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Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2013 Cases
Other Environmental Cleanup Matters |
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |
Accrual for reasonably estimable environmental remediation and related matters | $ 2.0
NL |
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
NL | Pending Claims | Product Liability And Occupational Exposure Litigation Claims |
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |
Cases pending | 1,130
Number of plaintiffs involved | 1,643
NL | Administratively Dismissed Claims | Product Liability And Occupational Exposure Litigation Claims |
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |
Number of plaintiffs involved | 8,298
NL | Environmental Remediation Sites Nl Named As Prp Or Defendant |
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |
Accrual for reasonably estimable environmental remediation and related matters | 58.0
Number of sites associated with remediation ad related costs | 50
Upper end range, estimate costs for remediation and related matters | 154
Number of sites for which NL not currently able to estimate costs | 5
Kronos Worldwide, Inc. |
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |
Case conclusion settlement amount | $ 35

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- Definition Amount of loss contingency liability. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349 + Details
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- Definition The number of claims settled and dismissed during the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349 + Details
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- Definition Number of pending claims pertaining to a loss contingency. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349 + Details
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