CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	$ 439,272	$ 746,724	$ 613,110
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	2,815,131	199,942	446,615
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash flows from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	300,841	254,000	231,984
Gain on sale of business/interest in properties, net	8,400	(295,971)	(7,168)
Stock-based compensation and other	30,474	20,120	22,837
Equity in net income of unconsolidated investments (net of tax)	(772,275)	(95,770)	(127,521)
Dividends received from unconsolidated investments and nonmarketable securities	801,239	78,391	88,161
Pension and postretirement (benefit) expense	(52,254)	(74,010)	45,658
Pension and postretirement contributions	(16,112)	(30,253)	(16,434)
Unrealized gain on investments in marketable securities	3,279	(3,818)	(4,635)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	19,219	28,955	0
Deferred income taxes	93,339	(38,500)	(1,976)
Changes in current assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisitions and divestitures:
(Increase) decrease in accounts receivable	(786,121)	(49,295)	100,118
(Increase) decrease in inventories	(1,609,642)	(127,401)	51,978
(Increase) decrease in other current assets	(104,655)	17,411	7,902
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable	1,287,072	143,939	(31,519)
(Decrease) increase in accrued expenses and income taxes payable	(201,356)	127,068	(215,011)
Non-cash transfer of 40% value of construction in progress of Kemerton plant to MRL	122,682	135,928	179,437
Other, net	(31,412)	53,521	28,488
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,907,849	344,257	798,914
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(162,239)	0	(22,572)
Capital expenditures	(1,261,646)	(953,667)	(850,477)
Cash proceeds from divestitures, net	0	289,791	0
Proceeds from sale of joint venture	0	0	11,000
Sales of marketable securities, net	1,942	3,774	903
Investments in equity and other corporate investments	(706)	(6,488)	(2,427)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,422,649)	(666,590)	(863,573)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	0	1,453,888	0
Proceeds from borrowings of other long-term debt	1,964,216	0	452,163
Repayments of long-term debt and credit agreements	(705,000)	(1,173,823)	(250,000)
Other (repayments) borrowings, net	(391,662)	60,991	137,635
Fees related to early extinguishment of debt	(9,767)	(24,877)	0
Dividends paid to shareholders	(184,429)	(177,853)	(161,818)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	(44,208)	(96,136)	(32,061)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	2,783	18,392	40,437
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation award distributions	(13,338)	(8,140)	(5,143)
Other	(6,708)	(2,230)	(3,952)
Net cash provided by financing activities	611,887	50,212	177,261
Net effect of foreign exchange on cash and cash equivalents	(37,217)	(35,331)	21,012
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	1,059,870	(307,452)	133,614
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	$ 1,499,142	$ 439,272	$ 746,724