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RESTRICTED INVESTMENTS AND BOND COLLATERAL - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Feb. 28, 2014
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]        
Letter of credit released from restriction $ 0us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndInvestmentsCurrent $ 5,998,000us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndInvestmentsCurrent   $ 5,998,000us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndInvestmentsCurrent
Available-for-sale Securities [Member]        
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]        
Gain on sale of available-for-sale securities held as restricted investments and bond collateral (less than) 300,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossRealizedGainLossNet
/ us-gaap_InformationByCategoryOfDebtSecurityAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
100,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossRealizedGainLossNet
/ us-gaap_InformationByCategoryOfDebtSecurityAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
100,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossRealizedGainLossNet
/ us-gaap_InformationByCategoryOfDebtSecurityAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
 
Restricted Investments and Bond Collateral [Member]        
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]        
Carrying value of securities sold 5,100,000wlb_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesSoldCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= wlb_RestrictedInvestmentsandBondCollateralMember
     
Gain on sale of available-for-sale securities held as restricted investments and bond collateral (less than) 100,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossRealizedGainLossNet
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= wlb_RestrictedInvestmentsandBondCollateralMember
     
Carrying value of held-to-maturity securities transferred during the year 34,500,000us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesTransferredSecurityAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= wlb_RestrictedInvestmentsandBondCollateralMember
     
Available-for-sale Securities 33,879,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= wlb_RestrictedInvestmentsandBondCollateralMember
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= wlb_RestrictedInvestmentsandBondCollateralMember
   
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] | Restricted Investments and Bond Collateral [Member]        
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]        
Change in net unrealized holding gains $ 600,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesChangeInNetUnrealizedHoldingGainLossNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= wlb_RestrictedInvestmentsandBondCollateralMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember