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Investments in Privately-Held Companies (Details)			1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
Investments in Privately-Held Companies (Details)	Jun. 15, 2018 USD ($) installment	Nov. 02, 2017 USD ($)	May 31, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) employee entity subsidiary	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) employee subsidiary	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) employee entity subsidiary	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) employee entity subsidiary	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) employee entity subsidiary	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 01, 2019 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2019	Mar. 11, 2019	Mar. 10, 2019	Aug. 31, 2018	Jun. 14, 2018	Nov. 01, 2017
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments, equity method					$ 6,094,000			$ 6,094,000		$ 3,958,000
Proceeds from sale of previously consolidated subsidiary shares								366,000
Gain on deconsolidation								175,000
Additional percentage of ownership, consolidated method				2			2		2
Payment of first installment								262,000	$ 415,000
Noncontrolling interests					4,536,000			4,536,000		3,697,000
Remainder portion of payment					$ 151,000			$ 151,000		1,147,000
Number of persons on board \| employee				1			1		1
Number of consolidated joint ventures \| subsidiary				1	1		1	1	1
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests					$ 403,000		$ 208,000	$ 771,000	$ 1,173,000
Impairment charge					0	$ 1,100,000		$ 1,100,000		0
Impaired entities \| entity								1
Joint Ventures
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Number of consolidated joint ventures \| entity				3			3		3
Income from consolidated joint ventures					1,100,000		$ 1,300,000	$ 2,600,000	$ 4,800,000
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests					400,000		200,000	800,000	1,200,000
Net income (loss) from joint ventures attributable to parent					(700,000)		$ 1,100,000	(1,800,000)	$ 3,600,000
Other assets
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments, equity method					$ 6,100,000			$ 6,100,000		8,400,000
Xilingol Tongli Germanium Co. Ltd Investment
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Percentage of ownership, equity method (in hundredths)					25.00%			25.00%
Direct minority investments not consolidated \| entity								1
Donghai County Dongfang High Purity Electronic Materials Co., Ltd Investment \| Donghai County Dongfang High Purity Electronic Materials Co., Ltd Investment
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments, equity method					$ 1,317,000			$ 1,317,000		1,416,000
Percentage of ownership, equity method (in hundredths)					46.00%			46.00%
Beijing JiYa Semiconductor Material Co., Ltd Investment \| Beijing JiYa Semiconductor Material Co., Ltd Investment
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments, equity method					$ 1,803,000			$ 1,803,000
Percentage of ownership, equity method (in hundredths)					39.00%			39.00%
Xilingol Tongli Germanium Co. Ltd Investment \| Xilingol Tongli Germanium Co. Ltd Investment
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments, equity method					$ 0			$ 0		1,700,000
Percentage of ownership, equity method (in hundredths)					25.00%			25.00%
Xiaoyi XingAn Gallium Co., Ltd. \| Xiaoyi XingAn Gallium Co., Ltd.
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments, consolidated method					$ 2,277,000			$ 2,277,000
Percentage of ownership, equity method (in hundredths)					25.00%			25.00%
Emeishan Jia Mei High Purity Metals Co., Ltd Investment \| Emeishan Jia Mei High Purity Metals Co., Ltd Investment
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments, equity method					$ 697,000			$ 697,000		842,000
Percentage of ownership, equity method (in hundredths)					25.00%			25.00%
Beijing JiYa Semiconductor Material Co., Ltd Investment
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Percentage of ownership, consolidated method (in hundredths)													39.00%	46.00%
Nanjing JinMei Gallium Co., Ltd Investment
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Percentage of ownership, consolidated method (in hundredths)			100.00%									97.00%
Nanjing JinMei Gallium Co., Ltd
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Number of new board representatives \| employee								2
Beijing Boyu Semiconductor Vessel Craftwork Technology Co Ltd
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Number of persons on board \| employee					2			2
Majority-Owned Subsidiaries
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments, consolidated method					$ 1,938,000			$ 1,938,000		5,269,000
Nanjing JinMei Gallium Co., Ltd Investment
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments, consolidated method					$ 592,000			$ 592,000		592,000
Additional percentage of ownership, consolidated method	12		3
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interest	$ 1,400,000		$ 413,000	$ 252,000
Number of installments \| installment	2
Payment of first installment	$ 163,000		262,000
Payment of second installment			1,200,000
Noncontrolling interests											$ 0
Remainder portion of payment			$ 151,000
Nanjing JinMei Gallium Co., Ltd Investment \| Nanjing JinMei Gallium Co., Ltd Investment
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Percentage of ownership, consolidated method (in hundredths)					100.00%			100.00%							95.00%	83.00%
Beijing JiYa Semiconductor Material Co., Ltd Investment
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments, consolidated method										3,331,000
Beijing JiYa Semiconductor Material Co., Ltd Investment \| Beijing JiYa Semiconductor Material Co., Ltd Investment
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Percentage of ownership, consolidated method (in hundredths)					46.00%			46.00%
Beijing BoYu Semiconductor Vessel Craftwork Technology Co., Ltd Investment
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments, consolidated method					$ 1,346,000			$ 1,346,000		$ 1,346,000
Gain (loss) from equity transaction		$ 0
Beijing BoYu Semiconductor Vessel Craftwork Technology Co., Ltd Investment \| 3rd party investor
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Percentage ownership from issuance of shares		10.00%
Raised additional capital		$ 2,000,000
Beijing BoYu Semiconductor Vessel Craftwork Technology Co., Ltd Investment \| Beijing BoYu Semiconductor Vessel Craftwork Technology Co., Ltd Investment
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Percentage of ownership, consolidated method (in hundredths)					63.00%			63.00%									70.00%