Other Expenses (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net gains	$ (4,657,000)	$ (5,848,000)	$ (6,162,000)
Contingent consideration adjustments	0	0	3,966,000
Employee termination benefit costs	3,928,000	31,158,000	36,174,000
Costs to exit activities	5,382,000	38,626,000	10,007,000
Currency translation adjustments recognized in earnings		10,900,000
Product line rationalization		24,966,000	66,063,000
Impaired asset write-downs	9,688,000	7,152,000	0
Other (income) expense, miscellaneous	769,000	(2,278,000)	624,000
Other (income) expenses	15,110,000	93,776,000	102,740,000
Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net gains	(1,043,000)	(2,449,000)	(1,666,000)
Employee termination benefit costs	3,561,000	8,082,000	18,533,000
Costs to exit activities	2,705,000	3,627,000	1,313,000
Impaired asset write-downs	689,000	7,152,000	0
Harsco Infrastructure [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net gains	(2,864,000)	(2,198,000)	(3,607,000)
Employee termination benefit costs	(326,000)	17,291,000	16,546,000
Costs to exit activities	(254,000)	34,820,000	8,694,000
Impaired asset write-downs		0	0
Harsco Industrial [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net gains	(750,000)	(1,089,000)	(889,000)
Employee termination benefit costs	115,000	418,000	423,000
Harsco Rail [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Employee termination benefit costs	235,000	245,000	296,000
Impaired asset write-downs	8,999,000
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net gains	0	(112,000)	0
Employee termination benefit costs	343,000	5,122,000	376,000
Costs to exit activities	$ 2,931,000	$ 179,000	$ 0