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Investments - Additional Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Feb. 28, 2017 | Mar. 31, 2018 | Mar. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2017
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Termination of Tianqi Lithium Corporation option agreement | $ 13,100 |  | $ 0 |
Windfield Holdings |  |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Equity method investment, ownership percentage |  | 49.00% |  |
Carrying value of unconsolidated investment |  | $ 338,700 |  | $ 355,200
Other variable interest entities |  |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Carrying value of unconsolidated investment |  | $ 8,500 |  | $ 8,700
Rockwood Lithium GmbH |  |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage | 100.00% |  |  |
Minimum | Rockwood Lithium GmbH |  |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage |  | 20.00% |  |
Maximum | Rockwood Lithium GmbH |  |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage |  | 30.00% |  |

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