Acquisitions (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands			12 Months Ended
		Jan. 12, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2016
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill			$ 1,460,552	[1],[2]	$ 243,262	[2]	$ 1,540,032
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			3,684,665		3,870,428
Pro forma Net income from continuing operations			$ 527,997		$ 353,313
Pro forma Net income from continuing operations per share: Basic (in dollars per share)			$ 4.75		$ 3.13
Pro forma Net income from continuing operations per share: Diluted (in dollars per share)			$ 4.73		$ 3.12
Trade names and trademarks | Rockwood Holdings, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		104,380
Other | Rockwood Holdings, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		26,670
Patents and technology | Rockwood Holdings, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Definite-lived intangible assets		227,840
Trade names and trademarks | Rockwood Holdings, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Definite-lived intangible assets		234,610
Customer lists and relationships | Rockwood Holdings, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Definite-lived intangible assets		$ 1,280,142

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

[2] The December 31, 2015 and 2014 balances have been recast to reflect a change in segments. See Note 25, “Segment and Geographic Area 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.