Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Other Intangibles (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Asset Value, Beginning of Period	$ 129,873
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other	(114,434)
Gross Asset Value, End of Period	2,050,064
Accumulated Amortization, Beginning of Period	(85,748)
Amortization	(19,913)us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other	3,932
Accumulated Amortization, End of Period	(101,729)
Net Book Value	1,948,335	44,125
Customer lists and relationships
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Asset Value, Beginning of Period	48,479
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other	(64,318)
Gross Asset Value, End of Period	1,400,558
Accumulated Amortization, Beginning of Period	(22,931)
Amortization	(13,003)
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other	1,318
Accumulated Amortization, End of Period	(34,616)
Net Book Value	1,365,942	25,548
Trade names and trademarks
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Asset Value, Beginning of Period	17,555
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other	(27,723)
Gross Asset Value, End of Period	352,952
Accumulated Amortization, Beginning of Period	(7,912)
Amortization	(3,521)
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other	380
Accumulated Amortization, End of Period	(11,053)
Net Book Value	341,899	9,643
Patents and technology
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Asset Value, Beginning of Period	40,398
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other	(19,855)
Gross Asset Value, End of Period	248,521
Accumulated Amortization, Beginning of Period	(32,831)
Amortization	(3,282)
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other	1,765
Accumulated Amortization, End of Period	(34,348)
Net Book Value	214,173	7,567
Other
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Asset Value, Beginning of Period	23,441
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other	(2,538)
Gross Asset Value, End of Period	48,033
Accumulated Amortization, Beginning of Period	(22,074)
Amortization	(107)
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other	469
Accumulated Amortization, End of Period	(21,712)
Net Book Value	26,321	1,367
Rockwood Holdings, Inc.
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets	1,956,760
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. \| Customer lists and relationships
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets	1,339,860
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. \| Trade names and trademarks
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets	363,120
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. \| Patents and technology
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets	226,650
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. \| Other
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets	27,130
Shanghai Chemetall
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets	77,865
Shanghai Chemetall \| Customer lists and relationships
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets	76,537
Shanghai Chemetall \| Trade names and trademarks
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets	0
Shanghai Chemetall \| Patents and technology
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets	1,328
Shanghai Chemetall \| Other
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets	$ 0

Finite lived intangible assets accumulated amortization foreign exchange impact.

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- Definition

The aggregate expense charged against earnings to allocate the cost of intangible assets (nonphysical assets not used in production) in a systematic and rational manner to the periods expected to benefit from such assets. As a noncash expense, this element is added back to net income when calculating cash provided by or used in operations using the indirect method.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-Subparagraph (b)

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- Definition

Accumulated amount of amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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- Definition

Amount before amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

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Amount of increase (decrease) to assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life for purchase accounting adjustments.

+ References

No definition available.

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Amount of increase (decrease) to assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life for foreign currency translation adjustments.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Sum of the carrying amounts of all intangible assets, excluding goodwill, as of the balance sheet date, net of accumulated amortization and impairment charges.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

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