Restructuring Programs (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			12 Months Ended	9 Months Ended														9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program	Dec. 31, 2011 2011/2012 Restructuring Program	Sep. 30, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment		Sep. 30, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment Employee termination benefit costs		Sep. 30, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment Cost to exit activities		Sep. 30, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment Employee termination benefit costs		Sep. 30, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Rail Segment Employee termination benefit costs		Sep. 30, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Corporate Employee termination benefit costs		Sep. 30, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Minimum	Sep. 30, 2012 Fourth Quarter 2010 Harsco Infrastructure Program	Sep. 30, 2012 Fourth Quarter 2010 Harsco Infrastructure Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment	Sep. 30, 2012 Fourth Quarter 2010 Harsco Infrastructure Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment Employee termination benefit costs	Sep. 30, 2012 Fourth Quarter 2010 Harsco Infrastructure Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment Cost to exit activities	Sep. 30, 2012 Fourth Quarter 2010 Harsco Infrastructure Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment Other	Sep. 30, 2012 Prior Restructuring Programs Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment	Sep. 30, 2012 Prior Restructuring Programs Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment Employee termination benefit costs	Sep. 30, 2012 Prior Restructuring Programs Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment Cost to exit activities
Restructuring Programs
Pre-tax charges	$ 8,454,000	$ 4,546,000	$ 73,563,000	$ 11,804,000		$ 101,000,000
Additional charges expected to be incurred in 2012					16,000,000
Overall cost savings expected in 2012																			36,000,000
Overall cost savings expected in 2013																			65,000,000
Restructuring accrual related activity
Accrual, balance at the beginning of the period					30,471,000		17,333,000	[1]	14,500,000		2,833,000		12,737,000		50,000		351,000				12,147,000	211,000	11,929,000	7,000	2,007,000	1,280,000	727,000
Additional Expenses Incurred					57,386,000		55,503,000	[1],[2]	15,326,000	[2]	40,177,000	[2]	1,447,000	[2]	67,000	[2]	369,000	[2]			(1,026,000)	(208,000)	(813,000)	(5,000)	77,000	26,000	51,000
Non-Cash Charges / Adjustments					157,000		157,000	[1]	(326,000)		483,000		0		0		0
Cash Expenditures					(65,593,000)		(55,849,000)	[1]	(21,114,000)		(34,735,000)		(8,964,000)		(105,000)		(675,000)				(3,727,000)	0	(3,727,000)	0	(249,000)	(114,000)	(135,000)
Foreign Currency Translation					440,000		433,000	[1]	404,000		29,000		7,000		0		0				(157,000)	(3,000)	(152,000)	(2,000)	51,000	53,000	(2,000)
Remaining Accrual, balance at the end of the period					22,861,000	30,471,000	17,577,000	[1]	8,790,000		8,787,000		5,227,000		12,000		45,000				7,237,000	0	7,237,000	0	1,886,000	1,245,000	641,000
Non-cash product rationalization expense							16,200,000
Proceeds from asset sales under the 2011/2012 Restructuring Program			42,889,000	37,180,000			16,400,000
Remaining amount of accrual expected to be paid related to multiemployer plan withdrawal liabilities through 2023																				6,000,000
Portion of restructuring accrual expected to be paid throughout 2012																					25.00%
Remaining portion of restructuring accrual related to exit activity costs for lease terminations expected to be paid over the remaining life of the leases											$ 7,000,000

[1] The table does not include $16.2 million of non-cash product rationalization expense or $16.4 million of proceeds from asset sales under the 2011/2012 Restructuring Program for this Segment as these items did not impact the restructuring accrual during the nine months ended September 30, 2012.

[2] Includes principally the recognition of additional expenses due to timing considerations under U.S. GAAP, as well as adjustments to previously recorded restructuring charges resulting from changes in facts and circumstances in the implementation of these activities.