Name:	clf_ValueOfVebaTrustAssetsAsPercentageOfFundingObligation
Namespace Prefix:	clf_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Amount of contribution received by defined benefit plan from employer which increases plan assets.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 17
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=112275985&loc=d3e4179-114921

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Subparagraph (d)(iv)(01)
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsByEmployer
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of contributions expected to be received by defined benefit plan from employer in next fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108410482&loc=d3e1928-114920

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureEmployerContributionsNextFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Percentage of plan assets to benefit obligation of defined benefit plan.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFundedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.