Financial assets and other receivables - Changes in impairment losses (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Reconciliation of changes in allowance account for credit losses of financial assets [abstract]
Financial assets at end of period	$ (384,566)
Accumulated impairment
Reconciliation of changes in allowance account for credit losses of financial assets [abstract]
Financial assets at beginning of period	17,346	$ 14,671
Impairment losses recognized (Note 25.3)	(3,190)	1,784	$ 7,578
Amounts written off as uncollectible	15,118	(643)
Exchange differences	454	1,534
Financial assets at end of period	$ 4,964	$ 17,346	$ 14,671
Dow Corning Corporation [Member]
Reconciliation of changes in allowance account for credit losses of financial assets [abstract]
% of sales		12.20%	13.70%

- Definition

The amount of assets that are: (a) cash; (b) an equity instrument of another entity; (c) a contractual right: (i) to receive cash or another financial asset from another entity; or (ii) to exchange financial assets or financial liabilities with another entity under conditions that are potentially favourable to the entity; or (d) a contract that will, or may be, settled in the entity’s own equity instruments and is: (i) a non-derivative for which the entity is, or may be, obliged to receive a variable number of the entity’s own equity instruments; or (ii) a derivative that will, or may be, settled other than by the exchange of a fixed amount of cash or another financial asset for a fixed number of the entity’s own equity instruments. For this purpose the entity’s own equity instruments do not include puttable financial instruments classified as equity instruments in accordance with paragraphs 16A-16B of IAS 32, instruments that impose on the entity an obligation to deliver to another party a pro rata share of the net assets of the entity only on liquidation and are classified as equity instruments in accordance with paragraphs 16C-16D of IAS 32, or instruments that are contracts for the future receipt or delivery of the entity’s own equity instruments. [Refer: Financial instruments, class [member]; Financial liabilities]

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