Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Goodwill

Changes in the carrying value of goodwill by reportable segment during the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, except for the Resources segment, which includes only the Molycorp Mountain Pass facility that has no goodwill, were as follows (in thousands):

	January 1, 2011	Goodwill Acquired		December 31, 2011		Goodwill Acquired		Impairment			December 31, 2012
Chemicals and Oxides	—	$	728	$	728	$	285,633	$	(161,132	)	$	125,229
Magnetic Materials and Alloys	—	1,977		1,977		213,525		(112,694		)	102,808
Rare Metals	—	727		727		27,046		(16,068		)	11,705
Total	—	$	3,432	$	3,432	$	526,204	$	(289,894	)	$	239,742

Schedule of amortizable intangible assets

At December 31, 2012 and 2011, intangible assets consisted of the following (in thousands):

	Customer relationships		Rare earth quotas		Patents			Trade names		Land use rights		Other		Total
Gross carrying amount
At January 1, 2012	$	2,669	—		—			$	786	—		—		$	3,455
Additions	342,105		78,300		39,252			14,800		3,568		4,420		482,445
Impairment	—		—		(6,000		)	—		—		—		(6,000		)
At December 31, 2012	$	344,774	$	78,300	$	33,252		$	15,586	$	3,568	$	4,420	$	479,900
Amortization
At January 1, 2012	$	170	—		—			$	213	—		—		$	383
Amortization	13,925		4,035		9,365			939		66		249		28,579
At December 31, 2012	14,095		4,035		9,365			1,152		66		249		28,962
Net book value	$	330,679	$	74,265	$	23,887		$	14,434	$	3,502	$	4,171	$	450,938

	Customer relationships		Rare earth quotas	Patents	Trade names		Land use rights	Other	Total
Gross carrying amount
At January 1, 2011	—		—	—	$	786	—	—	$	786
Additions	2,669		—	—	—		—	—	2,669
At December 31, 2011	$	2,669	—	—	$	786	—	—	$	3,455
Amortization
At January 1, 2011	—		—	—	$	147	—	—	$	147
Amortization	170		—	—	66		—	—	236
At December 31, 2011	170		—	—	213		—	—	383
Net book value	$	2,499	—	—	$	573	—	—	$	3,072

Schedule of Expected Amortization Expense

Amortization expense for the next five years and thereafter is expected to be as follows (in millions):

2013	$	44.7
2014	37.0
2015	33.8
2016	32.2
2017	30.9
Thereafter	257.6