1.0.0.3 false Statement Of Cash Flows Indirect (USD $) In Thousands false 1 $ false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDperShareItemType Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares 0 false 2 $ false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDperShareItemType Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares 0 5 Operating activities: 3 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivitiesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 6 Net earnings (loss) 4 nue_ProfitLoss nue false credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true -318294000 -318294 false false 2 true true 1170215000 1170215 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 7 Adjustments: 4 us-gaap_AdjustmentsToReconcileIncomeLossToNetCashProvidedByUsedInContinuingOperationsAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 8 Depreciation 5 us-gaap_Depreciation us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 242475000 242475 false false 2 false true 231232000 231232 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 9 Amortization 5 us-gaap_AdjustmentForAmortization us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 36001000 36001 false false 2 false true 32066000 32066 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 10 Stock-based compensation 5 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 31660000 31660 false false 2 false true 31148000 31148 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 11 Deferred income taxes 5 us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -31659000 -31659 false false 2 false true -66881000 -66881 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 12 Changes in assets and liabilities (exclusive of acquisitions): 4 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOperatingCapitalAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 13 Accounts receivable 5 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivable us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 278055000 278055 false false 2 false true -591318000 -591318 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 14 Inventories 5 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1147421000 1147421 false false 2 false true -570570000 -570570 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 15 Accounts payable 5 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayable us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -121847000 -121847 false false 2 false true 494549000 494549 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 16 Federal income taxes 5 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedIncomeTaxesPayable us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -285735000 -285735 false false 2 false true 123517000 123517 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 17 Salaries, wages and related accruals 5 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInEmployeeRelatedLiabilities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -392276000 -392276 false false 2 false true -14505000 -14505 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 18 Other 5 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherOperatingCapitalNet us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 51323000 51323 false false 2 false true -11214000 -11214 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 19 Cash provided by operating activities 4 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities us-gaap true na duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 637124000 637124 false false 2 false true 828239000 828239 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 20 Investing activities: 3 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivitiesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 21 Capital expenditures 4 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -240428000 -240428 false false 2 false true -501669000 -501669 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 22 Investment in and advances to affiliates 4 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireInterestInSubsidiariesAndAffiliates us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -57904000 -57904 false false 2 false true -27903000 -27903 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 23 Disposition of plant and equipment 4 us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 8610000 8610 false false 2 false true 6551000 6551 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 24 Acquisitions (net of cash acquired) 4 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -24714000 -24714 false false 2 false true -1591817000 -1591817 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 25 Purchases of investments 4 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireInvestments us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -136389000 -136389 false false 2 false true -209605000 -209605 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 26 Proceeds from the sale of investments 4 us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleMaturityAndCollectionsOfInvestments us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 392055000 392055 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 27 Proceeds from currency derivative contracts 4 nue_ProceedsFromCurrencyDerivatives nue false debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 1441862000 1441862 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 28 Settlement of currency derivative contracts 4 nue_PaymentsForCurrencyDerivatives nue false credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true -1424292000 -1424292 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 29 Cash used in investing activities 4 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -450825000 -450825 false false 2 false true -1914818000 -1914818 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 30 Financing activities: 3 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivitiesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 31 Net change in short-term debt 4 us-gaap_ProceedsFromRepaymentsOfShortTermDebt us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -2694000 -2694 false false 2 false true -21429000 -21429 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 32 Proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt 4 us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 989715000 989715 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 33 Repayment of long-term debt 4 us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -175000000 -175000 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 34 Issuance of common stock 4 us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1518000 1518 false false 2 false true 1994565000 1994565 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 35 Bond issuance costs 4 us-gaap_PaymentsOfDebtIssuanceCosts us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true -6937000 -6937 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 36 Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation 4 us-gaap_ExcessTaxBenefitFromShareBasedCompensationFinancingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -700000 -700 false false 2 false true 9200000 9200 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 37 Distributions to noncontrolling interests 4 us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsMinorityInterest us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -83223000 -83223 false false 2 false true -153218000 -153218 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 38 Cash dividends 4 us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -221127000 -221127 false false 2 false true -327380000 -327380 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 39 Cash provided by (used in) financing activities 4 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -481226000 -481226 false false 2 false true 2484516000 2484516 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 40 Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 3 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease us-gaap true na duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -294927000 -294927 false false 2 false true 1397937000 1397937 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 41 Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of year 3 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false true false false 1 false true 2355130000 2355130 false false 2 false true 1393943000 1393943 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 42 Cash and cash equivalents - end of six months 3 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false true false 1 true true 2060203000 2060203 false false 2 true true 2791880000 2791880 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false false 2 38 false Thousands UnKnown UnKnown false true