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Commitments and contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 9 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2012 Cases Plaintiff site | Dec. 31, 2011
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |  |
Receivables from recoveries | $ 0 | $ 0
Estimate Cost | 1.6 |
Number of sites | 50 |
Not currently able to estimate a range of costs | 5 |
Type of cases pending | 1,125 |
Number of plaintiffs involved | 1,995 |
Number of plaintiffs have been administratively dismissed or placed on the inactive docket | 8,075 |
NL Industries Inc [Member] |  |
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |  |
Number of cases settled and dismissed and found not liable | 100 |
Period by which loss contingency claims settled and dismissed | 20 years |
Estimate Cost | 49.0 |
Estimate Costs | $ 79 |

X
- Definition The Increase or Decrease in the accrual for environmental loss in the period from revisions in estimates to existing obligations. The amount does not relate to changes in the environmental accrual related to business acquisitions or divestitures, or to currency movements. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 5.Y.Q2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6572457&loc=d3e149879-122751 + Details
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X
- Definition The number of claims settled and dismissed during the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 5 -Paragraph 9, 10, 11, 12 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. + Details
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X
- Details
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X
- Definition Environmental loss contingencies recoveries. + References No definition available. + Details
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X
- Definition Number of environmental sites with no estimate. + References No definition available. + Details
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Balance Type: | na
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X
- Definition Number of plaintiffs have been administratively dismissed or placed on the inactive docket. + References No definition available. + Details
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X
- Definition Number of plaintiffs involved. + References No definition available. + Details
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X
- Definition Number of sites. + References No definition available. + Details
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X
- Definition Period by which loss contingency claims settled and dismissed. + References No definition available. + Details
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X
- Definition Types of cases. + References No definition available. + Details
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X
- Definition Upper range of environmental loss estimate. + References No definition available. + Details
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