CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	$ 2,489,768	$ 477,239	$ 477,696
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	360,064	160,906	439,834
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash flows from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	260,076	103,572	107,370
(Gain) loss associated with restructuring and other	(6,804)	6,333	0
Loss on disposal of businesses	0	85,515	0
Stock-based compensation	15,188	14,267	10,164
Excess tax benefits realized from stock-based compensation arrangements	(121)	(826)	(3,266)
Equity in net income of unconsolidated investments (net of tax)	(30,999)	(35,742)	(31,729)
Dividends received from unconsolidated investments and nonmarketable securities	59,912	40,688	21,632
Pension and postretirement (benefit) expense	(38,817)	133,681	(132,707)
Pension and postretirement contributions	(21,613)	(13,916)	(13,294)
Unrealized gain on investments in marketable securities	(1,239)	(825)	(3,681)
Deferred income taxes	(136,298)	(64,947)	64,865
Changes in current assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisitions and divestitures:
(Increase) decrease in accounts receivable	(8,788)	36,221	(65,906)
Decrease (increase) in inventories	27,649	(6,486)	(1,810)
Decrease in other current assets excluding deferred income taxes	12,756	5,809	5,261
Increase in accounts payable	23,745	28,296	19,267
(Decrease) increase in accrued expenses and income taxes payable	(96,896)	(6,680)	12,185
Other, net	(57,126)	6,743	4,674
Net cash provided by operating activities	360,689	492,609	432,859
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisition of Rockwood, net of cash acquired	(2,051,645)	0	0
Other acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(48,845)	0	0
Capital expenditures	(227,649)	(110,576)	(155,346)
Decrease in restricted cash	57,550	0	0
Cash payments related to acquisitions and other	0	0	(2,565)
Cash proceeds from divestitures, net	8,883	104,718	0
Return of capital from unconsolidated investment	98,000	0	0
Payment for settlement of interest rate swap	0	(33,425)	0
Sales of marketable securities, net	998	649	169
Repayments from (long-term advances to) joint ventures	2,156	(7,499)	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,160,552)	(46,133)	(157,742)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	0	1,888,197	0
Proceeds from borrowings of other long-term debt	2,250,000	0	117,000
Repayments of long-term debt	(2,626,241)	(6,017)	(135,733)
Other borrowings (repayments), net	54,625	(5,825)	398,544
Dividends paid to shareholders	(119,302)	(84,102)	(78,107)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	(23,286)	(15,535)	(10,014)
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	(4,784)	0	0
Repurchases of common stock	0	(150,000)	(582,298)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	517	2,713	5,553
Excess tax benefits realized from stock-based compensation arrangements	121	826	3,266
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation award distributions	(1,549)	(3,284)	(6,149)
Debt financing costs	(4,544)	(17,644)	(108)
Other	(3,882)	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(478,325)	1,609,329	(288,046)
Net effect of foreign exchange on cash and cash equivalents	2,154	(43,276)	12,472
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(2,276,034)	2,012,529	(457)
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	$ 213,734	$ 2,489,768	$ 477,239