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Equity-accounted investees (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Thousands |  |  | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Jul. 31, 2019 | Nov. 14, 2018 | Jul. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2020 | Sep. 30, 2020 | Jun. 30, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 11, 2019 | May 15, 2018 | Mar. 31, 2018
Equity-accounted investees [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments accounted for using equity method |  |  |  |  | $ 85,993 |  |  | $ 85,993 | $ 109,435 | $ 111,549 |  |  |
Percentage of voting equity interests acquired |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 50.00% |
Dividends paid, classified as financing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 221,995 | 329,787 | 550,352 |  |  |
Profit loss from sale of interests in associates |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 643 |  |  |  |  |  |
Kore Potash Ltd. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity-accounted investees [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage share reduction |  |  |  |  | 0.06% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion of ownership interest in associate |  |  |  |  | 20.20% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Increase decrease in equity through share based payment transaction |  |  |  |  | $ 79 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Kore Potash Ltd. [Member] | SQM [Member] | South Africa |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity-accounted investees [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion of ownership interest in associate |  | 19.67% |  |  |  | 20.26% |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investment in associate shares |  |  |  |  |  | 260,598,591 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total shares in associates |  |  |  |  |  | 584,753,846 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payment to acquire investment in associates |  |  |  | $ 2,600 |  | $ 1,679 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Plantacote N.V [Member] | WSNPK [Member] | SQM [Member] | Netherlands |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity-accounted investees [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business combination total purchase consideration |  |  |  |  | 16,757 |  |  | 16,757 |  |  |  |  |
Business combination goodwill |  |  |  |  | 7,380 |  |  | 7,380 |  |  |  |  |
SQM Thailand Co Ltd [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity-accounted investees [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dividends paid, classified as financing activities |  |  | $ 759 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Kore Potash PLC [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity-accounted investees [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments accounted for using equity method |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 3,000
Percentage share reduction |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0.60% |  |  |  |  |  |
Transfer in equity of non controlling interest to other reserves |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 754 |  |  |  |  |  |
Doktor Tarsa Tarim Sanayi AS [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity-accounted investees [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments accounted for using equity method | [1],[2] |  |  |  | 0 |  |  | 0 | 26,001 | 21,582 |  |  |
Proceeds from sales of interests in associates |  |  |  |  |  | 33,066 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Profit loss from sale of interests in associates |  |  |  |  |  | 11,408 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other current receivables |  |  |  |  |  | 4,745 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other non current receivables |  |  |  |  | 9,491 |  |  | 9,491 |  |  |  |  |
Doktor Tarsa Tarim Sanayi AS [Member] | Doctochem Tarim Sanayi LTD [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity-accounted investees [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of voting equity interests acquired |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |
SQM Eastmed Turkey [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity-accounted investees [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments accounted for using equity method | [1],[2] |  |  |  | $ 0 |  |  | $ 0 | $ 623 | $ 310 |  |  |
Proportion of ownership interest in associate |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from sales of interests in associates |  |  |  |  |  | 618 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Profit loss from sale of interests in associates |  |  |  |  |  | $ 408 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
[1] | As of December 31, 2020, these investments no longer form part of the group. See Note 8.4 (a).
[2] | These investments include adjustments for unrealized results.

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