BUSINESS SEGMENTS (Summary of Certain Financial Information from Continuing Operations by Reportable Segment and Major Product) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	May 31, 2024	May 31, 2023	May 31, 2024	May 31, 2023	Aug. 31, 2023
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 2,078,485	$ 2,344,989	$ 5,929,823	$ 6,590,305
Adjusted EBITDA reportable segments	280,332	411,793	848,568	1,166,514
Total assets	6,710,231	6,639,094	6,710,231	6,639,094	$ 6,639,094
Unaffiliated Customers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales			5,929,823	6,590,305
Raw materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	401,675	393,073	1,048,187	1,013,961
Steel products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	816,323	1,018,735	2,420,103	2,935,678
Downstream products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	665,832	708,060	1,896,285	2,002,567
Construction products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	73,117	86,505	216,343	245,503
Ground stabilization solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	69,451	69,628	171,909	177,621
Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	52,087	68,988	176,996	214,975
North America Steel Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,690,853	1,842,422	4,808,246	5,057,924
Europe Steel Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	209,543	331,336	628,852	1,056,594
Emerging Businesses Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	196,634	192,677	542,107	532,733
Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(18,545)	(21,446)	(49,382)	(56,946)
Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	2,068,757	2,338,213	5,898,517	6,554,343
Adjusted EBITDA reportable segments	280,332	411,793	848,568	1,166,514
Total assets	5,821,059	5,968,319	5,821,059	5,968,319
Segments \| North America Steel Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,671,358	1,818,391	4,750,210	4,986,326
Adjusted EBITDA reportable segments	246,304	367,561	735,418	991,588
Total assets	4,261,895	4,166,521	4,261,895	4,166,521
Segments \| North America Steel Group \| Unaffiliated Customers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales			4,750,210	4,986,326
Segments \| North America Steel Group \| Raw materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	396,954	387,106	1,035,615	998,233
Segments \| North America Steel Group \| Steel products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	648,618	749,623	1,918,686	2,082,023
Segments \| North America Steel Group \| Downstream products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	594,329	631,964	1,684,584	1,766,423
Segments \| North America Steel Group \| Construction products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Segments \| North America Steel Group \| Ground stabilization solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Segments \| North America Steel Group \| Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	31,457	49,698	111,325	139,647
Segments \| Europe Steel Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	208,806	330,767	626,481	1,054,830
Adjusted EBITDA reportable segments	(4,192)	5,837	26,139	78,554
Total assets	713,394	927,468	713,394	927,468
Segments \| Europe Steel Group \| Unaffiliated Customers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales			626,481	1,054,830
Segments \| Europe Steel Group \| Raw materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	4,721	5,967	12,572	15,728
Segments \| Europe Steel Group \| Steel products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	167,705	269,112	501,417	853,655
Segments \| Europe Steel Group \| Downstream products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	29,599	46,448	91,744	156,158
Segments \| Europe Steel Group \| Construction products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Segments \| Europe Steel Group \| Ground stabilization solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Segments \| Europe Steel Group \| Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	6,781	9,240	20,748	29,289
Segments \| Emerging Businesses Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	188,593	189,055	521,826	513,187
Adjusted EBITDA reportable segments	38,220	38,395	87,011	96,372
Total assets	845,770	874,330	845,770	874,330
Segments \| Emerging Businesses Group \| Unaffiliated Customers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales			521,826	513,187
Segments \| Emerging Businesses Group \| Raw materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Segments \| Emerging Businesses Group \| Steel products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Segments \| Emerging Businesses Group \| Downstream products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	41,904	29,648	119,957	79,986
Segments \| Emerging Businesses Group \| Construction products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	73,117	86,505	216,343	245,503
Segments \| Emerging Businesses Group \| Ground stabilization solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	69,451	69,628	171,909	177,621
Segments \| Emerging Businesses Group \| Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	4,121	3,274	13,617	10,077
Segments \| Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	9,728	6,776	31,306	35,962
Total assets	889,172	670,775	889,172	670,775
Segments \| Corporate and Other \| Unaffiliated Customers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales			31,306	35,962
Segments \| Corporate and Other \| Raw materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Segments \| Corporate and Other \| Steel products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Segments \| Corporate and Other \| Downstream products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Segments \| Corporate and Other \| Construction products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Segments \| Corporate and Other \| Ground stabilization solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Segments \| Corporate and Other \| Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	9,728	6,776	31,306	35,962
Intersegment \| North America Steel Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	19,495	24,031	58,036	71,598
Intersegment \| Europe Steel Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	737	569	2,371	1,764
Intersegment \| Emerging Businesses Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	8,041	3,622	20,281	19,546
Intersegment \| Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ (28,273)	$ (28,222)	$ (80,688)	$ (92,908)