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Acquisitions (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands |  |  |  | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Feb. 01, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Jan. 12, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Jun. 30, 2016 | Mar. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain on acquisition |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 6,221 | $ 0 | $ 0
Other acquisitions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 44,367 | 126,747 | 48,845
Inventories |  | $ 450,263 |  | $ 450,263 |  |  |  | 592,781 | 450,263 |
Acquisition and integration related costs |  |  |  | 13,047 | $ 6,749 | $ 19,030 | $ 18,558 | 0 | 57,384 | 132,299
Goodwill |  | 1,540,032 |  | 1,540,032 |  |  |  | 1,610,355 | 1,540,032 | 1,460,552
Purchase of noncontrolling interest |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 4,784
Sales de Magnesio Ltda. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of equity interests acquired | 50.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total purchase price | $ 8,300 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Jiangxi Jiangli New Materials Science and Technology Co. Ltd. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other acquisitions |  | $ 145,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts receivable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 600 |  |
Property, plant and equipment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 24,100 |  |
Other intangibles |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 46,300 |  |
Accounts payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,800 |  |
Deferred tax liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6,300 |  |
Fair value of net working capital |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6,200 |  |
Inventories |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 37,100 |  |
Inventory markup |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 23,100 |  |
Acquired finite-lived intangible assets, weighted average useful life |  | 17 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total purchase price |  |  | $ 5,700,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Inventory markup |  |  | 103,400 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquisition and integration related costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 52,100 | 123,900
Goodwill |  |  | $ 2,800,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Utilization of inventory markup |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 103,400 |
Pro forma Net sales |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3,684,665 |
Pro forma Net income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 527,997 |
Pro forma Net income from continuing operations per share: Basic (in dollars per share) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 4.75 |
Pro forma Net income from continuing operations per share: Diluted (in dollars per share) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 4.73 |
Other significant projects |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquisition and integration related costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 5,300 | 8,400
Shanghai Chemetall |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquisition of remaining interest in Shanghai Chemetall |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 57,600 |
Chemal GmbH |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other acquisitions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,200 |
Nanjing Chemetall Surface Treatment Technologies |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Purchase of noncontrolling interest |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4,800 |
Acquisition and integration related costs | Rockwood Holdings, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquisition and integration related costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 137,700 |
Patents and technology | Jiangxi Jiangli New Materials Science and Technology Co. Ltd. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquired finite-lived intangible assets, weighted average useful life |  | 20 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Customer lists and relationships | Jiangxi Jiangli New Materials Science and Technology Co. Ltd. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquired finite-lived intangible assets, weighted average useful life |  | 13 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other | Jiangxi Jiangli New Materials Science and Technology Co. Ltd. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquired finite-lived intangible assets, weighted average useful life |  | 20 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other (expenses) income, net | Sales de Magnesio Ltda. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain on acquisition |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6,200 |  |
Cost of sales |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquisition and integration related costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 14,300 |  |
Cost of sales | Jiangxi Jiangli New Materials Science and Technology Co. Ltd. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Utilization of inventory markup |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 23,100 |  |
Cost of sales | Rockwood Holdings, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Utilization of inventory markup |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 55,900
Selling, general and administrative expenses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquisition and integration related costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 19,600 |  |
Reportable Segments | Lithium and Advanced Materials |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill |  | $ 1,348,261 |  | $ 1,348,261 |  |  |  | 1,396,140 | $ 1,348,261 | $ 1,267,505
Reportable Segments | Lithium and Advanced Materials | Jiangxi Jiangli New Materials Science and Technology Co. Ltd. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 83,100 |  |

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- Definition Amount of liabilities incurred for goods and services received that are used in an entity's business and related party payables, assumed at the acquisition date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84161108&loc=d3e4845-128472 + Details
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