Stock Based Compensation - Narrative (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended					12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2013 Deferred Share Units	Dec. 31, 2012 Deferred Share Units	Mar. 31, 2013 Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs)	Dec. 31, 2012 Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs)	May 31, 2010 Third Amended and Restated 1997 Stock Option Plan Stock Options	Mar. 31, 2013 Third Amended and Restated 1997 Stock Option Plan Stock Options	Mar. 31, 2012 Third Amended and Restated 1997 Stock Option Plan Stock Options	Mar. 31, 2013 Third Amended and Restated 1997 Stock Option Plan Stock Options Maximum	Mar. 31, 2013 Third Amended and Restated 1997 Stock Option Plan Stock Options Minimum	Mar. 31, 2013 Stock Bonus Plan Performance Shares	Dec. 31, 2011 Stock Bonus Plan Performance Shares	Mar. 31, 2013 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								2,856,358
Options vesting period - Range					3 years					3 years	0 years
Options granted (options)								2,694,000	4,537,000
Common shares issued in period												710,854	0
Number of Golden Star common shares to be received for each DSU														$ 1
Equity instruments (other than options) granted in period			112,654		1,940,000
Unrecognized compensation expense related to deferred share units														$ 0
Total stock compensation expense	1,694,000	2,579,000			300,000									200,000
Number of equity instruments (other than options) outstanding			500,713	388,059	2,932,000	1,079,000
Total unrecognized compensation cost					$ 2,600,000