Acquisitions	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Acquisitions [Abstract]
Recognized Identified Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed [Text Block]	Acquisition In June 2012, our wholly owned subsidiary, Century Anodes BV ("Century Anodes"), purchased substantially all of the assets of the former Zalco anode production facility located in Vlissingen, the Netherlands for approximately $12,500. In connection with the purchase, we entered into a ground lease with respect to the facility that is renewable at our option. As part of the transaction, Century Anodes will not assume, and is indemnified against, any historical liabilities of the facility. The anode production facility, which was curtailed by Zalco in December 2011, will require a significant capital investment to optimize anode production for our smelter in Grundartangi, Iceland ("Grundartangi") and eventually provide anodes for the planned Helguvik smelter and to comply with current environmental regulations. We purchased the assets to provide captive anode production for Grundartangi to replace third-party anode supply contracts that will terminate in 2013.

Acquisition

In June 2012, our wholly owned subsidiary, Century Anodes BV ("Century Anodes"), purchased substantially all of the assets of the former Zalco anode production facility located in Vlissingen, the Netherlands for approximately $12,500. In connection with the purchase, we entered into a ground lease with respect to the facility that is renewable at our option. As part of the transaction, Century Anodes will not assume, and is indemnified against, any historical liabilities of the facility.

The anode production facility, which was curtailed by Zalco in December 2011, will require a significant capital investment to optimize anode production for our smelter in Grundartangi, Iceland ("Grundartangi") and eventually provide anodes for the planned Helguvik smelter and to comply with current environmental regulations. We purchased the assets to provide captive anode production for Grundartangi to replace third-party anode supply contracts that will terminate in 2013.