Contingencies - Guarantees and Indemnifications (Detail) (USD $)						12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 Tronox Litigation [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Tronox Litigation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Master Separation Agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Master Separation Agreement [Member] Tronox Litigation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Indemnification Agreement [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Percentage of qualifying environmental-remediation costs reimbursed by others					50.00%
Maximum aggregate reimbursement obligation for Tronox					$ 100,000,000
Reversal of Tronox reimbursement obligation						95,000,000
Liabilities recorded for indemnifications in relation to asset dispositions	$ 49,000,000	$ 342,000,000	$ 0	$ 525,000,000