CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME [Abstract]
Product sales	$ 1,552.1	$ 1,615.4	$ 1,514.9
Service revenue	85.9	182.2	210.1
Total net sales	1,638.0	1,797.6	1,725.0
Cost of goods sold	1,117.7	1,190.0	1,141.5
Cost of service revenue	59.9	136.6	148.1
Total cost of sales	1,177.6	1,326.6	1,289.6
Production margin	460.4	471.0	435.4
Marketing and administrative expenses	179.4	190.1	182.2
Research and development expenses	23.8	23.6	24.4
Insurance / litigation settlement (gain)	0.0	0.0	(2.3)
Acquisition related transaction and integration costs	8.0	11.8	19.1
Restructuring and other items, net	28.3	45.2	43.2
Income from operations	220.9	200.3	168.8
Interest expense, net	(54.4)	(60.9)	(41.8)
Premium on early extinguishment of debt	0.0	(4.5)	(5.8)
Other non-operating income (deductions), net	3.8	(2.3)	1.8
Total non-operating deductions, net	(50.6)	(67.7)	(45.8)
Income from continuing operations before provision for taxes and equity in earnings	170.3	132.6	123.0
Provision for taxes on income	35.3	22.8	30.8
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of tax	2.1	1.8	1.2
Income from continuing operations, net of tax	137.1	111.6	93.4
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0.0	0.0	2.1
Consolidated net income	137.1	111.6	95.5
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests	3.7	3.7	3.1
Net income attributable to Minerals Technologies Inc. (MTI)	$ 133.4	$ 107.9	$ 92.4
Basic:
Income from continuing operations attributable to MTI (in dollars per share)	$ 3.82	$ 3.11	$ 2.62
Income from discontinued operations attributable to MTI (in dollars per share)	0	0	0.06
Basic earnings per share attributable to MTI (in dollars per share)	3.82	3.11	2.68
Diluted:
Income from continuing operations attributable to MTI (in dollars per share)	3.79	3.08	2.59
Income from discontinued operations attributable to MTI (in dollars per share)	0	0	0.06
Diluted earnings per share attributable to MTI (in dollars per share)	3.79	3.08	2.65
Cash dividends declared per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.20	$ 0.20	$ 0.20
Shares used in computation of earnings per share:
Basic (in shares)	34.9	34.7	34.5
Diluted (in shares)	35.2	35.0	34.8