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Investments in Privately Held Companies (Details)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) employee subsidiary company entity	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) subsidiary entity	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) employee subsidiary company entity item	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) subsidiary entity	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) entity	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Direct investments | item			6
Indirect investments | item			4
Investments in privately-held companies	$ 6,015,000		$ 6,015,000		$ 6,599,000
Number of consolidated joint ventures | subsidiary	1	1	1	1
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	$ 146,000	$ (18,000)	$ (226,000)	$ (480,000)
Equity investments classified as other assets	11,696,000		$ 11,696,000		$ 12,842,000
Direct minority investments not consolidated | entity			3		3
Minority investments not consolidated accounted for under equity method | entity			7
Net income	(1,130,000)	$ (2,321,000)	$ (3,653,000)	$ (5,419,000)
Impairment charge	$ 0		$ 0
Number of gallium companies with impairment charge | entity	1		1
Joint Ventures [Member]
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Indirect investments | entity			4
Number of consolidated joint ventures | entity	3	3	3	3
Income (loss) from consolidated joint ventures	$ 860,000	$ 399,000	$ (1,100,000)	$ (82,000)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	146,000	(18,000)	(200,000)	(480,000)
Net income (loss) from joint ventures attributable to parent	714,000	417,000	1,300,000	398,000
Other Assets [Member]
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments in privately-held companies	10,100,000		10,100,000		$ 11,300,000
Other Assets [Member] | Joint Ventures [Member]
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Minority investment in consolidated joint venture, included in other assets	4,200,000		4,200,000		4,700,000
Beijing JiYa Semiconductor Material Co., Ltd Investment
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments, consolidated	$ 3,331,000		$ 3,331,000		3,331,000
Percentage of ownership, consolidated method (in hundredths)			46.00%
Number of persons on board | employee	1		1
Employee duration			27 years
Nanjing JinMei Gallium Co., Ltd Investment
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments, consolidated	$ 592,000		$ 592,000		592,000
Percentage of ownership, consolidated method (in hundredths)			83.00%
Number of new board representatives | employee			2
Beijing BoYu Semiconductor Vessel Craftwork Technology Co., Ltd Investment
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments, consolidated	1,346,000		$ 1,346,000		1,346,000
Percentage of ownership, consolidated method (in hundredths)			70.00%
Number of new board representatives | employee			2
Donghai County Dongfang High Purity Electronic Materials Co., Ltd Investment
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments in privately-held companies	$ 1,445,000		$ 1,445,000		1,498,000
Percentage of ownership, equity method (in hundredths)	46.00%		46.00%
Xilingol Tongli Germanium Co. Ltd Investment
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments in privately-held companies	$ 3,522,000		$ 3,522,000		4,000,000
Percentage of ownership, equity method (in hundredths)	25.00%		25.00%
Emeishan Jia Mei High Purity Metals Co., Ltd Investment
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments in privately-held companies	$ 1,048,000		$ 1,048,000		1,101,000
Percentage of ownership, equity method (in hundredths)	25.00%		25.00%
Seven Minority Investments
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Minority investments not consolidated accounted for under equity method | entity	7		7
Net income	$ (266,000)	$ (581,000)	$ (1,400,000)	$ (1,400,000)
One Gallium Company
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments in privately-held companies	0		0			$ 0
Impairment charge	$ 0		$ 313,000
Number of gallium companies with impairment charge | company	1		1
Beijing JiYa Semiconductor Material Co., Ltd
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Indirect investments | entity			3
Nanjing JinMei Gallium Co., Ltd
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Indirect investments | entity			1
Majority-Owned Subsidiaries [Member]
Summary of investments [Abstract]
Investments, consolidated	$ 5,269,000		$ 5,269,000		$ 5,269,000

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