Contingencies - Tronox Litigation (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended					3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 Tronox Plan Reorganization [Member] Tronox Environmental Response and Litigation Trust [Member] Governmental Entities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Tronox Plan Reorganization [Member] Tronox Tort Claims Trust [Member] Certain Creditors Asserting Tort Claims Against Tronox [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Tronox Litigation [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Tronox Litigation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Tronox Litigation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Tronox Litigation [Member] Principal Portion of Maximum Loss Range [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Tronox Litigation [Member] Minimum [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages sought, including interest										$ 18,900,000,000
Proposed percentage of proceeds from the Adversary Proceeding				88.00%	12.00%
Loss contingency accrual at carrying value, increase (decrease) in the period	(250,000,000)	250,000,000	(95,000,000)			(525,000,000)	275,000,000
Loss contingency accrual at carrying value	49,000,000	342,000,000					525,000,000	0
Range of potential loss, minimum								0
Range of potential loss, maximum								$ 1,400,000,000	$ 985,000,000