Segment Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 segment		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010 segment
Segment Information
Number of segments											4				1
Sales:
Revenues:											$ 528,910,000		$ 396,831,000		$ 35,157,000
Total revenues	134,259,000		205,604,000	104,577,000	84,470,000	132,905,000		138,050,000	99,615,000	26,261,000	528,910,000		396,831,000		35,157,000
Depreciation, amortization and accretion											(53,125,000)		(15,227,000)		(6,927,000)
Operating (loss) income											(467,886,000)		152,866,000		(51,178,000)
(Loss) income before income taxes and equity earnings	(382,779,000)		(43,745,000)	(93,970,000)	(5,434,000)	42,607,000		64,157,000	42,143,000	(1,999,000)	(525,928,000)		146,910,000		(50,774,000)
Total assets	2,992,535,000					1,255,125,000					2,992,535,000		1,255,125,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions											843,061,000	[1]	409,217,000	[1]
Resources
Sales:
Revenues:											88,870,000		253,563,000
Total revenues											96,126,000		308,718,000
Depreciation, amortization and accretion											(13,991,000)		(10,553,000)
Operating (loss) income											(70,220,000)		218,549,000
(Loss) income before income taxes and equity earnings											(70,469,000)		218,391,000
Total assets	1,802,842,000					824,712,000					1,802,842,000		824,712,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions											814,054,000	[1]	401,047,000	[1]
Chemicals and Oxides
Sales:
Revenues:											181,849,000		40,216,000
Total revenues											207,566,000		54,118,000
Depreciation, amortization and accretion											(13,110,000)		(1,958,000)
Operating (loss) income											(191,059,000)		8,700,000
(Loss) income before income taxes and equity earnings											(190,094,000)		5,785,000
Total assets	639,847,000					46,368,000					639,847,000		46,368,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions											10,910,000	[1]	8,170,000	[1]
Magnetic Materials and Alloys
Sales:
Revenues:											179,335,000		56,772,000
Total revenues											179,335,000		56,772,000
Depreciation, amortization and accretion											(19,737,000)		(236,000)
Operating (loss) income											(125,543,000)		2,331,000
(Loss) income before income taxes and equity earnings											(126,981,000)		2,336,000
Total assets	593,197,000					30,061,000					593,197,000		30,061,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions											5,614,000	[1]	0	[1]
Rare Metals
Sales:
Revenues:											78,856,000		46,280,000
Total revenues											78,856,000		46,280,000
Depreciation, amortization and accretion											(6,154,000)		(2,449,000)
Operating (loss) income											(20,408,000)		2,131,000
(Loss) income before income taxes and equity earnings											(19,918,000)		(634,000)
Total assets	117,961,000					71,634,000					117,961,000		71,634,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions											10,750,000	[1]	0	[1]
Intersegment Eliminations
Sales:
Revenues:											0		0
Total revenues											(32,973,000)		(69,057,000)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion											0		0
Operating (loss) income											24,803,000	[2]	(27,443,000)	[2]
(Loss) income before income taxes and equity earnings											24,803,000	[2]	(27,443,000)	[2]
Total assets	(187,567,000)	[2]				(143,730,000)	[2]				(187,567,000)	[2]	(143,730,000)	[2]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions											0	[1]	0	[1]
Intercompany Costs											(57,776,000)		(41,614,000)
Corporate and other
Sales:
Depreciation, amortization and accretion											(133,000)	[3]	(31,000)	[3]
Operating (loss) income											(85,459,000)	[3]	(51,402,000)	[3]
(Loss) income before income taxes and equity earnings											(143,269,000)	[3]	(51,525,000)	[3]
Total assets	26,255,000	[3]				426,080,000	[3]				26,255,000	[3]	426,080,000	[3]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions											1,733,000	[1],[3]	0	[1],[3]
Intersegment Eliminations
Sales:
Revenues:											0		0
Intersegment Eliminations | Resources
Sales:
Revenues:											7,256,000		55,155,000
Intersegment Eliminations | Chemicals and Oxides
Sales:
Revenues:											25,717,000		13,902,000
Intersegment Eliminations | Magnetic Materials and Alloys
Sales:
Revenues:											0		0
Intersegment Eliminations | Rare Metals
Sales:
Revenues:											0		0
Intersegment Eliminations | Intersegment Eliminations
Sales:
Revenues:											$ (32,973,000)		$ (69,057,000)

[1] On an accrual basis excluding capitalized interest.

[2] The net elimination in operating results includes costs of sales eliminations of $57,776 and $41,614 for the year ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively, which consist of intercompany gross profits as well as eliminations of lower of cost or market adjustments related to intercompany inventory. The total assets elimination is comprised primarily of intercompany investments and intercompany accounts receivable and profits in inventory.

[3] Corporate loss before income taxes and equity earnings includes business development costs, personnel and related costs, including stock-based compensation expense, accounting and legal fees, occupancy expense, information technology costs and interest expense. Other consists of nominal expenses incurred by the sales office in Tokyo, Japan. Total corporate assets is comprised primarily of cash and cash equivalents, the investment in the sales office in Tokyo and deferred tax assets