Revised Financial Statements (Details 2) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Revenues from continuing operations:
Service revenues	$ 292,209	$ 361,966	$ 579,637	$ 712,760
Total revenues	455,747	535,344	907,326	1,047,827
Costs and expenses from continuing operations:
Cost of services sold	243,838	296,532	489,699	590,840
Research and development expenses	1,514	1,058	2,433	3,721
Loss on disposal of the Harsco Infrastructure Segment and transaction costs	0	2,918	0	4,599
Total costs and expenses	420,018	526,650	832,716	1,006,906
Operating income from continuing operations	35,729	8,694	74,610	40,921
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity income	22,178	(5,327)	47,186	13,230
Income tax expense	(7,105)	(4,843)	(19,960)	(10,154)
Equity in loss of unconsolidated entities, net	(7,584)	(3,518)	(3,501)	(4,748)
Income from continuing operations	7,489	(13,688)	23,725	(1,672)
Net income (loss)	7,762	(12,598)	23,591	(985)
Net income attributable to Harsco Corporation	6,575	(12,612)	21,839	(2,401)
Amounts attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders:
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax	$ 6,302	$ (13,702)	$ 21,973	$ (3,088)
Basic earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.08	$ (0.17)	$ 0.27	$ (0.04)
Basic earnings per share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders (in dollars per share)	0.08	(0.16)	0.27	(0.03)
Diluted earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	0.08	(0.17)	0.27	(0.04)
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.08	$ (0.16)	$ 0.27	$ (0.03)
As Previously Reported
Revenues from continuing operations:
Service revenues		$ 361,199		$ 712,209
Total revenues		534,577		1,047,276
Costs and expenses from continuing operations:
Cost of services sold		296,801		590,800
Research and development expenses		1,983		4,602
Loss on disposal of the Harsco Infrastructure Segment and transaction costs		3,415		5,553
Total costs and expenses		528,341		1,008,701
Operating income from continuing operations		6,236		38,575
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity income		(7,785)		10,884
Income tax expense		(4,258)		(8,753)
Equity in loss of unconsolidated entities, net		(3,008)		(4,238)
Income from continuing operations		(15,051)		(2,107)
Net income (loss)		(13,961)		(1,420)
Net income attributable to Harsco Corporation		(13,975)		(2,836)
Amounts attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders:
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax		$ (15,065)		$ (3,523)
Basic earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)		$ (0.19)
Basic earnings per share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders (in dollars per share)		(0.17)		$ (0.04)
Diluted earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)		(0.19)
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ (0.17)		$ (0.04)
Revision
Revenues from continuing operations:
Service revenues		$ 767		$ 551
Total revenues		767		551
Costs and expenses from continuing operations:
Cost of services sold		(269)		40
Research and development expenses		(925)		(881)
Loss on disposal of the Harsco Infrastructure Segment and transaction costs		(497)		(954)
Total costs and expenses		(1,691)		(1,795)
Operating income from continuing operations		2,458		2,346
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity income		2,458		2,346
Income tax expense		(585)		(1,401)
Equity in loss of unconsolidated entities, net		(510)		(510)
Income from continuing operations		1,363		435
Net income (loss)		1,363		435
Net income attributable to Harsco Corporation		1,363		435
Amounts attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders:
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax		$ 1,363		$ 435
Basic earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)		$ 0.02
Basic earnings per share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders (in dollars per share)		0.01		$ 0.01
Diluted earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)		0.02
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.01		$ 0.01