2.2.0.7 true Sheet 00090 - Document - Document and Entity Information Document and Entity Information http://www.stillwatermining.com/role/DocumentDocumentAndEntityInformation false R1.xml false Sheet 00100 - Statement - Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) http://www.stillwatermining.com/role/StatementStatementsOfOperationsAndComprehensiveIncomeLoss false R2.xml false Sheet 00200 - Statement - Balance Sheets Balance Sheets http://www.stillwatermining.com/role/StatementBalanceSheets false R3.xml false Sheet 00210 - Statement - Balance Sheets (Parentheticals) Balance Sheets (Parentheticals) http://www.stillwatermining.com/role/StatementBalanceSheetsParentheticals false R4.xml false Sheet 00300 - Statement - Statements of Cash Flows Statements of Cash Flows http://www.stillwatermining.com/role/StatementStatementsOfCashFlows false R5.xml false Sheet 10101 - Disclosure - GENERAL GENERAL http://www.stillwatermining.com/role/DisclosureGeneral false R6.xml false Sheet 10201 - Disclosure - SALES SALES http://www.stillwatermining.com/role/DisclosureSales false R7.xml false Sheet 10301 - Disclosure - DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS http://www.stillwatermining.com/role/DisclosureDerivativeInstruments false R8.xml false Sheet 10401 - Disclosure - SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION http://www.stillwatermining.com/role/DisclosureShareBasedPayments false R9.xml false Sheet 10501 - Disclosure - INCOME TAXES INCOME TAXES http://www.stillwatermining.com/role/DisclosureIncomeTaxes false R10.xml false Sheet 10601 - Disclosure - COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) http://www.stillwatermining.com/role/DisclosureComprehensiveIncomeLoss false R11.xml false Sheet 10701 - Disclosure - DEBT DEBT http://www.stillwatermining.com/role/DisclosureDebt false R12.xml false Sheet 10801 - Disclosure - SEGMENT INFORMATION SEGMENT INFORMATION http://www.stillwatermining.com/role/DisclosureSegmentInformation false R13.xml false Sheet 10901 - Disclosure - INVENTORIES INVENTORIES http://www.stillwatermining.com/role/DisclosureInventories false R14.xml false Sheet 11001 - Disclosure - EARNINGS (LOSS) PER SHARE EARNINGS (LOSS) PER SHARE http://www.stillwatermining.com/role/DisclosureEarningsLossPerCommonShare false R15.xml false Sheet 11101 - Disclosure - REGULATIONS AND COMPLIANCE REGULATIONS AND COMPLIANCE http://www.stillwatermining.com/role/DisclosureRegulationsAndCompliance false R16.xml false Sheet 11201 - Disclosure - FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS http://www.stillwatermining.com/role/DisclosureFairValueMeasurements false R17.xml false Book All Reports All Reports false 1 11 0 0 3 116 false false As_Of_7_21_2010 1 As_Of_6_30_2010 37 As_Of_12_31_2008 1 Duration_1_1_2009_To_6_30_2009 54 Duration_1_1_2010_To_6_30_2010 78 Duration_4_1_2010_To_6_30_2010 54 As_Of_6_30_2009 1 Duration_4_1_2009_To_6_30_2009 54 As_Of_12_31_2009 37 As_Of_3_31_2010 1 As_Of_3_31_2009 1 true true