Acquisitions (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands			3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
		Jan. 12, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	[2]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill	[1]				$ 1,484,182	$ 1,460,552
Rockwood Holdings, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total purchase price		$ 5,725,321
Cash and cash equivalents		1,555,139
Trade and other accounts receivable		262,947
Inventories		290,496
Other current assets		86,267
Property, plant and equipment		1,383,480
Investments		529,453
Other assets		25,538
Current liabilities		(406,532)
Long-term debt		(1,319,132)
Pension benefits		(316,086)
Other noncurrent liabilities		(195,052)
Deferred income taxes		(845,884)
Noncontrolling interests		(17,582)
Total identifiable net assets		2,906,694
Goodwill		2,818,627
Total net assets acquired	[3]	5,725,321
Pro forma Net sales			$ 905,093	$ 2,754,312
Pro forma Net income			$ 111,211	$ 335,602
Pro forma Net income from continuing operations per share: Basic (in dollars per share)			$ 0.99	$ 3.03
Pro forma Net income from continuing operations per share: Diluted (in dollars per share)			$ 0.99	$ 3.02
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. | Trade names and trademarks
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		104,380
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. | Other
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		26,670
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. | Patents and technology
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Definite-lived intangible assets		227,840
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. | Trade names and trademarks
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Definite-lived intangible assets		234,610
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. | Customer lists and relationships
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Definite-lived intangible assets		$ 1,280,142

[1] As of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, $1.5 billion of Goodwill was classified as Assets held for sale in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. See Note 3, “Divestitures,” for additional information.

[2] The December 31, 2015 balances have been recast to reflect a change in segments. See Note 12, “Segment Information,” for further details.

[3] Total net assets acquired includes amounts for the Chemetall Surface Treatment business, which is reported as discontinued operations. See Note 3, “Divestitures,” for additional information.