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Marketable securities - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified |  | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2012 Snake River [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 TIMET [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 TIMET [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Amalgamated Sugar Company LLC [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Amalgamated Sugar Company LLC [Member] Snake River [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Amalgamated Sugar Company LLC [Member] Base Level [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net of assets transferred to the LLC |  |  |  | $ 34 |  |
Fair value on investment in the LLC redemption price |  |  |  | 250 |  |
Loan issued by Snake River | 250 |  |  |  |  |
Cost of the investment in LLC |  |  |  | 250 |  |
Dividend from LLC with a base level |  |  |  |  |  | 26.7
Percentage of share from profit of LLC |  |  |  | 95.00% |  |
Additional preferential share receivable in case distributions are below this base level |  |  |  | 95.00% |  |
Interest payable towards loan |  |  |  |  | 1.8 |
Investment in common stock |  |  | 6.5 |  |  |
Percentage of outstanding common stock held |  |  | 3.70% |  |  |
Common stock quoted market price per share |  |  | $ 14.98 |  |  |
Sale of common stock |  | 107.6 |  |  |  |
Sale of common stock, price per share |  | $ 16.50 |  |  |  |
Pre-tax gain on sale of shares |  | $ 21.6 |  |  |  |

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- Definition Income derived from investments in equity securities representing a distribution of earnings to shareholders by the investee companies. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 115 -Paragraph 14 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.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. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 7 -Article 5 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.7(a)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688 + Details
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- Definition Per share amount received by subsidiary or equity investee for each share of common stock issued or sold in the stock transaction. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 5 -Section H + Details
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- Definition Carrying amount of collateralized debt obligations with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle, if longer, excluding the current portion. Obligations include, but not limited to, mortgage loans, chattel loans, and other borrowings secured by assets. + 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 SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5 + Details
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