Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Condensed, Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	$ 1,115.8	$ 927.4	$ 1,311.5	$ 953.6	$ 1,216.5	$ 921.4	$ 1,472.7	$ 1,132.6	$ 4,308.3	$ 4,743.2	$ 5,474.7
Cost of sales									2,761.2	2,964.7	2,954.5
Gross margin	280.4	165.0	685.9	415.8	444.3	301.1	590.3	442.8	1,547.1	1,778.5	2,520.2
Selling, general and administrative expenses									169.8	151.9	166.0
Transaction costs									56.9	0.0	0.0
Other operating—net									92.3	53.3	(15.8)
Total other operating costs and expenses									319.0	205.2	150.2
Gain on sale of phosphate business									0.0	750.1	0.0
Equity in earnings of operating affiliates									(35.0)	43.1	41.7
Operating earnings									1,193.1	2,366.5	2,411.7
Interest expense									133.2	178.2	152.2
Interest income									(1.6)	(0.9)	(4.7)
Net earnings of wholly-owned subsidiaries									0.0	0.0	0.0
Other non-operating—net									3.9	1.9	54.5
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of non-operating affiliates									1,057.6	2,187.3	2,209.7
Income tax (benefit) provision									395.8	773.0	686.5
Equity in (losses) earnings of non-operating affiliates—net of taxes									72.3	22.5	9.6
Net earnings									734.1	1,436.8	1,532.8
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest									34.2	46.5	68.2
Net earnings attributable to common stockholders	$ 26.5	$ 90.9	$ 351.9	$ 230.6	$ 238.3	$ 130.9	$ 312.6	$ 708.5	699.9	1,390.3	1,464.6
Reportable legal entities | Parent
Condensed, Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales									0.0	0.0	0.0
Cost of sales									0.0	0.0	0.0
Gross margin									0.0	0.0	0.0
Selling, general and administrative expenses									4.4	2.8	2.7
Transaction costs									45.8
Other operating—net									0.0	0.0	0.0
Total other operating costs and expenses									50.2	2.8	2.7
Gain on sale of phosphate business										0.0
Equity in earnings of operating affiliates									0.0	0.0	0.0
Operating earnings									(50.2)	(2.8)	(2.7)
Interest expense									0.0	0.0	0.0
Interest income									0.0	0.0	0.0
Net earnings of wholly-owned subsidiaries									(731.2)	(1,392.0)	(1,466.4)
Other non-operating—net									(0.1)	(0.1)	0.0
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of non-operating affiliates									681.1	1,389.3	1,463.7
Income tax (benefit) provision									(18.8)	(1.0)	(0.9)
Equity in (losses) earnings of non-operating affiliates—net of taxes									0.0	0.0	0.0
Net earnings									699.9	1,390.3	1,464.6
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest									0.0	0.0	0.0
Net earnings attributable to common stockholders									699.9	1,390.3	1,464.6
Reportable legal entities | CF Industries
Condensed, Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales									462.2	712.2	1,105.8
Cost of sales									361.6	528.6	886.0
Gross margin									100.6	183.6	219.8
Selling, general and administrative expenses									7.7	13.5	11.8
Transaction costs									0.0
Other operating—net									(8.5)	(5.0)	7.6
Total other operating costs and expenses									(0.8)	8.5	19.4
Gain on sale of phosphate business										764.5
Equity in earnings of operating affiliates									0.0	0.0	0.0
Operating earnings									101.4	939.6	200.4
Interest expense									285.1	246.9	155.1
Interest income									(69.0)	(0.2)	(0.9)
Net earnings of wholly-owned subsidiaries									(801.5)	(969.2)	(1,423.0)
Other non-operating—net									0.0	0.0	(0.4)
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of non-operating affiliates									686.8	1,662.1	1,469.6
Income tax (benefit) provision									(44.3)	270.0	3.0
Equity in (losses) earnings of non-operating affiliates—net of taxes									0.0	(0.1)	(0.2)
Net earnings									731.1	1,392.0	1,466.4
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest									0.0	0.0	0.0
Net earnings attributable to common stockholders									731.1	1,392.0	1,466.4
Reportable legal entities | Other Subsidiaries
Condensed, Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales									4,542.8	5,073.4	5,767.5
Cost of sales									3,096.3	3,478.5	3,463.0
Gross margin									1,446.5	1,594.9	2,304.5
Selling, general and administrative expenses									157.7	135.6	151.5
Transaction costs									11.1
Other operating—net									100.8	58.3	(23.4)
Total other operating costs and expenses									269.6	193.9	128.1
Gain on sale of phosphate business										(14.4)
Equity in earnings of operating affiliates									(35.0)	43.1	41.7
Operating earnings									1,141.9	1,429.7	2,218.1
Interest expense									(81.7)	(68.5)	(1.8)
Interest income									(2.8)	(0.9)	(4.9)
Net earnings of wholly-owned subsidiaries									0.0	0.0	0.0
Other non-operating—net									4.0	2.0	54.9
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of non-operating affiliates									1,222.4	1,497.1	2,169.9
Income tax (benefit) provision									458.9	504.0	684.4
Equity in (losses) earnings of non-operating affiliates—net of taxes									72.3	22.6	9.8
Net earnings									835.8	1,015.7	1,495.3
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest									34.2	46.5	72.3
Net earnings attributable to common stockholders									801.6	969.2	1,423.0
Eliminations
Condensed, Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales									(696.7)	(1,042.4)	(1,398.6)
Cost of sales									(696.7)	(1,042.4)	(1,394.5)
Gross margin									0.0	0.0	(4.1)
Selling, general and administrative expenses									0.0	0.0	0.0
Transaction costs									0.0
Other operating—net									0.0	0.0	0.0
Total other operating costs and expenses									0.0	0.0	0.0
Gain on sale of phosphate business										0.0
Equity in earnings of operating affiliates									0.0	0.0	0.0
Operating earnings									0.0	0.0	(4.1)
Interest expense									(70.2)	(0.2)	(1.1)
Interest income									70.2	0.2	1.1
Net earnings of wholly-owned subsidiaries									1,532.7	2,361.2	2,889.4
Other non-operating—net									0.0	0.0	0.0
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of non-operating affiliates									(1,532.7)	(2,361.2)	(2,893.5)
Income tax (benefit) provision									0.0	0.0	0.0
Equity in (losses) earnings of non-operating affiliates—net of taxes									0.0	0.0	0.0
Net earnings									(1,532.7)	(2,361.2)	(2,893.5)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest									0.0	0.0	(4.1)
Net earnings attributable to common stockholders									$ (1,532.7)	$ (2,361.2)	$ (2,889.4)