The maximum annual amount of distributions or dividends to the parent under an agreement.

No definition available.

Name:	lxu_DistributionDividendLimit
Namespace Prefix:	lxu_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fixed charge coverage ratio.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lxu_FixedChargeCoverageRatio
Namespace Prefix:	lxu_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The maximum amount in investments in joint ventures under an agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lxu_JointVentureLimit
Namespace Prefix:	lxu_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum letter of credit capacity under a line of credit facility.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lxu_LetterOfCreditMaximumCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	lxu_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line of credit facility, additional borrowing capacity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lxu_LineOfCreditFacilityAdditionalBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	lxu_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The description of requirements under an agreement to be eligible to enter into certain transactions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lxu_LoanRequirementDescription
Namespace Prefix:	lxu_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Minimum excess borrowing availability as percentage of maximum revolver commitments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lxu_MinimumExcessBorrowingAvailabilityAsPercentageOfMaximumRevolverCommitments
Namespace Prefix:	lxu_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Springing maturity date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lxu_SpringingMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix:	lxu_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sum of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of all debt, including all short-term borrowings, long-term debt, and capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.13,16)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of outstanding long-term debt or borrowing associated with any securities or credit agreement for which there has been a default in principal, interest, sinking fund, or redemption provisions, or any breach of covenant that existed at the end of the period and subsequently has not been cured.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(c))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtDefaultLongtermDebtAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Description of minimum financial levels (for example, tangible net worth and working capital) and achievement of certain financial ratios (for example, working capital ratio and debt service coverage ratio), and adherence to certain clauses which generally require or restrict certain actions (for example, entering into a debt arrangement with equal or greater seniority, and selling or discontinuing a certain business segment or material subsidiary) to be in compliance with the covenant clauses of the debt agreement. May also include a discussion of the adverse consequences that would result if the entity violates or fails to satisfy the covenants.

+ 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(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479336&loc=d3e64711-112823

+ Details

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

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Discussion of the facts and amounts pertaining to each failure to comply with an affirmative or negative covenant of a long-term debt instrument, including violating payment terms or an inability to meet certain minimum financial requirements or achieve or maintain certain financial ratios. The discussion would generally be expected to also include whether or not the failure can and will be overcome and a description of the terms of any waivers, including the amount of the waiver and the period of time covered by the waiver, and if reclassification of long-term debt to current has been made in the current balance sheet.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6802200&loc=SL6230698-112601

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(c))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

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

- Definition

The effective interest rate at the end of the reporting period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityInterestRateAtPeriodEnd
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility (current borrowing capacity less the amount of borrowings outstanding).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityRemainingBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for available but unused credit capacity under the credit facility.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityUnusedCapacityCommitmentFeePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Detail information of subsequent event by type. User is expected to use existing line items from elsewhere in the taxonomy as the primary line items for this disclosure, which is further associated with dimension and member elements pertaining to a subsequent event.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=lxu_WorkingCapitalRevolverMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=lxu_SpringingFinancialCovenantMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=lxu_CovenantsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_LondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=lxu_WellsFargoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_PrimeRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
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Subsequent Events - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 17, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Jan. 31, 2017	Jan. 16, 2017	Dec. 31, 2015
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Long-term debt		$ 420,220,000			$ 520,422,000
Working Capital Revolver Loan [Member] \| Springing Financials Covenant [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Working capital revolver loan requirements		Borrowers must maintain (a) with respect to relevant periods ending on or prior to September 30, 2017, a minimum EBITDA in the amount set forth in the Working Capital Revolver Loan Amendment and (b) with respect to relevant periods ending after September 30, 2017, a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio of not less than 1.00 to 1.00.
Loan requirements description		Less than or equal to the greater of 10.0% of the total revolver commitments and $5 million
Working Capital Revolver Loan [Member] \| Covenants [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Events of default description		Any material misstatement or misrepresentation and breaches of representations and warranties made, violations of covenants, cross-payment default to indebtedness in excess of $10 million, cross-acceleration to indebtedness in excess of $10 million, bankruptcy and insolvency events, certain unsatisfied judgments, certain liens, and certain assertions of, or actual invalidity of, certain loan documents.
Subsequent Event [Member] \| Working Capital Revolver Loan [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 50,000,000			$ 100,000,000
Line of credit facility, additional borrowing capacity	$ 25,000,000
Fees expressed as percentage for unused revolving credit facility	0.25%
Line of credit facility, interest rate			4.25%
Letters of credit maximum capacity	$ 10,000,000
Amount available for borrowing			$ 40,500,000
Maturity date	Jan. 17, 2022
Springing maturity date	90 days
Subsequent Event [Member] \| Working Capital Revolver Loan [Member] \| Springing Financials Covenant [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Maximum revolver commitment available, percentage	10.00%
Fixed charge coverage ratio	1.00%
Subsequent Event [Member] \| Working Capital Revolver Loan [Member] \| Covenants [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Maximum revolver commitment available, percentage	20.00%
Limit of distributions dividends	$ 500,000
Limit of joint ventures	35,000,000
Debt default amount	10,000,000
Subsequent Event [Member] \| Working Capital Revolver Loan [Member] \| Maximum [Member] \| Springing Financials Covenant [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Long-term debt	5,000,000
Subsequent Event [Member] \| Working Capital Revolver Loan [Member] \| Maximum [Member] \| Covenants [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 10,000,000
Subsequent Event [Member] \| Working Capital Revolver Loan [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Debt instrument basis spread on variable rate	1.50%
Subsequent Event [Member] \| Working Capital Revolver Loan [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Debt instrument basis spread on variable rate	1.75%
Subsequent Event [Member] \| Working Capital Revolver Loan [Member] \| Wells Fargo Capital Finance, Inc. [Member] \| Prime Rate [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Debt instrument basis spread on variable rate	0.50%
Subsequent Event [Member] \| Working Capital Revolver Loan [Member] \| Wells Fargo Capital Finance, Inc. [Member] \| Prime Rate [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Debt instrument basis spread on variable rate	0.75%