Restructuring Programs (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended																									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010 Harsco Infrastructure Segment	Dec. 31, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program		Dec. 31, 2011 2011/2012 Restructuring Program	Dec. 31, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment		Dec. 31, 2011 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment		Dec. 31, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment Employee termination benefit costs		Dec. 31, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment Cost to exit activities		Dec. 31, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment		Dec. 31, 2011 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment		Dec. 31, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment Employee termination benefit costs		Dec. 31, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment Cost to exit activities		Dec. 31, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Rail Segment Employee termination benefit costs		Dec. 31, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Harsco Corporate Employee termination benefit costs		Dec. 31, 2012 2011/2012 Restructuring Program Minimum	Dec. 31, 2012 Fourth Quarter 2010 Harsco Infrastructure Program	Dec. 31, 2012 Fourth Quarter 2010 Harsco Infrastructure Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment		Dec. 31, 2012 Fourth Quarter 2010 Harsco Infrastructure Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment Employee termination benefit costs		Dec. 31, 2012 Fourth Quarter 2010 Harsco Infrastructure Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment Cost to exit activities		Dec. 31, 2012 Fourth Quarter 2010 Harsco Infrastructure Program Harsco Infrastructure Segment Other		Dec. 31, 2012 Prior restructuring programs Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment		Dec. 31, 2012 Prior restructuring programs Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment Employee termination benefit costs		Dec. 31, 2012 Prior restructuring programs Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment Cost to exit activities
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Pre-tax restructuring charges				$ 84,400,000			$ 101,000,000	$ 88,600,000	[1]	$ 87,600,000	[1]					$ 5,500,000	[1]	$ 12,800,000	[1]
Overall cost savings in 2012					55,000,000
Overall cost savings expected in 2013																												63,000,000
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Accrual Beginning Balance					30,471,000			17,333,000	[2]			14,500,000		2,833,000		12,737,000	[2]			12,737,000		0		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					69,333,000	[1]		63,422,000	[1],[2]			17,495,000	[1]	45,927,000	[1]	5,473,000	[1],[2]			4,974,000	[1]	499,000	[1]	67,000	[1]	371,000	[1]
Adjustments to Previously Recorded Restructuring Charges																														(1,018,000)	[3]	(208,000)	[3]	(805,000)	[3]	(5,000)	[3]	(1,263,000)	[3]	(1,263,000)	[3]	0	[3]
Non-Cash Charges / Adjustments					(111,000)			(111,000)	[2]			(326,000)		215,000		0	[2]			0		0		0		0
Cash Payments					(77,105,000)			(65,262,000)	[2]			(25,265,000)		(39,997,000)		(11,017,000)	[2]			(11,017,000)		0		(117,000)		(709,000)				(4,178,000)		0		(4,178,000)		0		(167,000)		(43,000)		(124,000)
Foreign Currency Translation					417,000			617,000	[2]			595,000		22,000		(200,000)	[2]			(200,000)		0		0		0				(160,000)		(3,000)		(155,000)		(2,000)		13,000		26,000		(13,000)
Remaining Accrual Ending Balance					23,005,000		30,471,000	15,999,000	[2]	17,333,000	[2]	6,999,000		9,000,000		6,993,000	[2]	12,737,000	[2]	6,494,000		499,000		0		13,000				6,791,000		0		6,791,000		0		590,000		0		590,000
Non-cash product rationalization expense	24,966,000	66,063,000	34,302,000					25,000,000
Proceeds from sales of assets	49,779,000	42,653,000	22,663,000					17,700,000
Remaining portion of restructuring accrual related to exit activity costs for lease terminations expected to be paid over the remaining life of the leases														7,000,000
Withdrawal liability to exit certain multi-employer pension plans			$ 8,300,000																										$ 6,000,000

[1] 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.

[2] The table does not include $25.0 million of non-cash product rationalization expense or $17.7 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 2012.

[3] Adjustments to previously recorded restructuring charges resulted from changes in facts and circumstances in the implementation of these activities.