Stock Based Compensation - Narrative (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012 Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs)	May 31, 2010 Third Amended and Restated 1997 Stock Option Plan Stock Options	Sep. 30, 2012 Third Amended and Restated 1997 Stock Option Plan Stock Options	Sep. 30, 2011 Third Amended and Restated 1997 Stock Option Plan Stock Options	Sep. 30, 2012 Third Amended and Restated 1997 Stock Option Plan Stock Options Maximum	Sep. 30, 2012 Third Amended and Restated 1997 Stock Option Plan Stock Options Minimum	Mar. 31, 2012 Stock Bonus Plan Performance Shares	Sep. 30, 2012 Stock Bonus Plan Performance Shares	Dec. 31, 2011 Stock Bonus Plan Performance Shares	Sep. 30, 2012 Deferred Share Units Plan Deferred Share Units
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Exercisable period for opions granted						10 years
Number of option shares authorized under the Plan							25,000,000					900,000
Number of option shares available for grant under the Plan							4,939,646
Options vesting period - Range					3 years				3 years	0 years
Options granted (options)							5,054,000	1,988,000
Common shares issued in period											165,009	710,854	0
Value of shares issued in period											$ 300,000
Number of Golden Star common shares to be received for each DSU														$ 1
Equity instruments (other than options) granted in period					1,543,043									296,381
Unrecognized compensation expense related to deferred share units														0
Total stock compensation expense	1,033,000	564,000	4,737,000	2,784,000	300,000									400,000
Number of equity instruments (other than options) outstanding														289,518
Total unrecognized compensation cost					$ 1,500,000