Segment and Related Information (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 02, 2016 USD ($)	Jul. 03, 2016 USD ($)	Apr. 03, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 27, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 28, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 29, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) Segment Facility	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Segment and Related Information [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments | Segment									5
Minimum number of mining or production facilities | Facility									25
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 401.3	$ 399.5	$ 427.0	$ 410.2	$ 429.9	$ 451.0	$ 463.4	$ 453.3	$ 1,638.0	$ 1,797.6	$ 1,725.0
Income from operations	56.5	67.3	39.5	57.6	37.7	49.9	52.8	59.9	220.9	200.3	168.8
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									91.9	98.3	84.4
Segment assets	2,863.4				2,980.0				2,863.4	2,980.0	3,157.5
Capital expenditures									62.4	86.0	81.8
Income from operations before provision for taxes on income [Abstract]
Income from operations	56.5	67.3	39.5	57.6	37.7	49.9	52.8	59.9	220.9	200.3	168.8
Acquisition related transaction and integration costs									(8.0)	(11.8)	(19.1)
Unallocated corporate expenses									(6.0)	(7.0)	(7.6)
Non-operating deductions, net									(50.6)	(67.7)	(45.8)
Income from continuing operations before provision for taxes on income									170.3	132.6	123.0
Reportable Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									1,638.0	1,797.6	1,725.0
Income from operations									234.9	219.1	195.5
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									91.9	98.3	84.4
Segment assets	2,821.9				2,918.1				2,821.9	2,918.1	3,112.7
Capital expenditures									60.5	85.2	81.1
Income from operations before provision for taxes on income [Abstract]
Income from operations									234.9	219.1	195.5
Corporate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment assets	41.5				61.9				41.5	61.9	44.8
Capital expenditures									1.9	0.8	0.7
Specialty Minerals [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	138.0	147.3	150.6	155.6	157.6	156.5	156.5	154.0
Specialty Minerals [Member] | Reportable Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									591.5	624.6	650.1
Income from operations									102.7	100.8	95.8
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									34.9	34.0	35.6
Segment assets	491.7				505.3				491.7	505.3	494.4
Capital expenditures									40.4	51.9	44.4
Income from operations before provision for taxes on income [Abstract]
Income from operations									102.7	100.8	95.8
Refractories [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	68.0	63.4	73.9	69.2	68.2	77.4	76.4	73.9
Refractories [Member] | Reportable Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									274.5	295.9	359.7
Income from operations									37.0	27.8	43.2
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									6.9	7.5	10.8
Segment assets	283.4				292.7				283.4	292.7	357.3
Capital expenditures									5.9	11.1	11.7
Income from operations before provision for taxes on income [Abstract]
Income from operations									37.0	27.8	43.2
Performance Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	135.7	119.5	128.6	119.0	131.3	126.5	129.1	127.9
Performance Materials [Member] | Reportable Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									502.8	514.8	352.8
Income from operations									97.5	95.9	41.0
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									30.4	31.7	18.7
Segment assets	1,606.4				1,626.0				1,606.4	1,626.0	1,584.4
Capital expenditures									11.2	9.8	7.3
Income from operations before provision for taxes on income [Abstract]
Income from operations									97.5	95.9	41.0
Construction Technologies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	39.3	49.5	53.9	40.6	39.4	49.7	52.1	38.9
Construction Technologies [Member] | Reportable Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									183.3	180.1	152.3
Income from operations									23.6	22.5	(0.8)
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									8.5	7.7	5.8
Segment assets	335.7				339.4				335.7	339.4	447.7
Capital expenditures									1.6	1.3	1.0
Income from operations before provision for taxes on income [Abstract]
Income from operations									23.6	22.5	(0.8)
Energy Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	20.3	$ 19.8	$ 20.0	$ 25.8	33.4	$ 40.9	$ 49.3	$ 58.6
Energy Services [Member] | Reportable Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									85.9	182.2	210.1
Income from operations									(25.9)	(27.9)	16.3
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									11.2	17.4	13.5
Segment assets	$ 104.7				$ 154.7				104.7	154.7	228.9
Capital expenditures									1.4	11.1	16.7
Income from operations before provision for taxes on income [Abstract]
Income from operations									$ (25.9)	$ (27.9)	$ 16.3