Commitments and Contingencies (Details)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011 Lawsuit Segment Complaint	Sep. 17, 2008 Company
Commitments and Contingencies.
Number of other steel manufacturing companies also served with a class action antitrust complaint		8
Number of additional lawsuits	7
Number of the complaints not brought on behalf of steel product purchasers	1

The total number of new claims filed pertaining to a loss contingency during the period.

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-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.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.

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyNewClaimsFiledNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration