BUSINESS SEGMENTS (Summary of Certain Financial Information from Continuing Operations by Reportable Segment and Major Product) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2023	Nov. 30, 2022	Aug. 31, 2023
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 2,003,051	$ 2,227,313
Adjusted EBITDA	305,637	402,736
Total assets	6,695,169	6,639,094	$ 6,639,094
Raw materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	317,369	298,187
Steel products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	833,292	1,015,530
Downstream products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	653,176	703,357
Construction products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	77,759	83,567
Ground stabilization products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	57,323	59,079
Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	64,132	67,593
North America Steel Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,612,287	1,690,015
Europe Steel Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	225,751	387,035
Emerging Businesses Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	182,026	179,312
Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(17,013)	(29,049)
Segments | North America Steel Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,592,650	1,664,161
Adjusted EBITDA	266,820	349,787
Total assets	4,142,370	4,166,521
Segments | North America Steel Group | Raw materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	313,655	293,320
Segments | North America Steel Group | Steel products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	657,760	703,594
Segments | North America Steel Group | Downstream products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	577,002	618,967
Segments | North America Steel Group | Construction products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0
Segments | North America Steel Group | Ground stabilization products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0
Segments | North America Steel Group | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	44,233	48,280
Segments | Europe Steel Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	225,175	386,503
Adjusted EBITDA	38,942	61,248
Total assets	838,019	927,468
Segments | Europe Steel Group | Raw materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	3,714	4,867
Segments | Europe Steel Group | Steel products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	175,532	311,936
Segments | Europe Steel Group | Downstream products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	38,628	59,582
Segments | Europe Steel Group | Construction products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0
Segments | Europe Steel Group | Ground stabilization products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0
Segments | Europe Steel Group | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	7,301	10,118
Segments | Emerging Businesses Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	177,239	170,534
Adjusted EBITDA	30,862	31,427
Total assets	847,744	874,330
Segments | Emerging Businesses Group | Raw materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0
Segments | Emerging Businesses Group | Steel products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0
Segments | Emerging Businesses Group | Downstream products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	37,546	24,808
Segments | Emerging Businesses Group | Construction products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	77,759	83,567
Segments | Emerging Businesses Group | Ground stabilization products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	57,323	59,079
Segments | Emerging Businesses Group | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	4,611	3,080
Segments | Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	7,987	6,115
Adjusted EBITDA	(30,987)	(39,726)
Total assets	867,036	670,775
Segments | Corporate and Other | Raw materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0
Segments | Corporate and Other | Steel products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0
Segments | Corporate and Other | Downstream products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0
Segments | Corporate and Other | Construction products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0
Segments | Corporate and Other | Ground stabilization products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0
Segments | Corporate and Other | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	7,987	6,115
Intersegment | North America Steel Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	19,637	25,854
Intersegment | Europe Steel Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	576	532
Intersegment | Emerging Businesses Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	4,787	8,778
Intersegment | Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ (25,000)	$ (35,164)