Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	$ 2,489,768	$ 477,239
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	177,387	174,954
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash flows from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	200,372	78,344
(Gain) loss associated with restructuring and other	(6,804)	6,333
Loss on disposal of businesses	0	85,515
Stock-based compensation	11,171	10,447
Excess tax benefits realized from stock-based compensation arrangements	(59)	(836)
Equity in net income of unconsolidated investments (net of tax)	(22,236)	(28,200)
Dividends received from unconsolidated investments and nonmarketable securities	57,149	37,854
Pension and postretirement (benefit) expense	(232)	21,946
Pension and postretirement contributions	(16,673)	(10,718)
Unrealized gain on investments in marketable securities	(597)	(525)
Deferred income taxes	(53,593)	(24,412)
Working capital changes	14,823	89,020
Other, net	(43,805)	(9,180)
Net cash provided by operating activities	316,903	430,542
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisition of Rockwood, net of cash acquired	(2,051,645)	0
Other acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(48,845)	0
Capital expenditures	(164,568)	(76,682)
Decrease in restricted cash	57,550	0
Cash proceeds from divestitures, net	6,133	104,718
Return of capital	98,000	0
Sales of marketable securities, net	1,265	943
Repayments from (long-term advances to) joint ventures	2,156	(7,499)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(2,099,954)	21,480
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayments of long-term debt	(1,332,293)	(3,023)
Proceeds from borrowings of long-term debt	1,000,000	0
Repayments of other borrowings, net	(16,854)	(23,554)
Dividends paid to shareholders	(86,770)	(62,827)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	(23,195)	(7,612)
Repurchases of common stock	0	(150,000)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	342	2,713
Excess tax benefits realized from stock-based compensation arrangements	59	836
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation award distributions	(1,218)	(3,208)
Debt financing costs	(4,186)	(3,074)
Other	(3,882)	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(467,997)	(249,749)
Net effect of foreign exchange on cash and cash equivalents	(4,230)	(26,392)
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(2,255,278)	175,881
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 234,490	$ 653,120