CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		45 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited) [Abstract]
REVENUES	$ 666	$ 22,804	$ 152,296	$ 85,971	$ 245,248
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Production costs	1,530	5,595	83,124	38,561	163,702
Exploration costs	1,046,986	752,800	2,568,509	1,945,334	8,576,255
General and administrative	1,301,705	1,086,891	4,605,925	3,098,355	16,024,679
Depreciation expense	73,619	63,465	199,856	183,971	735,053
Loss (gain) on impairment and disposition of land and equipment	0	0	0	(1,000)	50,599
Total Operating Expenses	2,423,840	1,908,751	7,457,414	5,265,221	25,550,288
Operating Loss	(2,423,174)	(1,885,947)	(7,305,118)	(5,179,250)	(25,305,040)
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest expense, net, including amortization of deferred financing cost and debt discount	(5,134)	(100,417)	(11,205)	(366,485)	(1,470,250)
(Loss) gain on revaluation of warrants	(90,000)	0	1,440,000	0	1,665,000
Gain (loss) on revaluation of stock awards	5,000	48,000	(3,000)	(50,000)	(222,500)
Other income (expense)	(4,643)	1,248	(8,847)	(6,272)	427,007
Total Other Income (Expense)	(94,777)	(51,169)	1,416,948	(422,757)	399,257
Loss from continuing operations	(2,517,951)	(1,937,116)	(5,888,170)	(5,602,007)	(24,905,783)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0		(5,772)	53,382
Net loss	(2,517,951)	(1,937,116)	(5,888,170)	(5,607,779)	(24,852,401)
Net gain (loss) attributable to the non-controlling interest	0	(8)	0	15	(52,320)
Net Loss attributable to Applied Minerals	$ (2,517,951)	$ (1,937,124)	$ (5,888,170)	$ (5,607,764)	$ (24,904,721)
Loss Per Share (Basic and Diluted):
Loss per share from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.03)	$ (0.03)	$ (0.07)	$ (0.08)
Loss per share from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Net Loss Per Share (Basic and Diluted) (in dollars per share)	$ (0.03)	$ (0.03)	$ (0.07)	$ (0.08)
Weighted Average Shares Outstanding (Basic and Diluted) (in shares)	89,292,491	75,688,625	89,198,723	73,010,225