CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	$ 213,734	$ 2,489,768	$ 477,239
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	680,769	360,064	160,906
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash flows from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	226,169	260,076	103,572
(Gain) loss associated with restructuring and other	0	(6,804)	6,333
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net	(510,278)	0	85,515
Stock-based compensation	17,031	15,188	14,267
Excess tax benefits realized from stock-based compensation arrangements	(2,121)	(121)	(826)
Equity in net income of unconsolidated investments (net of tax)	(61,534)	(30,999)	(35,742)
Dividends received from unconsolidated investments and nonmarketable securities	43,759	59,912	40,688
Pension and postretirement expense (benefit)	41,546	(38,817)	133,681
Pension and postretirement contributions	(20,068)	(21,613)	(13,916)
Unrealized gain on investments in marketable securities	(3,655)	(1,239)	(825)
Deferred income taxes	21,121	(136,298)	(64,947)
Changes in current assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisitions and divestitures:
(Increase) decrease in accounts receivable	(42,816)	(8,788)	36,221
Decrease (increase) in inventories	25,974	27,649	(6,486)
Decrease in other current assets excluding deferred income taxes	1,808	12,756	5,809
Increase in accounts payable	43,953	23,745	28,296
Increase (decrease) in accrued expenses and income taxes payable	210,276	(96,896)	(6,680)
Other, net	61,469	(57,126)	6,743
Net cash provided by operating activities	733,403	360,689	492,609
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisition of Rockwood, net of cash acquired	0	(2,051,645)	0
Other acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(126,747)	(48,845)	0
Cash payments related to acquisitions and other	(81,987)	0	0
Capital expenditures	(196,654)	(227,649)	(110,576)
Decrease in restricted cash	0	57,550	0
Cash proceeds from divestitures, net	3,325,571	8,883	104,718
Return of capital from unconsolidated investment	0	98,000	0
Payment for settlement of interest rate swap	0	0	(33,425)
Sales of marketable securities, net	305	998	649
Repayments from (long-term advances to) joint ventures	0	2,156	(7,499)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	2,920,488	(2,160,552)	(46,133)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	0	0	1,888,197
Proceeds from borrowings of other long-term debt	0	2,250,000	0
Repayments of long-term debt	(1,252,302)	(2,626,241)	(6,017)
Other (repayments) borrowings, net	(163,721)	54,625	(5,825)
Dividends paid to shareholders	(135,353)	(119,302)	(84,102)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	(35,855)	(23,286)	(15,535)
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	0	(4,784)	0
Repurchases of common stock	0	0	(150,000)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	9,401	517	2,713
Excess tax benefits realized from stock-based compensation arrangements	2,121	121	826
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation award distributions	(2,194)	(1,549)	(3,284)
Debt financing costs	0	(4,544)	(17,644)
Other	0	(3,882)	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(1,577,903)	(478,325)	1,609,329
Net effect of foreign exchange on cash and cash equivalents	(19,966)	2,154	(43,276)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	2,056,022	(2,276,034)	2,012,529
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	$ 2,269,756	$ 213,734	$ 2,489,768