Information by Segment and Geographic Area (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

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

Countries with revenues from unaffiliated customers or 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
	Year Ended December 31
(In thousands)	2013		2012		2011
United States	$	1,021,770	$	1,108,051	$	1,087,454
United Kingdom	353,915		331,894		398,222
All Other	1,520,835		1,606,073		1,817,064
Totals including Corporate	$	2,896,520	$	3,046,018	$	3,302,740

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

Schedule of Disclosure on Geographic Areas, Long-Lived Assets in Individual Foreign Countries by Country [Table Text Block]

	Property, Plant and Equipment, Net
	Balances at December 31
(In thousands)	2013		2012		2011
United States	$	147,820	$	242,890	$	276,966
China	86,822		55,656		21,700
All Other	476,704		967,679		975,818
Totals including Corporate	$	711,346	$	1,266,225	$	1,274,484

Schedule of Segment Operating Information by Segment

Operating Information by Segment:

	Year Ended
	December 31
(In thousands)	2013			2012			2011
Revenues
Harsco Metals & Minerals	$	1,359,004		$	1,404,103		$	1,588,302
Harsco Infrastructure	885,377			937,293			1,108,293
Harsco Rail	286,167			352,036			300,029
Harsco Industrial	365,972			352,586			306,116
Total Revenues	$	2,896,520		$	3,046,018		$	3,302,740
Operating Income (Loss)
Harsco Metals & Minerals	$	80,801		$	85,523		$	109,593
Harsco Infrastructure	(275,762		)	(368,657		)	(125,555		)
Harsco Rail	28,299			56,079			58,746
Harsco Industrial	61,035			60,160			50,656
Corporate	(29,172		)	(7,895		)	(5,791		)
Total Operating Income (Loss)	$	(134,799	)	$	(174,790	)	$	87,649
Total Assets
Harsco Metals & Minerals	$	1,595,221		$	1,561,973		$	1,537,538
Harsco Infrastructure (a)	456,323			1,018,979			1,371,143
Harsco Rail	159,774			188,348			213,410
Harsco Industrial	83,189			81,035			80,784
Corporate	147,241			125,634			136,002
Total Assets	$	2,441,748		$	2,975,969		$	3,338,877
Depreciation and Amortization
Harsco Metals & Minerals	$	158,837		$	163,137		$	183,784
Harsco Infrastructure	58,449			89,814			107,621
Harsco Rail	10,362			10,116			10,133
Harsco Industrial	3,329			3,098			2,805
Corporate	6,064			5,952			6,098
Total Depreciation and Amortization	$	237,041		$	272,117		$	310,441
Capital Expenditures
Harsco Metals & Minerals	$	173,179		$	189,358		$	212,009
Harsco Infrastructure	62,889			63,137			88,456
Harsco Rail	3,502			4,133			4,497
Harsco Industrial	3,936			3,669			4,938
Corporate	2,641			4,726			3,201
Total Capital Expenditures	$	246,147		$	265,023		$	313,101

(a) The total assets of the Harsco Infrastructure Segment at December 31, 2013 represent assets held-for-sale, the value of the equity method investment in Brand, and related net deferred tax assets.

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:

	Year Ended
	December 31
(In thousands)	2013			2012			2011
Segment operating income (loss)	$	(105,627	)	$	(166,895	)	$	93,440
General Corporate expense	(29,172		)	(7,895		)	(5,791		)
Operating income (loss) from continuing operations	(134,799		)	(174,790		)	87,649
Interest income	2,087			3,676			2,751
Interest expense	(49,654		)	(47,381		)	(48,735		)
Change in fair value to unit adjustment liability	(966		)	—			—
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity income	$	(183,332	)	$	(218,495	)	$	41,665

Schedule of Product Information

Information about Products and Services:

	Revenues from Unaffiliated Customers
	Year Ended
	December 31
(In thousands)	2013		2012		2011
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	$	1,292,511	$	1,333,248	$	1,518,902
Engineered scaffolding, concrete forming and shoring, and other access-related services, rentals and sales (a)	885,377		937,293		1,108,293
Railway track maintenance services and equipment	286,167		352,036		300,029
Air-cooled heat exchangers	180,738		175,896		142,960
Industrial grating products	142,355		136,157		113,388
Industrial abrasives and roofing granules	66,493		70,855		69,399
Heat transfer products	42,879		40,533		49,769
Consolidated Revenues	$	2,896,520	$	3,046,018	$	3,302,740