GUARANTOR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS: (Details 3) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 491.1	$ 1,273.6	$ 97.9	$ 321.5
Accounts receivable, net	553.1	474.3
Inventories	813.2	822.9
Deferred income taxes	11.6	10.6
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	80.8	85.1
Total current assets	1,949.8	2,666.5
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,686.8	1,715.4
Goodwill	841.2	864.8
Other intangible assets, net	419.4	445.8
Deferred financing costs, net	31.1	51.7
Deferred income taxes	175.7	171.8
Other assets	66.1	57.7
Total assets	5,170.1	5,973.7
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	225.3	233.3
Income taxes payable	28.6	33.1
Accrued compensation	111.2	105.5
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	173.3	152.0
Deferred income taxes	5.3	3.6
Long-term debt, current portion	43.2	553.7
Total current liabilities	586.9	1,081.2
Long-term debt	2,178.8	2,198.1
Pension and related liabilities	558.6	576.6
Deferred income taxes	74.0	72.0
Other liabilities	119.1	123.6
Total liabilities	3,517.4	4,051.5
Restricted stock units	16.2	12.5
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. stockholders' equity:
Common stock	0.8	0.8
Paid-in capital	1,242.3	1,243.1
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(88.0)	(14.3)
Retained earnings (deficit)	415.7	428.4
Treasury stock, at cost	(90.8)	(1.4)
Total Rockwood Holdings, Inc. stockholders' equity	1,480.0	1,656.6
Noncontrolling interest	156.5	253.1
Total equity	1,636.5	1,909.7	1,807.8	1,658.4
Total liabilities and equity	5,170.1	5,973.7
Parent company
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents			47.1	42.7
Investment in subsidiary	1,584.0	1,645.7
Intergroup receivable	74.9	70.3
Total assets	1,658.9	1,716.0
Current liabilities:
Intergroup payables	146.1	30.2
Total current liabilities	146.1	30.2
Intergroup payable	16.6	16.7
Total liabilities	162.7	46.9
Restricted stock units	16.2	12.5
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. stockholders' equity:
Common stock	0.8	0.8
Paid-in capital	1,242.3	1,243.1
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(88.0)	(14.3)
Retained earnings (deficit)	415.7	428.4
Treasury stock, at cost	(90.8)	(1.4)
Total Rockwood Holdings, Inc. stockholders' equity	1,480.0	1,656.6
Total equity	1,480.0	1,656.6
Total liabilities and equity	1,658.9	1,716.0
Issuer
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	110.6	665.3
Intergroup receivables	393.9	263.0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0.1
Total current assets	504.6	928.3
Investment in subsidiary	1,195.7	1,223.6
Intergroup receivable	2,057.8	1,550.4
Deferred financing costs, net	20.6	21.9
Deferred income taxes	134.6	130.9
Total assets	3,913.3	3,855.1
Current liabilities:
Intergroup payables	2.0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	33.4	20.6
Deferred income taxes	0.8	0.7
Long-term debt, current portion	35.0	30.6
Total current liabilities	71.2	51.9
Long-term debt	2,126.0	2,143.5
Intergroup payable	120.0	2.1
Other liabilities	12.1	11.9
Total liabilities	2,329.3	2,209.4
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. stockholders' equity:
Paid-in capital	1,037.1	1,044.0
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(86.7)	(13.0)
Retained earnings (deficit)	633.6	614.7
Total Rockwood Holdings, Inc. stockholders' equity	1,584.0	1,645.7
Total equity	1,584.0	1,645.7
Total liabilities and equity	3,913.3	3,855.1
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	462.7	299.3	(6.1)	30.1
Accounts receivable, net	85.8	73.3
Intergroup receivables	167.2	41.2
Inventories	144.3	133.1
Deferred income taxes	1.9	1.9
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	9.3	14.6
Total current assets	871.2	563.4
Property, plant and equipment, net	268.0	269.0
Investment in subsidiary	452.5	441.7
Goodwill	17.1	17.1
Intergroup receivable	145.8	146.4
Other intangible assets, net	51.9	55.3
Deferred financing costs, net	4.8	5.1
Deferred income taxes	12.0	11.9
Other assets	0.7	0.7
Total assets	1,824.0	1,510.6
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	28.2	32.4
Intergroup payables	862.3	560.8
Income taxes payable	0.1
Accrued compensation	11.1	16.5
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	37.2	30.8
Total current liabilities	938.9	640.5
Pension and related liabilities	21.8	21.8
Intergroup payable	560.6	559.5
Other liabilities	27.1	27.7
Total liabilities	1,548.4	1,249.5
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. stockholders' equity:
Common stock	190.6	190.6
Paid-in capital	501.1	505.8
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	2.4	2.3
Retained earnings (deficit)	(418.5)	(437.6)
Total Rockwood Holdings, Inc. stockholders' equity	275.6	261.1
Total equity	275.6	261.1
Total liabilities and equity	1,824.0	1,510.6
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1,008.9	1,258.1	56.9	248.7
Accounts receivable, net	467.3	401.0
Intergroup receivables	14.3	9.9
Inventories	675.7	696.1
Deferred income taxes	8.9	8.0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	71.4	70.5
Total current assets	2,246.5	2,443.6
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,418.8	1,446.4
Investment in subsidiary	1,584.0	1,645.8
Goodwill	824.1	847.7
Intergroup receivable	55.5	55.5
Other intangible assets, net	367.5	390.5
Deferred financing costs, net	5.7	24.7
Deferred income taxes	29.1	29.0
Other assets	65.4	57.0
Total assets	6,596.6	6,940.2
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	197.1	200.9
Intergroup payables	656.1	672.2
Income taxes payable	28.5	33.1
Accrued compensation	100.1	89.0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	102.7	100.6
Deferred income taxes	6.0	4.3
Long-term debt, current portion	8.2	523.1
Total current liabilities	1,098.7	1,623.2
Long-term debt	52.8	54.6
Pension and related liabilities	536.8	554.8
Intergroup payable	1,636.8	1,244.2
Deferred income taxes	74.0	72.0
Other liabilities	79.9	84.0
Total liabilities	3,479.0	3,632.8
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. stockholders' equity:
Common stock	164.7	164.7
Paid-in capital	1,681.6	1,691.1
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(55.3)	70.7
Retained earnings (deficit)	1,170.1	1,127.8
Total Rockwood Holdings, Inc. stockholders' equity	2,961.1	3,054.3
Noncontrolling interest	156.5	253.1
Total equity	3,117.6	3,307.4
Total liabilities and equity	6,596.6	6,940.2
Consolidating Adjustments
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	(1,091.1)	(949.1)
Intergroup receivables	(575.4)	(314.1)
Inventories	(6.8)	(6.3)
Deferred income taxes	0.8	0.7
Total current assets	(1,672.5)	(1,268.8)
Investment in subsidiary	(4,816.2)	(4,956.8)
Intergroup receivable	(2,334.0)	(1,822.6)
Total assets	(8,822.7)	(8,048.2)
Current liabilities:
Intergroup payables	(1,666.5)	(1,263.2)
Deferred income taxes	(1.5)	(1.4)
Total current liabilities	(1,668.0)	(1,264.6)
Intergroup payable	(2,334.0)	(1,822.5)
Total liabilities	(4,002.0)	(3,087.1)
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. stockholders' equity:
Common stock	(355.3)	(355.3)
Paid-in capital	(3,219.8)	(3,240.9)
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	139.6	(60.0)
Retained earnings (deficit)	(1,385.2)	(1,304.9)
Total Rockwood Holdings, Inc. stockholders' equity	(4,820.7)	(4,961.1)
Total equity	(4,820.7)	(4,961.1)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (8,822.7)	$ (8,048.2)