Provisions and other non-financial liabilities (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Disclosure of other provisions [abstract]

Disclosure of detailed information about provisions [Text Block]

18.1

Types of provisions

	12/31/2018						12/31/2017
	Current		Non- current		Total		Current		Non- current		Total
	ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$

Provision for legal complaints (*)		11,862		3,000		14,862		16,419		3,000		19,419
Provision for dismantling, restoration and rehabilitation cost (**)		-		28,822		28,822		-		26,954		26,954
Other provisions (***)		94,335		-		94,335		47,026		47		47,073
Total		106,197		31,822		138,019		63,445		30,001		93,446

(*) These provisions correspond to legal processes that are pending resolution or that have not yet been disbursed. These provisions are mainly related to litigation involving the subsidiaries located in Chile, Brazil and the United States (see note 22.1).

(**) The commitments related to Sernageomin have been incorporated through the issuance of the guarantee for the restoration of the place where the production sites are located.

(***) See Note 18.2

Description of detailed information about other current and noncurrent provision [Text Block]

18.2

Description of other provisions

Current provisions, other short-term provisions	12/31/2018		12/31/2017
	ThUS$		ThUS$
Rent under Lease contract with Corfo (*)		84,826		32,331
Provision for additional tax related to foreign loans		471		416
End of agreement bonus		5,129		4,522
Directors’ per diem allowance		2,881		2,630
Provision for subsidiary restructuring		-		6,000
Miscellaneous provisions		1,028		1,127
Total		94,335		47,026
Other long-term provisions
Investments with negative equity		-		47
Total		-		47

(*) Payment Obligations for the lease contract with CORFO:

These correspond to obligations assumed in the modification of the Lease Agreement for extraction of mining claims owned by the Chilean Economic Development Agency (CORFO). Part of the obligations include quarterly lease payments to CORFO, based on SQM Salar’s sales for the period of products obtained from the claims leased; another part corresponds to annual contributions that SQM Salar must make, since 2018, to Research and Development and to Communities and Regional Development. 2017 includes US$

20.4

million corresponding to the payment that formed part of the agreement reached between SQM Salar and CORFO due to the end of Arbitration. (See Note 21.1)

Disclosure of other current liabilities [text block]

18.3

Other current liabilities

Other liabilities non-financial current

Description of other liabilities	12/31/2018		12/31/2017
	ThUS$		ThUS$
Tax withholdings		4,782		7,404
VAT payable		7,345		3,344
Guarantees received		2,641		2,638
Accrual for dividend		109,670		110,529
Monthly tax provisional payments		21,001		11,684
Deferred income		18,574		5,301
Withholdings from employees and salaries payable		6,052		6,725
Accrued vacations (*)		20,070		19,042
Other current liabilities		4,489		2,137
Total		194,624		168,804

(*) Vacation benefit (short-term benefits to employees, current) is in line with the provisions established in Chile’s Labor Code, which indicates that employees with more than a year of service will be entitled to annual vacation for a period of at least fifteen paid business days. The Company provides the benefit of two additional vacation days.

Disclosure of reconciliation of changes in other provisions [Text Block]

18.4

Changes in provisions

Description of items that gave rise to variations as of 12/31/2018	Legal complaints			Provision for dismantling, restoration and rehabilitation cost		Other provisions			Total
	ThUS$			ThUS$		ThUS$			ThUS$

Total provisions, initial balance		19,419			26,954		47,073			93,446
Changes in provisions:
Additional provisions		1,000			1,820		96,516			99,336
Provision used		(5,557	)		-		(49,221	)		(54,778	)
Increase(decrease) in foreign currency exchange		-			-		-			-
others		-			48		(33	)		15
Total Increase (decreases)		(4,557	)		1,868		47,262			44,573
Total provisions, final balance		14,862			28,822		94,335			138,019

Description of items that gave rise to variations as of 12/31/2017	Legal complaints			Provision for dismantling, restoration and rehabilitation cost		Other provisions			Total
	ThUS$			ThUS$		ThUS$			ThUS$

Total provisions, initial balance		23,867			5,890		21,089			50,846
Changes in provisions:
Additional provisions		6,352			21,064		33,507			60,923
Provision used		(10,800	)		-		(7,538	)		(18,338	)
Increase(decrease) in foreign currency exchange		-			-		9			9
Others		-			-		6			6
Total Increase (decreases)		(4,448	)		21,064		25,984			42,600
Total provisions, final balance		19,419			26,954		47,073			93,446

Description of items that gave rise to variations as of December 31, 2016	Legal complaints		Provision for dismantling, restoration and rehabilitation cost		Other provisions			Total
	ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$			ThUS$

Total provisions, initial balance		21,067		5,890		13,445			40,402
Changes in provisions:
Additional provisions		2,800		-		54,310			57,110
Provision used		-		-		(47,261	)		(47,261	)
Increase(decrease) in foreign currency exchange		-		-		128			128
Others		-		-		467			467
Total Increase (decreases)		2,800		-		7,644			10,444
Total provisions, final balance		23,867		5,890		21,089			50,846