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Label

Element

Value

Risk/Return:

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Risk/Return [Heading]

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Emerging Markets Fund

Objective [Heading]

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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

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The Emerging Markets Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in equity securities in emerging markets around the world.

Expense [Heading]

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FUND FEES AND EXPENSES

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

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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 Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).

Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]

rr_ShareholderFeesCaption

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

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)

Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination

2016-05-01

Portfolio Turnover [Heading]

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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 75% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

Expense Example [Heading]

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Expense Example

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

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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]

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PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

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Under normal conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in securities of companies that are organized in, maintain at least 50% of their assets in, or derive at least 50% of their revenues from, emerging market countries. The Adviser has broad discretion to identify countries that it considers to qualify as emerging markets. The Adviser selects emerging market countries that the Fund will invest in based on the Adviser’s evaluation of economic fundamentals, legal structure, political developments and other specific factors the Adviser believes to be relevant. The Fund is considered to be “non-diversified” which means that it may invest a larger portion of its assets in a single issuer.

Utilizing qualitative and quantitative measures, the Fund’s portfolio manager seeks to invest in reasonably-priced companies that have strong structural growth potential. The portfolio manager seeks attractive investment opportunities in all areas of emerging markets, and utilizes a flexible investment approach across all market capitalizations.

The Fund’s holdings may include issues denominated in currencies of emerging countries, investment companies (like country funds) that invest in emerging countries, and American Depositary Receipts, and similar types of investments, representing emerging markets securities.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in securities issued by other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (“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.

rr_RiskHeading

PRINCIPAL RISKS

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

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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.

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, the 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. The 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.

Investments through Stock Connect. The Fund’s investments in Chinese A-shares through Stock Connect will be subject to investment quotas and trading restrictions which may pose risks to the Fund. In addition, uncertainty in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) tax rules may result in unexpected tax liabilities for the Fund.

Management. Investment decisions made by the Adviser in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce the returns expected by the Adviser, may cause a decline in the value of the securities held by the Fund and, in turn, cause the Fund’s shares to lose value or underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.

Market. Market risk refers to the risk that the market prices of securities that the 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.

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.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

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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]

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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]

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PERFORMANCE

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

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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. For instance, the MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure equity market performance of emerging markets. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index consists of the following 23 emerging market country indices: Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and United Arab Emirates. 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.

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

vaneck.com

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

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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]

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CLASS A: Annual Total Returns (%) as of 12/31

Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]

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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]

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Best Quarter:		+59.06%		2Q ’09
Worst Quarter:		-38.59%		4Q ’08

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

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Best Quarter:

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Jun. 30, 2009

Highest Quarterly Return

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Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

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Worst Quarter:

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Dec. 31, 2008

Lowest Quarterly Return

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Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text]

rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate

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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]

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These returns are shown for one class of shares only; after tax-returns for the other classes may vary.

rr_AverageAnnualReturnCaption

Average Annual Total Returns as of 12/31/14

MSCI Emerging Markets Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

Risk/Return:

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rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

Class A

Risk/Return:

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Maximum Sales Charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)

rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice

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

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Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees

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rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

none

^[2]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursements

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

Expenses Deferred Charges [Text Block]

rr_ExpensesDeferredChargesTextBlock

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.

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]

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Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

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Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

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Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

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Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

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Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

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Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

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Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

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Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

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Annual Return 2005

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Annual Return 2006

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Annual Return 2007

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Annual Return 2008

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Annual Return 2009

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Annual Return 2010

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Annual Return 2011

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Annual Return 2012

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Annual Return 2013

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Annual Return 2014

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rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Dec. 20, 1993

Class A | After Taxes on Distributions

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

^[3]

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

^[3]

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

^[3]

Since Inception

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^[3]

Class A | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

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rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

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)

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Management Fees

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Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees

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rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

none

^[2]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursements

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

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Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

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Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

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Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

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Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

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Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

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Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

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Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

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rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

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

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements

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^[2]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursements

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

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Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

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Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

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Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

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Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

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Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

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Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate

Dec. 31, 2007

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

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

^[2]

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursements

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

Since Inception

rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception

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]	Van Eck Associates Corporation (the "Adviser") has agreed to waive fees and/or pay Fund expenses to the extent necessary to prevent the operating expenses of the Fund (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, interest expense, trading expenses, dividends and interest payments on securities sold short, taxes and extraordinary expenses) from exceeding 1.60% for Class A, 2.50% for Class C, 1.00% for Class I, and 1.10% for Class Y of the Fund's average daily net assets per year until May 1, 2016. During such time, the expense limitation is expected to continue until the Board of Trustees acts to discontinue all or a portion of such expense limitation.
[3]	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.