PRIOR YEAR LEGAL SETTLEMENT RELATED TO INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Notes)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2014
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Prior Year Legal Settlement Related to Intangible Assets	PRIOR YEAR LEGAL SETTLEMENT RELATED TO INTANGIBLE ASSETS In previous years, we acquired businesses relating to the stainless steel blends market. An independent valuation consultant assessed the fair value of purchased intangibles for each acquisition. Identifiable intangibles totaling $6.2 million were originally recorded and included a trade name, a non-compete agreement, and a customer list. We amortized the trade name and non-compete agreements using a method that reflected the pattern in which the economic benefits were consumed or otherwise used over a 5-year life as stated in the agreements. We amortized the customer list on a straight-line basis over a 10-year life as estimated by management. Pursuant to a legal settlement, we canceled $144.7 thousand of our non-compete agreements balance effective February 28, 2013. A gain of $625.3 thousand was recorded as a result of this settlement. The Court case relating to the legal settlement involved the competing claims for a declaratory judgment asking the Court to determine whether a previous employee was bound by a one-year or five-year non-compete agreement. The employee's employment with us ended in December 2010. The employee's interpretation of the non-compete agreement was that it did not apply to him individually, but to a business entity previously owned by the employee. Our position was that the non-compete agreement was required to be interpreted by the Court together with an asset purchase agreement, as amended, which reference the employee and another individual receiving all of the stock and money in consideration for several promised acts, including entering into the non-compete agreement. We also sought damages from the employee for allegations he breached his non-compete agreement. The parties mediated the case successfully on January 25, 2013. Mutual releases of all claims were entered by the parties, and the employee paid us $770.0 thousand in March 2013, which released him from the non-compete agreement. Due to the continued decline in market-dependent variables, including prices of stainless steel materials, management determined we should discontinue production of stainless steel blends, a subset of the stainless steel market, in the fourth quarter of 2013. With this change in strategy, management determined the value of the intangible assets related to the stainless steel blend business was fully impaired. We recorded an impairment loss of approximately $3.5 million for the remaining value of these intangible assets in that quarter. These assets were previously included in Recycling. As of June 30, 2014, the Company has no intangible assets recorded on its balance sheet.

PRIOR YEAR LEGAL SETTLEMENT RELATED TO INTANGIBLE ASSETS

In previous years, we acquired businesses relating to the stainless steel blends market. An independent valuation consultant assessed the fair value of purchased intangibles for each acquisition. Identifiable intangibles totaling $6.2 million were originally recorded and included a trade name, a non-compete agreement, and a customer list. We amortized the trade name and non-compete agreements using a method that reflected the pattern in which the economic benefits were consumed or otherwise used over a 5-year life as stated in the agreements. We amortized the customer list on a straight-line basis over a 10-year life as estimated by management. Pursuant to a legal settlement, we canceled $144.7 thousand of our non-compete agreements balance effective February 28, 2013. A gain of $625.3 thousand was recorded as a result of this settlement.

The Court case relating to the legal settlement involved the competing claims for a declaratory judgment asking the Court to determine whether a previous employee was bound by a one-year or five-year non-compete agreement. The employee's employment with us ended in December 2010. The employee's interpretation of the non-compete agreement was that it did not apply to him individually, but to a business entity previously owned by the employee. Our position was that the non-compete agreement was required to be interpreted by the Court together with an asset purchase agreement, as amended, which reference the employee and another individual receiving all of the stock and money in consideration for several promised acts, including entering into the non-compete agreement. We also sought damages from the employee for allegations he breached his non-compete agreement. The parties mediated the case successfully on January 25, 2013. Mutual releases of all claims were entered by the parties, and the employee paid us $770.0 thousand in March 2013, which released him from the non-compete agreement.

Due to the continued decline in market-dependent variables, including prices of stainless steel materials, management determined we should discontinue production of stainless steel blends, a subset of the stainless steel market, in the fourth quarter of 2013. With this change in strategy, management determined the value of the intangible assets related to the stainless steel blend business was fully impaired. We recorded an impairment loss of approximately $3.5 million for the remaining value of these intangible assets in that quarter. These assets were previously included in Recycling. As of June 30, 2014, the Company has no intangible assets recorded on its balance sheet.