Inventories (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]

Breakdown of Inventories

The following table provides a breakdown of inventories at June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 (in thousands):

	June 30,		December 31,
	2019		2018
Finished goods(a)	$	574,880	$	482,355
Raw materials and work in process(b)	172,607		158,290
Stores, supplies and other	66,535		59,895
Total	$	814,022	$	700,540

(a) Increase primarily due to the build-up of inventory in our Lithium and Catalysts segments to meet higher projected sales during the remainder of 2019.

(b)

Included $69.6 million and $71.4 million at June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively, of work in process in our Lithium segment. Raw materials increased primarily in Lithium to meet higher projected sales during the remainder of 2019.