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GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND LIABILITIES (Schedule Of Goodwill) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013
Goodwill [Roll Forward] |  |
Beginning Balance | $ 74.5 us-gaap_Goodwill | $ 167.4 us-gaap_Goodwill
Arising in business combinations | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
Impairment | (73.5)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss | (80.9)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
Impact of foreign currency translation | 1.0 us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments | (12.0)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
Ending Balance | 2.0 us-gaap_Goodwill | 74.5 us-gaap_Goodwill
Accumulated Goodwill Impairment Loss | (1,154.4)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss | (1,080.9)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss
U.S. Iron Ore [Member] |  |
Goodwill [Roll Forward] |  |
Beginning Balance | 2.0 us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_USIronOreMember | 2.0 us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_USIronOreMember
Arising in business combinations | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_USIronOreMember | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_USIronOreMember
Impairment | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_USIronOreMember | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_USIronOreMember
Impact of foreign currency translation | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_USIronOreMember | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_USIronOreMember
Ending Balance | 2.0 us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_USIronOreMember | 2.0 us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_USIronOreMember
Accumulated Goodwill Impairment Loss | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_USIronOreMember | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_USIronOreMember
Eastern Canadian Iron Ore [Member] |  |
Goodwill [Roll Forward] |  |
Beginning Balance | 0 us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_EasternCanadianIronOreMember | 0 us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_EasternCanadianIronOreMember
Arising in business combinations | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_EasternCanadianIronOreMember | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_EasternCanadianIronOreMember
Impairment | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_EasternCanadianIronOreMember | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_EasternCanadianIronOreMember
Impact of foreign currency translation | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_EasternCanadianIronOreMember | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_EasternCanadianIronOreMember
Ending Balance | 0 us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_EasternCanadianIronOreMember | 0 us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_EasternCanadianIronOreMember
Accumulated Goodwill Impairment Loss | (1,000.0)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_EasternCanadianIronOreMember | (1,000.0)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_EasternCanadianIronOreMember
Asia Pacific Iron Ore [Member] |  |
Goodwill [Roll Forward] |  |
Beginning Balance | 72.5 us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_AsiaPacificIronOreMember | 84.5 us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_AsiaPacificIronOreMember
Arising in business combinations | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_AsiaPacificIronOreMember | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_AsiaPacificIronOreMember
Impairment | (73.5)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_AsiaPacificIronOreMember | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_AsiaPacificIronOreMember
Impact of foreign currency translation | 1.0 us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_AsiaPacificIronOreMember | (12.0)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_AsiaPacificIronOreMember
Ending Balance | 0 us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_AsiaPacificIronOreMember | 72.5 us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_AsiaPacificIronOreMember
Accumulated Goodwill Impairment Loss | (73.5)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_AsiaPacificIronOreMember | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_AsiaPacificIronOreMember
Other Segment [Member] |  |
Goodwill [Roll Forward] |  |
Beginning Balance | 0 us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_OtherSegmentMember | 80.9 us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_OtherSegmentMember
Arising in business combinations | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_OtherSegmentMember | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_OtherSegmentMember
Impairment |  | 80.9 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_OtherSegmentMember
Impact of foreign currency translation | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_OtherSegmentMember | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_OtherSegmentMember
Ending Balance | 0 us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_OtherSegmentMember | 0 us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_OtherSegmentMember
Accumulated Goodwill Impairment Loss | (80.9)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_OtherSegmentMember | (80.9)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = clf_OtherSegmentMember
Other Segment [Member] |  |
Goodwill [Roll Forward] |  |
Impairment | $ 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss / clf_ReportingUnitAxis = clf_OtherSegmentMember |

X
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