such investments.


The Fund may gain exposure to gold bullion and other metals by investing up to 25% of the Fund’s total assets in a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Fund (the “Subsidiary”). The Subsidiary primarily invests in gold bullion, gold futures and other instruments that provide direct or indirect exposure to gold, including ETFs, and also may invest in silver, platinum and palladium bullion and futures. The Subsidiary (unlike the Fund) may invest without limitation in these investments. The Fund will “look-through” the Subsidiary to the Subsidiary’s underlying investments for determining compliance with the Fund’s investment policies. For tax reasons, it may be advantageous for the Fund to create and maintain its exposure to the commodity markets, in whole or in part, by investing in the Subsidiary. The portfolio of the Subsidiary is managed by the Adviser for the exclusive benefit of the Fund.


The Fund may use derivative instruments, such as structured notes, futures, options, warrants, currency forwards and swap agreements, to gain or hedge exposure. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in securities issued by other investment companies, including ETFs. The Fund may also invest in money market funds, but these investments are not subject to this limitation. The Fund may invest in ETFs to participate in, or gain rapid exposure to, certain market sectors, or when direct investments in certain countries are not permitted.

Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading PRINCIPAL RISKS
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund’s share price and return will fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. Accordingly, an investment in the Fund involves the risk of losing money.


Commodities and Commodity-Linked Derivatives. Exposure to the commodities markets, such as precious metals, industrial metals, gas and other energy products and natural resources, may subject a Fund to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The commodities markets may fluctuate widely based on a variety of factors including changes in overall market movements, political and economic events and policies, war, acts of terrorism and changes in interest rates or inflation rates. Because the value of a commodity-linked derivative instrument and structured note typically are based upon the price movements of physical commodities, the value of these securities will rise or fall in response to changes in the underlying commodities or related index of investment.


Concentration in Gold-Mining Industry. The Fund may be subject to greater risks and market fluctuations than a fund whose portfolio has exposure to a broader range of industries. The Fund may be susceptible to financial, economic, political or market events, as well as government regulation, impacting the gold industry. Fluctuations in the price of gold often dramatically affect the profitability of companies in the gold industry.


Derivatives. The use of derivatives, such as swap agreements, options, warrants, futures contracts, currency forwards and structured notes, presents risks different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in traditional securities. The use of derivatives can lead to losses because of adverse movements in the price or value of the underlying security, asset, index or reference rate. Derivative strategies often involve leverage, which may exaggerate a loss, potentially causing a Fund to lose more money than it would have lost had it invested in the underlying security. Also, a liquid secondary market may not always exist for the Fund’s derivative positions at times when the Fund might wish to terminate or sell such positions and over the counter instruments may be illiquid.


Direct Investments. Direct investments may involve a high degree of business and financial risk that can result in substantial losses. Because of the absence of any public trading market for these investments, a Fund may take longer to liquidate these positions than would be the case for publicly traded securities. Direct investments are generally considered illiquid and will be aggregated with other illiquid investments for purposes of the limitation on illiquid investments.


Emerging Markets Securities. Emerging markets securities typically present even greater exposure to the risks described under “Foreign Securities” and may be particularly sensitive to certain economic changes. Emerging markets securities are exposed to a number of risks that may make these investments volatile in price or difficult to trade.


Foreign Currency Transactions. An investment transacted in a foreign currency may lose value due to fluctuations in the rate of exchange. These fluctuations can make the return on an investment go up or down, entirely apart from the quality or performance of the investment itself.


Foreign Securities. Foreign investments are subject to greater risks than U.S. domestic investments. These additional risks may include exchange rate fluctuations and exchange controls; less publicly available information; more volatile or less liquid securities markets; and the possibility of arbitrary action by foreign governments, or political, economic or social instability. Foreign companies also may be subject to significantly higher levels of taxation than U.S. companies, including potentially confiscatory levels of taxation, thereby reducing the earnings potential of such foreign companies.


Investments in Other Investment Companies. A Fund’s investment in another investment company may subject the Fund indirectly to the underlying risks of the investment company. The Fund also will bear its share of the underlying investment company’s fees and expenses, which are in addition to the Fund’s own fees and expenses.


Market. Market risk refers to the risk that the market prices of securities that a Fund holds will rise or fall, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. In general, equity securities tend to have greater price volatility than debt securities.


Non-Diversification. A non-diversified fund’s greater investment in a single issuer makes the fund more susceptible to financial, economic or market events impacting such issuer. A decline in the value of or default by a single security in the non-diversified fund’s portfolio may have a greater negative effect than a similar decline or default by a single security in a diversified portfolio.


Regulatory. Changes in the laws or regulations of the United States or the Cayman Islands, including any changes to applicable tax laws and regulations, could impair the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective and could increase the operating expenses of the Fund or the Subsidiary. For example, in 2012, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) adopted amendments to its rules that affect the ability of certain investment advisers to registered investment companies and other entities to rely on previously available exclusions or exemptions from registration under the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936, as amended (“CEA”) and regulations thereunder. In addition, the CFTC or the SEC could at any time alter the regulatory requirements governing the use of commodity futures, options on commodity futures, structured notes or swap transactions by investment companies, which could result in the inability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective through its current strategies.


Small- and Medium-Capitalization Companies. Securities of small- and medium-sized companies often have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than larger more established companies. The stocks of small- and medium-sized companies may have returns that vary, sometimes significantly, from the overall stock market.


Subsidiary. By investing in the Subsidiary, a Fund is indirectly exposed to the risks associated with the Subsidiary’s investments. The Subsidiary is not registered under the 1940 Act, and, unless otherwise noted in this prospectus, is not subject to all the investor protections of the 1940 Act.

Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney The Fund's share price and return will fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund's portfolio securities. Accordingly, an investment in the Fund involves the risk of losing money.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text] rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus A non-diversified fund's greater investment in a single issuer makes the fund more susceptible to financial, economic or market events impacting such issuer. A decline in the value of or default by a single security in the non-diversified fund's portfolio may have a greater negative effect than a similar decline or default by a single security in a diversified portfolio.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading PERFORMANCE
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The following chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns compare with those of a broad measure of market performance and one or more other performance measures. For instance, the NYSE Arca Gold Miners (GDM) Index is a modified market capitalization-weighted index comprised of publicly traded companies involved primarily in the mining for gold. The GDM Index has only been calculated in real time by an independent calculation agent since October 7, 2004. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. The annual returns in the bar chart are for the Fund’s Class A shares and do not reflect sales loads. If sales loads were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown.


Additionally, large purchases and/or redemptions of shares of a class, relative to the amount of assets represented by the class, may cause the annual returns for each class to differ. Updated performance information for the Fund is available on the Van Eck website at vaneck.com.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The following chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund's average annual total returns compare with those of a broad measure of market performance and one or more other performance measures.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress vaneck.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading CLASS A: Annual Total Returns (%) as of 12/31
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads The annual returns in the bar chart are for the Fund's Class A shares and do not reflect sales loads. If sales loads were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

 

 

 

 

 

Best Quarter:

 

+27.67%

 

3Q ’12

Worst Quarter:

 

-31.82%

 

3Q ’08

Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2012
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 27.67%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (31.82%)
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate After tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred The after-tax return information shown above does not apply to Fund shares held through a tax-deferred account, such as a 401(k) plan or Investment Retirement Account.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text] rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown These returns are shown for one class of shares only; after tax-returns for the other classes may vary.
Caption rr_AverageAnnualReturnCaption Average Annual Total Returns as of 12/31/12
NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (8.46%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 1.17%
S&P® 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 16.00%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 1.66%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 7.10%
Class A
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Sales Charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice 5.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of the net asset value or purchase price) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther none [1]
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.62%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.42%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.29%
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text] rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts You may qualify for Class A sales charge discounts if you and your family (includes spouse and children under age 21) invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000, in the aggregate, in Classes A and C of the Van Eck Funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount] rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount 25,000
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 699
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 960
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,242
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 2,042
Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 699
Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 960
Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 1,242
Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 2,042
Annual Return 2003 rr_AnnualReturn2003 44.25%
Annual Return 2004 rr_AnnualReturn2004 (7.73%)
Annual Return 2005 rr_AnnualReturn2005 35.62%
Annual Return 2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 45.23%
Annual Return 2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 27.41%
Annual Return 2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (29.03%)
Annual Return 2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 63.75%
Annual Return 2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 50.99%
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 (21.52%)
Annual Return 2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 (9.61%)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (14.79%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 3.24%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 14.63%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Feb. 10, 1956
Class A | After Taxes on Distributions
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (15.12%) [2]
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 1.76% [2]
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 12.69% [2]
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception    [2]
Class A | After Taxes on Distributions and Sales
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (9.21%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 2.17%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 12.21%
Class C
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Sales Charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of the net asset value or purchase price) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther 1.00%
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.62%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 1.00%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.47%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 2.09%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 312
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 655
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,124
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 2,421
Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 212
Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 655
Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 1,124
Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 2,421
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (11.23%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 3.67%
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 14.10%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Oct. 03, 2003
Class I
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Sales Charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of the net asset value or purchase price) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther none
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.62%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.34%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.96%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 98
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 306
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 531
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,178
Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 98
Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 306
Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 531
Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 1,178
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (9.34%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 7.80%
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 13.23%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Oct. 02, 2006
Class Y
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Sales Charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of the net asset value or purchase price) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther none
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.62%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.46%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.08%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 110
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 343
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 595
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,317
Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 110
Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 343
Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 595
Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 1,317
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (9.44%)
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception (2.15%)
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2010
[1] A contingent deferred sales charge for Class A shares of 1.00% for one year applies to redemptions of qualified commissionable shares purchased at or above the $1 million breakpoint level.
[2] After tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. These returns are shown for one class of shares only; after tax-returns for the other classes may vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. The after-tax return information shown above does not apply to Fund shares held through a tax-deferred account, such as a 401(k) plan or Investment Retirement Account.