Restructuring Programs (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended				12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended														6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program		Dec. 31, 2011 2011/2012 Restructuring Program	Jun. 30, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment		Jun. 30, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment Employee termination benefit costs		Jun. 30, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment Cost to exit activities		Jun. 30, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment Employee termination benefit costs		Jun. 30, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Rail Segment Employee termination benefit costs		Jun. 30, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Corporate Employee termination benefit costs		Jun. 30, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Minimum	Jun. 30, 2012 Fourth Quarter 2010 Harsco Infrastructure Program	Jun. 30, 2012 Fourth Quarter 2010 Harsco Infrastructure Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment	Jun. 30, 2012 Fourth Quarter 2010 Harsco Infrastructure Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment Employee termination benefit costs	Jun. 30, 2012 Fourth Quarter 2010 Harsco Infrastructure Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment Cost to exit activities	Jun. 30, 2012 Fourth Quarter 2010 Harsco Infrastructure Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment Other	Jun. 30, 2012 Prior Restructuring Programs	Jun. 30, 2012 Prior Restructuring Programs Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment	Jun. 30, 2012 Prior Restructuring Programs Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment Employee termination benefit costs	Jun. 30, 2012 Prior Restructuring Programs Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment Cost to exit activities
Restructuring Programs
Pre-tax charges	$ 29,660,000	$ 2,422,000	$ 65,109,000	$ 7,258,000			$ 101,000,000
Additional charges expected to be incurred in 2012					33,000,000
Overall cost savings expected in 2012																				36,000,000
Overall cost savings expected in 2013																				65,000,000
Restructuring accrual related activity
Accrual, balance at the beginning of the period					30,471,000			17,333,000	[1]	14,500,000		2,833,000		12,737,000		50,000		351,000				12,147,000	211,000	11,929,000	7,000		2,007,000	1,280,000	727,000
Additional Expenses Incurred					49,936,000	[2]		48,821,000	[1],[2]	12,863,000	[2]	35,958,000	[2]	707,000	[2]	67,000	[2]	341,000	[2]			(1,044,000)	(147,000)	(892,000)	(5,000)
Non-Cash Charges / Adjustments					406,000			406,000	[1]	(326,000)		732,000		0		0		0
Net Cash Expenditures					(53,850,000)			(47,632,000)	[1]	(17,848,000)		(29,784,000)		(5,493,000)		(100,000)		(625,000)				(1,707,000)	(61,000)	(1,646,000)	0		(117,000)	(55,000)	(62,000)
Foreign Currency Translation					(383,000)			(107,000)	[1]	(10,000)		(97,000)		(276,000)		0		0				(127,000)	(3,000)	(122,000)	(2,000)		(15,000)	(15,000)	0
Remaining Accrual, balance at the end of the period					26,580,000		30,471,000	18,821,000	[1]	9,179,000		9,642,000		7,675,000		17,000		67,000				9,269,000	0	9,269,000	0		1,875,000	1,210,000	665,000
Non-cash product rationalization expense								15,200,000
Proceeds from asset sales under the 2011/2012 Restructuring Program			36,573,000	33,388,000				14,500,000
Remaining amount of accrual expected to be paid related to multiemployer plan withdrawal liabilities through 2023																					6,300,000
Remaining amount of cash expenditures paid throughout 2012 and 2013																										$ 1,900,000
Portion of restructuring accrual expected to be paid throughout 2012																						25.00%

[1] The table does not include $15.2 million of non-cash product rationalization expense or $14.5 million of proceeds from asset sales under the 2011/2012 Restructuring Program for this Segment as these items did not impact the restructuring accrual during the six months ended June 30, 2012.

[2] Includes principally the recognition of additional expenses due to timing considerations under U.S. GAAP, as well as adjustments to previously recorded restructuring charges resulting from changes in facts and circumstances in the implementation of these activities.