Label

Element

Value

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Registrant Name

dei_EntityRegistrantName

FRANKLIN GOLD & PRECIOUS METALS FUND

Prospectus Date

rr_ProspectusDate

Mar. 19, 2015

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Fund Summary

Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund-10 | Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Goal

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

Capital appreciation. The Fund's secondary goal is to provide shareholders with current income through dividends or interest received from its investments.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Franklin Templeton funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and under “Your Account” on page 27 in the Fund's Prospectus and under “Buying and Selling Shares” on page 39 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.

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)

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 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 16.13% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

16.13%

Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text]

rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts

You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Franklin Templeton funds.

Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]

rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount

50,000

Expense Example [Heading]

rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

This 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 redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund's operating expenses due to the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement by management for the 1 Year numbers only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption

If you do not sell your shares:

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in securities of gold and precious metals operation companies. Gold and precious metals operation companies include companies that mine, process, or deal in gold or other precious metals, such as silver, platinum, and palladium, including mining finance and exploration companies as well as operating companies with long- or medium-life mines. The Fund is a "non-diversified" fund, which means it generally invests a greater portion of its assets in the securities of one or more issuers and invests overall in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund.

The Fund may buy securities of gold and precious metals operation companies located anywhere in the world and in general invests predominantly in companies located outside the U.S. The Fund may invest in companies without regard to market capitalization, including small- and mid-capitalization companies. The Fund primarily invests in equity securities, primarily common stock. The Fund also invests in American, Global and European Depositary Receipts.

The Fund’s investment manager looks for companies with established track records, as well as companies having low-cost reserves to bring into production, particularly companies with multiple mines, attractive production profiles, strong reserve bases, and active exploration programs that can potentially drive future reserve and production growth.

Strategy Portfolio Concentration [Text]

rr_StrategyPortfolioConcentration

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in securities of gold and precious metals operation companies.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government.

Gold and Precious Metals

The prices of gold and precious metals operation companies are affected by the price of gold or other precious metals such as platinum, palladium and silver, as well as other prevailing market conditions. These prices may be volatile, fluctuating substantially over short periods of time. In times of stable economic growth, traditional equity and debt investments could offer greater appreciation potential and the prices of gold and other precious metals may be adversely affected.

The prices of gold and other precious metals are affected by such factors as: (1) how much of the worldwide supply is held by large holders, such as governmental bodies and central banks; (2) unpredictable monetary policies and economic and political conditions in countries throughout the world; (3) supply and demand for gold bullion as an investment, including in bar form; and (4) government policies meant to influence demand for gold and other precious metals.

The prices of gold and precious metals operation companies are directly affected by: (1) declines in the prices of gold and precious metals; (2) capital costs as well as labor and other costs in mining and production; (3) adverse currency fluctuations in the countries where these companies operate; (4) labor disruptions; (5) operational issues and failures; (6) access to reliable energy and equipment supplies; and (7) changes in laws relating to mining, production, or sales. These factors may result in deviations between the prices of the underlying metals and the securities of the operation companies in which the Fund invests. In addition, some gold and precious metals mining companies have hedged, to varying degrees, their exposure to falls in the prices of gold or precious metals by selling forward future production, which could limit the company’s benefit from future rises in the prices of gold or precious metals or increase the risk that the company could fail to meet its contractual obligations. With respect to mining companies, mining operations have varying expected life spans and companies that have mines with a short expected life span may experience more stock price volatility.

Market

The market value of securities owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. A security’s market price may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all securities. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.

Individual stock prices tend to go up and down more dramatically than those of other types of investments.

Foreign Securities

Investing in foreign securities typically involves more risks than investing in U.S. securities, and includes risks associated with: internal and external political and economic developments – e.g., the political, economic and social policies and structures of some foreign countries may be less stable and more volatile than those in the U.S. or some foreign countries may be subject to trading restrictions or economic sanctions; trading practices – e.g., government supervision and regulation of foreign securities and currency markets, trading systems and brokers may be less than in the U.S.; availability of information – e.g., foreign issuers may not be subject to the same disclosure, accounting and financial reporting standards and practices as U.S. issuers; limited markets – e.g., the securities of certain foreign issuers may be less liquid (harder to sell) and more volatile; and currency exchange rate fluctuations and policies. The risks of foreign investments may be greater in developing or emerging market countries.

Emerging Market Countries

The Fund’s investments in emerging market countries are subject to all of the risks of foreign investing generally, and have additional heightened risks due to a lack of established legal, political, business and social frameworks to support securities markets, including: delays in settling portfolio securities transactions; currency and capital controls; greater sensitivity to interest rate changes; pervasiveness of corruption and crime; currency exchange rate volatility; and inflation, deflation or currency devaluation.

Smaller and Midsize Companies

Securities issued by smaller and midsize companies may be more volatile in price than those of larger companies, involve substantial risks and should be considered speculative. Such risks may include greater sensitivity to economic conditions, less certain growth prospects, lack of depth of management and funds for growth and development, and limited or less developed product lines and markets. In addition, smaller and midsize companies may be particularly affected by interest rate increases, as they may find it more difficult to borrow money to continue or expand operations, or may have difficulty in repaying any loans.

Concentration

By focusing on an industry or a group of industries, the Fund carries much greater risks of adverse developments and price movements in such industries than a fund that invests in a wider variety of industries. Because the Fund concentrates in a specific industry or group of industries, there is also the risk that the Fund will perform poorly during a slump in demand for securities of companies in such industries.

Non-Diversification

Because the Fund is non-diversified, it may be more sensitive to economic, business, political or other changes affecting individual issuers or investments than a diversified fund, which may result in greater fluctuation in the value of the Fund’s shares and greater risk of loss.

Management

The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.

Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]

rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus

Because the Fund is non-diversified, it may be more sensitive to economic, business, political or other changes affecting individual issuers or investments than a diversified fund, which may result in greater fluctuation in the value of the Fund’s shares and greater risk of loss

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year for Class A shares. The table shows how the Fund's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years or since inception, as applicable, compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. You can obtain updated performance information at franklintempleton.com or by calling (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.

The secondary index in the table below shows how the Fund's performance compares to a group of securities that aligns more closely with the Fund's investment strategies.

Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year for Class A shares. The table shows how the Fund's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years or since inception, as applicable, compared with those of a broad measure of market performance.

Performance Availability Phone [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone

(800) DIAL BEN/342-5236

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

franklintempleton.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

Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]

rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads

Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Best Quarter:	Q3'12	24.59%
Worst Quarter:	Q2'13	-38.15%
As of September 30, 2014, the Fund's year-to-date return was 3.95%.

Performance Table Heading

rr_PerformanceTableHeading

Average Annual Total Returns
(figures reflect sales charges)

For the periods ended December 31, 2014

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

Performance information for Class R6 shares is not shown because this class did not have a full calendar year of operations as of the date of this prospectus.

No one index is representative of the Fund's portfolio.

The 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. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.

Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund-10 | Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | Class A

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as percentage of offering price)

rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice

5.75%

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds)

rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice

none

^[1]

Management fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.47%

Distribution and service (12b-1) fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

0.25%

Other expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.35%

Total annual Fund operating expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.07%

Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

none

^[2]

Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

1.07%

^[2]

1 year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

678

3 years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

896

5 years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

1,131

10 years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

1,806

2004

rr_AnnualReturn2004

(5.47%)

2005

rr_AnnualReturn2005

40.59%

2006

rr_AnnualReturn2006

31.70%

2007

rr_AnnualReturn2007

25.59%

2008

rr_AnnualReturn2008

(30.89%)

2009

rr_AnnualReturn2009

69.56%

2010

rr_AnnualReturn2010

49.21%

2011

rr_AnnualReturn2011

(24.84%)

2012

rr_AnnualReturn2012

(14.78%)

Annual Return 2013

rr_AnnualReturn2013

(48.03%)

Year to Date Return, Label

rr_YearToDateReturnLabel

As of September 30, 2014, the Fund's year-to-date return was 3.95%.

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Best Quarter:

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Sep. 30, 2012

Highest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn

24.59%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Worst Quarter:

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Jun. 30, 2013

Lowest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn

(38.15%)

Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund-10 | Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | Class C

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as percentage of offering price)

rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice

none

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds)

rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice

1.00%

Management fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.47%

Distribution and service (12b-1) fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

1.00%

Other expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.35%

Total annual Fund operating expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

1.82%

Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

none

^[2]

Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

1.82%

^[2]

1 year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

285

3 years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

573

5 years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

985

10 years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

2,137

1 Year

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01

185

3 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03

573

5 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05

985

10 Years

rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10

2,137

Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund-10 | Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | Class R6

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as percentage of offering price)

rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice

none

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds)

rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice

none

Management fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.47%

Distribution and service (12b-1) fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.20%

Total annual Fund operating expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.67%

Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

(0.13%)

^[2]

Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

0.54%

^[2]

1 year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

55

3 years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

201

5 years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

360

10 years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

822

Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund-10 | Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | Advisor Class

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as percentage of offering price)

rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice

none

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds)

rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice

none

Management fees

rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets

0.47%

Distribution and service (12b-1) fees

rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets

none

Other expenses

rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets

0.35%

Total annual Fund operating expenses

rr_ExpensesOverAssets

0.82%

Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement

rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets

none

^[2]

Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement

rr_NetExpensesOverAssets

0.82%

^[2]

1 year

rr_ExpenseExampleYear01

84

3 years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear03

262

5 years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear05

455

10 years

rr_ExpenseExampleYear10

1,014

Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund-10 | Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | Return Before Taxes | Class A

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Column

rr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnName

Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund

Label

rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel

Return Before Taxes

Past 1 year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(51.01%)

Past 5 years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

(4.51%)

Past 10 years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

1.89%

Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund-10 | Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | Return Before Taxes | Class C

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Past 1 year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(48.93%)

Past 5 years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

(4.10%)

Past 10 years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

1.74%

Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund-10 | Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | Return Before Taxes | Advisor Class

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Past 1 year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(47.89%)

Past 5 years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

(3.13%)

Past 10 years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

2.75%

Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund-10 | Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Class A

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Column

rr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnName

Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund

Label

rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel

Return After Taxes on Distributions

Past 1 year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(51.01%)

Past 5 years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

(5.93%)

Past 10 years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

0.79%

Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund-10 | Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class A

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Column

rr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnName

Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund

Label

rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel

Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

Past 1 year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(28.87%)

Past 5 years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

(2.31%)

Past 10 years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

2.26%

Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund-10 | Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | S&P 500® Index (index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Past 1 year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

32.39%

Past 5 years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

18.03%

Past 10 years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

7.45%

Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund-10 | Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund | FTSE Gold Mines Index (index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Past 1 year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

(52.25%)

Past 5 years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

(9.97%)

Past 10 years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

(2.24%)

[1] There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $1 million or more (see "Investments of $1 Million or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge.

[2] The transfer agent has contractually agreed to cap transfer agency fees for Class R6 shares of the Fund so that transfer agency fees for that class do not exceed 0.01%, until at least November 30, 2015. Contractual fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement agreements may not be terminated during the term set forth above.