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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, Textuals (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Accounting policies additional disclosures |  |  |
Advertising costs | $ 0.6 us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense | $ 1.3 us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense | $ 0.4 us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense
Research and development costs | 8.9 us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense | 7.8 us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense | 6.4 us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense
Excess of current cost over the stated LIFO value of inventory | 37.6 us-gaap_InventoryLIFOReserve | 0.4 us-gaap_InventoryLIFOReserve |
Impairment of the carrying value of goodwill | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairedAccumulatedImpairmentLoss |
Discount rate used in estimating liabilities for worker compensation claims | 1.75%us-gaap_WorkersCompensationDiscountPercent | 1.75%us-gaap_WorkersCompensationDiscountPercent |
Undiscounted workers' compensation liabilities | 25.9 kalu_Workerscompensationliabilityundiscounted | 29.1 kalu_Workerscompensationliabilityundiscounted |
Margin deposits with counterparties | 0 us-gaap_MarginDepositAssets | 0 us-gaap_MarginDepositAssets |
Margin deposits from counterparties | $ 0 kalu_MarginDepositsFromCounterparties | $ 0 kalu_MarginDepositsFromCounterparties |
Percentage of Employees Covered by Collective Bargaining Agreements | 63.00%kalu_PercentageofEmployeesCoveredbyCollectiveBargainingAgreements |  |
Percentage of Employees Covered by Collective Bargaining Agreements Expiring Within One Year | 47.00%kalu_PercentageofEmployeesCoveredbyCollectiveBargainingAgreementsExpiringWithinOneYear |  |
Percentage of Employees Covered by Collective Bargaining Agreements Extended Beyond One Year | 36.00%kalu_PercentageofEmployeesCoveredbyCollectiveBargainingAgreementsExtendedBeyondOneYear |  |
Minimum |  |  |
Accounting policies additional disclosures |  |  |
Period over which accounts receivable is due, days | 30 days |  |
Number of days in maturity for debt investment securities to be classified as short-term investments | 90 days |  |
Maximum |  |  |
Accounting policies additional disclosures |  |  |
Number of days to maturity for debt investment securities to be classified as cash and cash equivalents | 90 days |  |
Period over which accounts receivable is due, days | 60 days |  |

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- Definition Amount charged to advertising expense for the period, which are expenses incurred with the objective of increasing revenue for a specified brand, product or product line. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 720 -SubTopic 35 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6420018&loc=d3e36677-107848 + Details
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- Definition Amount of difference between inventory at lower of LIFO cost or market and inventory at lower of other inventory accounting method cost or market, for example, but not limited to, FIFO or average cost. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.6(c)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph c -Article 5 + Details
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- Definition The aggregate costs incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process whether intended for sale or the entity's use, during the reporting period charged to research and development projects, including the costs of developing computer software up to the point in time of achieving technological feasibility, and costs allocated in accounting for a business combination to in-process projects deemed to have no alternative future use. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 985 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6501960&loc=d3e128462-111756 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 730 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6420194&loc=d3e21568-108373 + Details
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