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Pension and other postretirement benefits - Participation in Multi-Employer Pension Plans (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	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

X

- Definition

The EIN / PN of the multi-employer pension plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	cenx_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Whether withdrawal from the multi-employer pension plan is probable.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cenx_MultiEmployerPlanWithdrawalFromPlanProbable
Namespace Prefix:	cenx_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- 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

Name:	us-gaap_MultiemployerPlanPeriodContributions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- 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

Name:	us-gaap_MultiemployerPlansCertifiedZoneStatus
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	us-types:zoneStatusItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- 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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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- 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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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	us-types:fundedStatusItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- 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

Name:	us-gaap_MultiemployerPlansFundingImprovementPlanAndRehabilitationPlan
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	us-types:fundingImprovementAndRehabilitationPlanItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- 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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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	us-types:surchargeItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration