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Investments - Additional Information (Detail) | 12 Months Ended |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2013 Significant Unconsolidated Joint Venture USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2012 Significant Unconsolidated Joint Venture USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2011 Significant Unconsolidated Joint Venture USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2013 Joint Venture Saudi Organometallic Chemicals Company | Dec. 31, 2012 Joint Venture Saudi Organometallic Chemicals Company USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2011 Joint Venture Saudi Organometallic Chemicals Company USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2013 Eurecat S.A. USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2012 Eurecat S.A. USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2012 Eurecat S.A. EUR (€) | Dec. 31, 2013 Fabrica Carioca de Catalisadores S.A. | Dec. 31, 2012 Fabrica Carioca de Catalisadores S.A. | Dec. 31, 2011 Fabrica Carioca de Catalisadores S.A. | Dec. 31, 2013 Stannica, LLC | Dec. 31, 2012 Stannica, LLC | Dec. 31, 2011 Stannica, LLC | Dec. 31, 2013 Nippon Aluminum Alkyls | Dec. 31, 2012 Nippon Aluminum Alkyls | Dec. 31, 2011 Nippon Aluminum Alkyls | Dec. 31, 2013 Magnifin Magnesiaprodukte GmbH & Co. KG | Dec. 31, 2012 Magnifin Magnesiaprodukte GmbH & Co. KG | Dec. 31, 2011 Magnifin Magnesiaprodukte GmbH & Co. KG | Dec. 31, 2013 Nippon Ketjen Company Limited | Dec. 31, 2012 Nippon Ketjen Company Limited | Dec. 31, 2011 Nippon Ketjen Company Limited | Dec. 31, 2013 Eurecat S.A. | Dec. 31, 2012 Eurecat S.A. | Dec. 31, 2011 Eurecat S.A. | Dec. 31, 2013 Stannica Llc USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2012 Stannica Llc USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2013 Benefit Protection Trust USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2012 Benefit Protection Trust USD ($)
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investment in significant unconsolidated joint ventures |  |  |  | $ 172,900,000 | $ 170,600,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity in net income of unconsolidated investments (net of tax) | 31,729,000 | 38,067,000 | 43,754,000 | 31,500,000 | 37,000,000 | 43,300,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Undistributed earnings from equity method investees |  |  |  | 117,100,000 | 106,100,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dividends received from unconsolidated investments | 21,632,000 | 26,908,000 | 23,685,000 | 20,500,000 | 25,600,000 | 22,800,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures exceeded the amount of underlying equity in net assets | 8,400,000 | 12,100,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Excess amount paid for joint ventures remaining to be amortized | 1,400,000 | 1,800,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Carrying value of unconsolidated investment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5,500,000 | 6,600,000 |  |
Marketable equity securities | 23,801,000 | 20,290,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 23,000,000 | 20,300,000
Long-term advances to joint venture | 0 | 24,959,000 | 0 |  |  |  |  | 22,500,000 |  | 2,600,000 | 2,500,000 | 1,900,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of interest in joint ventures |  |  |  |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |  | 50.00% |  |  | 50.00% | 50.00% | 50.00% | 50.00% | 50.00% | 50.00% | 50.00% | 50.00% | 50.00% | 50.00% | 50.00% | 50.00% | 50.00% | 50.00% | 50.00% | 50.00% | 50.00% | 50.00% |  |  |  |
Interest rate margin over LIBOR |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1.275% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate percentage |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1.52% | 1.58% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term advances to joint venture, maturity date |  |  |  |  |  |  | Dec. 31, 2021 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Capital contributions to SOCC |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 10,900,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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- Definition Difference between amount at which an investment accounted for under the equity method of accounting is carried (reported) on the balance sheet and amount of underlying equity in net assets the reporting Entity has in the investee. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (a)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6382943&loc=d3e33918-111571 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB) -Number 18 -Paragraph 20 -Subparagraph a(3) -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. + Details
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