CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Net sales	$ 37,110	$ 35,736	$ 110,239	$ 105,755
Cost of sales	26,948	27,202	80,578	78,704
Gross margin	10,162	8,534	29,661	27,051
Selling, general and administrative expense	6,190	5,745	18,851	17,807
Other operating income (expense):
Insurance recoveries	1,197	16,142	2,604	16,600
Litigation settlement gain			14,964
Reversal of accrued contingent consideration	778		778
Patent litigation settlement gain				7,468
Patent litigation expense				(227)
Facility consolidation expense		(175)		(1,973)
Assets held for sale write-down	(405)	(1,135)	(405)	(1,135)
Corporate expense and other, net	(3,436)	(4,733)	(24,552)	(20,401)
Income from operations	2,106	12,888	4,199	9,576
Equity in earnings of Kronos Worldwide, Inc.	10,715	26,097	71,951	71,487
Other income (expense):
Interest and dividends	836	824	2,387	2,245
Interest expense	(244)	(464)	(816)	(1,288)
Income before taxes	13,413	39,345	77,721	82,020
Provision for income taxes	3,066	11,530	19,882	19,388
Net income	10,347	27,815	57,839	62,632
Noncontrolling interest in net income of subsidiary	340	141	810	872
Net income attributable to NL stockholders	$ 10,007	$ 27,674	$ 57,029	$ 61,760
Amounts attributable to NL stockholders:
Basic and diluted net income per share	$ 0.21	$ 0.57	$ 1.17	$ 1.27
Cash dividend per share	$ 0.125	$ 0.125	$ 0.375	$ 0.375
Weighted-average shares outstanding used in the calculation of net income per share	48,669	48,663	48,666	48,657