Information by Segment and Geographic Area (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Schedule of Revenue from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets, by Geographical Areas

Countries with revenues from unaffiliated customers and net property, plant and equipment of ten percent or more of the consolidated totals (in at least one period presented) are as follows:

Information by Geographic Area (a)

	Revenues from Unaffiliated Customers						Property, Plant and Equipment, Net
	Twelve Months Ended						Balances at
	December 31						December 31
(In thousands)	2012		2011		2010		2012		2011		2010
United States	$	1,108,051	$	1,087,454	$	1,010,290	$	242,890	$	276,966	$	291,470
United Kingdom	331,894		398,222		420,458		115,775		114,521		141,014
All Other	1,606,073		1,817,064		1,607,930		907,560		882,997		934,489
Totals including Corporate	$	3,046,018	$	3,302,740	$	3,038,678	$	1,266,225	$	1,274,484	$	1,366,973

(a) Revenues are attributed to individual countries based on the location of the facility generating the revenue.

Schedule of Segment Operating Information by Segment

Operating Information by Segment:

	Twelve Months Ended
	December 31
(In thousands)	2012			2011			2010
Revenues
Harsco Metals & Minerals	$	1,404,103		$	1,588,302		$	1,461,531
Harsco Infrastructure	937,293			1,108,293			1,031,807
Harsco Rail	352,036			300,029			313,262
Harsco Industrial	352,586			306,116			231,898
Corporate	—			—			180
Total Revenues	$	3,046,018		$	3,302,740		$	3,038,678
Operating Income (Loss)
Harsco Metals & Minerals	$	85,523		$	109,593		$	117,915
Harsco Infrastructure	(368,657		)	(125,555		)	(145,346		)
Harsco Rail	56,079			58,746			66,124
Harsco Industrial	60,160			50,656			42,871
Corporate	(7,895		)	(5,791		)	(3,133		)
Total Operating Income (Loss)	$	(174,790	)	$	87,649		$	78,431
Total Assets
Harsco Metals & Minerals	$	1,561,973		$	1,537,538		$	1,541,117
Harsco Infrastructure	1,018,979			1,371,143			1,534,379
Harsco Rail	188,348			213,410			208,338
Harsco Industrial	81,035			80,784			58,918
Corporate	125,634			136,002			126,468
Total Assets	$	2,975,969		$	3,338,877		$	3,469,220
Depreciation and Amortization
Harsco Metals & Minerals	$	163,137		$	183,784		$	180,306
Harsco Infrastructure	89,814			107,621			114,861
Harsco Rail	10,116			10,133			11,110
Harsco Industrial	3,098			2,805			2,832
Corporate	5,952			6,098			6,130
Total Depreciation and Amortization	$	272,117		$	310,441		$	315,239
Capital Expenditures
Harsco Metals & Minerals	$	189,358		$	212,009		$	123,153
Harsco Infrastructure	63,137			88,456			54,858
Harsco Rail	4,133			4,497			9,498
Harsco Industrial	3,669			4,938			1,722
Corporate	4,726			3,201			3,117
Total Capital Expenditures	$	265,023		$	313,101		$	192,348

Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated

Reconciliation of Segment Operating Income (Loss) to Consolidated Income From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes and Equity Income:

	Twelve Months Ended
	December 31
(In thousands)	2012			2011			2010
Segment operating income (loss)	$	(166,895	)	$	93,440		$	81,564
General Corporate expense	(7,895		)	(5,791		)	(3,133		)
Operating income (loss) from continuing operations	(174,790		)	87,649			78,431
Interest income	3,676			2,751			2,668
Interest expense	(47,381		)	(48,735		)	(60,623		)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity income	$	(218,495	)	$	41,665		$	20,476

Schedule of Product Information

Information about Products and Services:

	Revenues from Unaffiliated Customers
	Twelve Months Ended
	December 31
(In thousands)	2012		2011		2010
Product Group
Outsourced, on-site services to steel mills and other metals producers and resource recovery technologies for the re-use of industrial waste stream by-products	$	1,333,248	$	1,518,902	$	1,393,794
Engineered scaffolding, concrete forming and shoring, and other access-related services, rentals and sales	937,293		1,108,293		1,031,807
Railway track maintenance services and equipment	352,036		300,029		313,262
Air-cooled heat exchangers	175,896		142,960		112,170
Industrial grating products	136,157		113,388		76,975
Industrial abrasives and roofing granules	70,855		69,399		67,737
Heat transfer products	40,533		49,769		42,753
General Corporate	—		—		180
Consolidated Revenues	$	3,046,018	$	3,302,740	$	3,038,678