The amount are allowed to be offset against outstanding income tax liabilities due to the withholding tax rage changed.

No definition available.

Name:	cmcl_AmountOffsetAgainstOutstandingIncomeTaxLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	cmcl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount increase to income tax liability related to Voluntary Disclosure Permission agreement wiht the South African Revenue Services.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cmcl_IncreaseToIncomeTaxLiabilityRelatingToVoluntaryDisclosurePermissionAgreement
Namespace Prefix:	cmcl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the management fee withholding tax.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cmcl_ManagementFeeWithholdingTax
Namespace Prefix:	cmcl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of non-deductible withholding tax.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cmcl_NondeductibleWithholdingTax
Namespace Prefix:	cmcl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cmcl_StatementLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	cmcl_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The applicable income tax rate.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 12
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 81
-Subparagraph c
-Clause ii
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=12&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_81_c_ii&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ApplicableTaxRate
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of deferred tax assets net of deferred tax liabilities, when the absolute amount of deferred tax assets is greater than the absolute amount of deferred tax liabilities. [Refer: Deferred tax assets; Deferred tax liabilities]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 12
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 81
-Subparagraph g
-Clause i
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=12&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_81_g_i&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_NetDeferredTaxAssets
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of deferred tax liabilities net of deferred tax assets, when the absolute amount of deferred tax liabilities is greater than the absolute amount of deferred tax assets. [Refer: Deferred tax assets; Deferred tax liabilities]

+ References

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_NetDeferredTaxLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The tax rate effect on the reconciliation between the average effective tax rate and the applicable tax rate resulting from the expenses not deductible in determining taxable profit. [Refer: Average effective tax rate; Applicable tax rate]

+ References

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_TaxRateEffectOfExpenseNotDeductibleInDeterminingTaxableProfitTaxLoss
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The tax rate effect on the reconciliation between the average effective tax rate and the applicable tax rate resulting from the application of foreign tax rates. [Refer: Average effective tax rate; Applicable tax rate]

+ References

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_TaxRateEffectOfForeignTaxRates
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_TemporaryDifferenceUnusedTaxLossesAndUnusedTaxCreditsAxis=cmcl_SouthAfricanOperationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_TemporaryDifferenceUnusedTaxLossesAndUnusedTaxCreditsAxis=cmcl_ZimbabweanOperationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=cmcl_ZimbabweAreaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_ZA
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Note 16 - Tax Expense (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
	Feb. 01, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Statement Line Items [Line Items]
Applicable tax rate		0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Tax rate effect of expense not deductible in determining taxable profit (tax loss)		15.00%	15.00%
Net deferred tax assets		$ 98	$ 65
Net deferred tax liabilities		23,328	19,620
South African operations [member]
Statement Line Items [Line Items]
Net deferred tax assets		98	65
Zimbabwean operations [member]
Statement Line Items [Line Items]
Net deferred tax liabilities		$ 23,328	$ 19,620
Zimbabwe Area [member]
Statement Line Items [Line Items]
Tax rate effect of foreign tax rates		25.75%
Management fee withholding tax		5.00%	15.00%	15.00%
Amount offset against outstanding income tax liabilities	$ 395
Non-deductible withholding tax			$ 269
SOUTH AFRICA
Statement Line Items [Line Items]
Tax rate effect of foreign tax rates		28.00%
Increase to income tax liability relating to Voluntary Disclosure Permission agreement		$ 220