Restructuring Programs (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			12 Months Ended		9 Months Ended							12 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 Restructuring Program 2011 and 2012	Dec. 31, 2012 Restructuring Program 2011 and 2012	Dec. 31, 2011 Restructuring Program 2011 and 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 Restructuring Program 2011 and 2012 Harsco Infrastructure Segment	Sep. 30, 2013 Restructuring Program 2011 and 2012 Harsco Infrastructure Segment Employee termination benefit costs	Sep. 30, 2013 Restructuring Program 2011 and 2012 Harsco Infrastructure Segment Cost to exit activities	Sep. 30, 2013 Restructuring Program 2011 and 2012 Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment	Sep. 30, 2013 Restructuring Program 2011 and 2012 Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment Employee termination benefit costs	Sep. 30, 2013 Restructuring Program 2011 and 2012 Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment Cost to exit activities	Sep. 30, 2013 Restructuring Program 2011 and 2012 Corporate [Member] Employee termination benefit costs	Dec. 31, 2013 Restructuring Program 2011 and 2012 Minimum Forecast	Sep. 30, 2013 Restructuring Programs 2010 Fourth Quarter Harsco Infrastructure	Sep. 30, 2013 Restructuring Programs 2010 Fourth Quarter Harsco Infrastructure Harsco Infrastructure Segment Cost to exit activities
Restructuring Programs
Non-Cash Charges / Other Adjustments					$ 2,197,000			$ 1,726,000	$ 962,000	$ 764,000	$ 473,000	$ 473,000	$ 0	$ 2,000			$ (449,000)
Overall cost savings expected in 2013															63,000,000
Restructuring accrual related activity
Accrual, balance at the beginning of the period					23,005,000			15,999,000	6,999,000	9,000,000	6,993,000	6,494,000	499,000	13,000			6,791,000
Cash Expenditures					(12,299,000)			(7,794,000)	(4,880,000)	(2,914,000)	(4,493,000)	(4,318,000)	(175,000)	(12,000)			(421,000)
Foreign Currency Translation					(366,000)			(313,000)	(250,000)	(63,000)	(53,000)	(59,000)	6,000	0			(3,000)
Remaining Accrual, balance at the end of the period					8,143,000	23,005,000		6,166,000	907,000	5,259,000	1,974,000	1,644,000	330,000	3,000			5,918,000
Proceeds from asset sales under the 2011/2012 Restructuring Program			16,947,000	42,889,000
Remaining amount of accrual expected to be paid related to multiemployer plan withdrawal liabilities through 2023																5,700,000
Remaining portion of restructuring accrual related to exit activity costs for lease terminations expected to be paid over the remaining life of the leases										6,000,000
Incremental Restructuring Savings					8,000,000
Restructuring Charges	$ 0	$ 8,454,000	$ 0	$ 73,563,000		$ 69,000,000	$ 101,000,000