CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 03, 2016	Jun. 28, 2015	Jul. 03, 2016	Jun. 28, 2015
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited) [Abstract]
Product sales	$ 407.0	$ 414.1	$ 791.4	$ 808.8
Service revenue	20.0	49.3	45.8	107.9
Total net sales	427.0	463.4	837.2	916.7
Cost of goods sold	291.2	300.6	568.8	593.5
Cost of service revenue	14.7	36.6	34.6	80.4
Total cost of sales	305.9	337.2	603.4	673.9
Production margin	121.1	126.2	233.8	242.8
Marketing and administrative expenses	45.1	48.1	91.8	95.5
Research and development expenses	6.1	5.8	12.0	11.7
Acquisition related transaction and integration costs	1.6	2.7	3.2	6.1
Restructuring and other charges	28.8	16.8	29.7	16.8
Income from operations	39.5	52.8	97.1	112.7
Interest expense, net	(13.9)	(15.8)	(28.0)	(31.2)
Extinguishment of debt costs and fees	0.0	(4.5)	0.0	(4.5)
Other non-operating income (deductions), net	0.6	(0.2)	2.3	3.0
Total non-operating deductions, net	(13.3)	(20.5)	(25.7)	(32.7)
Income from continuing operations before provision for taxes and equity in earnings	26.2	32.3	71.4	80.0
Provision for taxes on income	4.5	5.3	15.2	17.4
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of tax	0.6	0.5	0.9	0.9
Consolidated net income	22.3	27.5	57.1	63.5
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests	1.1	0.9	2.0	1.8
Net income attributable to Minerals Technologies Inc. (MTI)	$ 21.2	$ 26.6	$ 55.1	$ 61.7
Basic:
Income from continuing operations attributable to MTI (in dollars per share)	$ 0.61	$ 0.77	$ 1.58	$ 1.78
Diluted:
Income from continuing operations attributable to MTI (in dollars per share)	0.60	0.76	1.57	1.76
Cash dividends declared per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.05	$ 0.05	$ 0.10	$ 0.10
Shares used in computation of earnings per share:
Basic (in shares)	34.8	34.7	34.8	34.7
Diluted (in shares)	35.1	35.0	35.0	35.0