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Contingencies and restrictions (Details Textual) - USD ($) |  | 12 Months Ended |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Oct. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 18, 2020 | Nov. 30, 2020 | Sep. 30, 2020 | Mar. 24, 2017 | Aug. 26, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2010 | Aug. 31, 2004 | Aug. 31, 1996
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of defendant |  | SQM Salar and SQM Industrial |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, lawsuit filing date |  | May 2016 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, domicile of litigation |  | 19th Civil Court of Santiago |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, allegations |  | for the alleged extracontractual liability derived from the accident occurring in July 2014 in the town of María Elena |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, nominal value |  | $ 515,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax contingency, amount claimed |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 14,400,000 | $ 17,800,000 |  |  |
Tax contingency, amount under dispute correspond to excess charge levied |  | 7,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Expected claim for differences in specific tax on mining activities |  | 43,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Guarantee obligations |  | 731,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Environmental Loss Contingencies Component Amount | $ 9,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Provision for taxes other than income tax [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax Contingency Excess Charge Amount Returned |  | 5,800,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax Contingency Amount Related To First Category Tax Rate Plus Interests And Fines |  | 1,200,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Provision for taxes other than income tax [member] | Mining Tax [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Receivables from taxes other than income taxes |  | 90,300,000 | $ 32,200,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Provision for taxes other than income tax [member] | Excess Collection [Member] | Mining Tax [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Receivables from taxes other than income taxes |  | 19,500,000 | 7,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Provision for taxes other than income tax [member] | Recoverable Taxes [Member] | Mining Tax [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Receivables from taxes other than income taxes |  | 5,800,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Provision for taxes other than income tax [member] | Villella [Member] | Class Action Law Suit [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Law suits fines penalties and damages payable |  |  |  |  | $ 62,500,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Soquimich Comercial S.A. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, damages owed, value |  | 1,200,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collateral Security Carrying Value |  | $ 10,114,000 | 9,611,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
SQM Salar [Member] | Provision for taxes other than income tax [member] | Two Thousand And Seventeen [Member] | Liquidation Number Sixty Five [Member] | Mining Tax [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax other than income payable |  |  |  |  |  | $ 19,500,000 |  |  |  |  |
SQM Salar [Member] | Provision for taxes other than income tax [member] | Two Thousand And Eighteen [Member] | Liquidation Number Sixty Six [Member] | Mining Tax [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax other than income payable |  |  |  |  |  | 22,100,000 |  |  |  |  |
SQM Salar [Member] | Provision for taxes other than income tax [member] | Two Thousand Seventeen And Eighteen [Member] | Interest Payable [Member] | Mining Tax [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest and penalties on tax other than income tax payable |  |  |  |  |  | $ 22,300,000 |  |  |  |  |
SQM Salar [Member] | Provision for taxes other than income tax [member] | Two Thousand Seventeen And Eighteen [Member] | Mining Taxes Including Interest Paid [Member] | Mining Tax [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payment of taxes other than income taxes |  |  | 63,900,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
SQM Salar [Member] | Provision for taxes other than income tax [member] | Two Thousand Seventeen And Eighteen [Member] | Over Payment [Member] | Mining Tax [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Excess payment of mining taxes |  |  | $ 18,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuit two [Member] | North America Corp [Member] | Provision for taxes other than income tax [member] | Appeal Pending [Member] | City Of Pomona [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Law suits fines penalties and damages payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 36,000,000 |  |
Lawsuit three [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of plaintiff |  | city of Pomona in the state of California, United States |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of defendant |  | SQM NA |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, lawsuit filing date |  | December 2010 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, domicile of litigation |  | US District Court for the Central District of California |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, allegations |  | payment of expenses and other values related to treatment of groundwater to make it apt for consumption, which involved the extraction of perchlorate in this water, which allegedly came from Chilean fertilizers |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, litigation status |  | On May 17, 2018, district judge Gary Klausner ruled in favor of SQM NA following the jury verdict. On February 6, 2020, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit demanded a retrial before the District Court |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuit four [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of plaintiff |  | the city of Lindsay in California, United States |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of defendant |  | SQM NA |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, lawsuit filing date |  | December 2010 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, domicile of litigation |  | US District Court for the Central District of California |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, allegations |  | payment of expenses and other values related to treatment of groundwater to make it apt for consumption, which involved the extraction of perchlorate in this water, which allegedly came from Chilean fertilizers |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuit five [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of defendant |  | SQM Nitratos |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, lawsuit filing date |  | May 2014 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, domicile of litigation |  | 18th Civil Court of Santiago |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, allegations |  | for its alleged extracontractual liability derived from an explosion occurring in 2010 in the vicinity of the town of Baquedano, which caused the death of six workers. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, litigation status |  | On May 7, 2019, the 18th Civil Court of Santiago dismissed the claim. The case currently is in the Santiago Court of Appeals, which will make a determination on the motion for appeal and cassation brought about on behalf of the plaintiff. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, nominal value |  | $ 1,200,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuit six [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of plaintiff |  | Tyne and Wear Pension Fund represented by the Council of the Borough of South Tyneside acting as lead plaintiff |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of defendant |  | the Company |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, lawsuit filing date |  | On October 2015 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, domicile of litigation |  | US Federal Court of the Southern District of New York |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, allegations |  | potential damages to ADS Holders in the Company due to alleged noncompliance with the securities regulation in the United States |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuit seven [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, domicile of litigation |  | 13th Civil Court of Santiago |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, litigation status |  | On March 6, 2019, the 13th Civil Court of Santiago dismissed the claim. The case is currently in the Santiago Court of Appeals, which will decide on the motion for appeal brought about by the plaintiffs. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, nominal value |  | $ 7,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuit eight [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of plaintiff |  | Transportes Buen Destino S.A. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of defendant |  | SQM Salar |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, lawsuit filing date |  | January 2018 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, domicile of litigation |  | arbitration claim under CAM (arbitration and mediation center) rules |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, allegations |  | controversies resulting from the execution of transport contracts for lithium brine and transport of salts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, litigation status |  | currently in the evidence stage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, nominal value |  | $ 3,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuit nine [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of plaintiff |  | representatives Claudia Nathalie Mix Jiménez, Gael Fernanda Yeomans Araya, Camila Ruslay Rojas Valderrama |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of defendant |  | Corfo |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, lawsuit filing date |  | September 2018 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, allegations |  | Salar de Atacama Project Contract signed between Corfo and SQM Salar. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, litigation status |  | discussion stage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuit ten [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of plaintiff |  | The Company and FPC Ingeniería y Construcción SpA |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, lawsuit filing date |  | May 2019 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, allegations |  | alleged extracontractual liability derived from the traffic accident occurring |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, litigation status |  | on March 5, 2018, involving the overturn of a truck owned by FPC and the subsequent death of its two occupants, both employees of FPC. The four children of one of the deceased workers are the plaintiffs in this case and are seeking compensation for moral damages. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, nominal value |  | $ 1,200,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuit eleven [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of plaintiff |  | Servicios Logísticos Integrales Inversol SpA |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of defendant |  | arbitration claim under CAM rules against SQM Salar for controversies |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, lawsuit filing date |  | June 24, 2019 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, litigation status |  | evidence stage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuit twelve [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of plaintiff |  | Fennix Industrial SpA |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of defendant |  | SQM Salar |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, lawsuit filing date |  | April 2019 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, domicile of litigation |  | First Civil Court of Concepción |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, allegations |  | controversies resulting from the execution of a civil works and electromechanical assembly contract. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, litigation status |  | discussion stage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, nominal value |  | $ 770,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuit thirteen [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of plaintiff |  | Arrigoni Ingeniería y Construcción S.A. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of defendant |  | SQM Salar |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, lawsuit filing date |  | November 2019 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, domicile of litigation |  | arbitration court under CAM rules |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, allegations |  | requesting the conclusion of the Works Contract known as “Expansion of Lithium Carbonate Plant Phase II |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, litigation status |  | evidence stage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, nominal value |  | $ 14,600,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuit fourteen [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of plaintiff |  | Sierra Gorda S.C.M. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of defendant |  | the Company |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, lawsuit filing date |  | December 16, 2011 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, litigation status |  | discussion stage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuit fifteen [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of plaintiff |  | arbitration court under CAM rules |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, name of defendant |  | Rotto S.A. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, lawsuit filing date |  | September 2020 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lawsuits, nominal value |  | $ 713,000 |  | $ 436,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Law Suit One A [Member] | Nitratos Naturais Do Chile Ltda. [Member] | Provision for taxes other than income tax [member] | Appeal Pending [Member] | Fazoanda Do Estado De Sao Paulo [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Law suits fines penalties and damages payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 492
Law Suit One B [Member] | Nitratos Naturais Do Chile Ltda. [Member] | Provision for taxes other than income tax [member] | Appeal Pending [Member] | Fazoanda Do Estado De Sao Paulo [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Law suits fines penalties and damages payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 265 |

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