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Pension and other postretirement benefits - Participation in Multi-Employer Pension Plans (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract] |  |  |
EIN / PN | 23-6648508/499 |  |
Pension Protection Act Zone Status | Green | Green |
Subject to Financial Improvement/Rehabilitation Plan | No |  |
Contributions of Century Aluminum Company | $ 1,618 | $ 2,164 | $ 2,171
Withdrawal from Plan Probable | No |  |
Surcharge Imposed | No |  |
Expiration Date of Collective Bargaining Agreement | Apr. 01, 2020 |  |
Funded status of Green zone | At least 80 percent |  |

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- Definition The EIN / PN of the multi-employer pension plan. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Whether withdrawal from the multi-employer pension plan is probable. + References No definition available. + Details
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- References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount of contributions made to multiemployer plans by the employer. A multiemployer plan is a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 80 -Section 50 -Paragraph 11 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49170332&loc=SL14450702-114947 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 80 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49170332&loc=SL14450691-114947 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 80 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (e)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49170332&loc=SL14450657-114947 + Details
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- Definition Indicate the multiemployer plan's certified zone status as currently required by the Pension Protection Act of 2006 or a subsequent amendment thereof. The zone status categories are red (critical status), orange (seriously endangered), yellow (endangered), and green (none of the above). The acceptable values are "red", "orange", "yellow", "green", "other", and "NA". A multiemployer plan is a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 80 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49170332&loc=SL14450657-114947 + Details
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- Definition Expiration date of the collective bargaining arrangement requiring contributions to the multiemployer plan, in CCYY-MM-DD format. A multiemployer plan is a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 80 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49170332&loc=SL14450657-114947 + Details
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- Definition Indicate whether the multiemployer plan is less than 65 percent funded, between 65 and less than 80 percent funded, or at least 80 percent funded. The acceptable values are: (1) "less than 65 percent", (2) "between 65 and less than 80 percent", (3) "at least 80 percent", and (4) "NA". A multiemployer plan is a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 80 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49170332&loc=SL14450657-114947 + Details
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- Definition Indicate whether a funding improvement plan or rehabilitation plan has been implemented or is pending for a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers. The acceptable values are "no", "pending", "implemented", "other", and "NA". + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 80 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (f)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49170332&loc=SL14450657-114947 + Details
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- Definition Indicate whether the employer paid a surcharge to the pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers. The acceptable values are "no", "yes", and "NA". + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 80 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (f)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49170332&loc=SL14450657-114947 + Details
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