Revised Financial Statements (Details 2) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014		Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Revenues from continuing operations:
Service revenues	$ 272,463	$ 341,831		$ 852,100	$ 1,054,591
Total revenues	428,334	526,377		1,335,660	1,574,204
Costs and expenses from continuing operations:
Cost of services sold	224,588	282,907		714,287	873,747
Selling, general and administrative expenses	64,526	67,774		186,891	212,537
Research and development expenses	1,057	854		3,490	4,575
Loss on disposal of the Harsco Infrastructure Segment and transaction costs	1,000	54		1,000	4,653
Total costs and expenses	420,606	477,933		1,253,322	1,484,839
Operating income from continuing operations	7,728	48,444		82,338	89,365
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity income	(5,201)	34,652		41,985	47,882
Income tax expense	(6,985)	(13,925)		(26,945)	(24,079)
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated entities, net	3,105	5,805		(396)	1,057
Income from continuing operations	(9,081)	26,532		14,644	24,860
Net income	(9,483)	26,129		14,108	25,144
Net income attributable to Harsco Corporation	(8,656)	24,597		13,183	22,196
Amounts attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders:
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax	$ (8,254)	$ 25,000		$ 13,719	$ 21,912
Basic earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.10)	$ 0.31		$ 0.17	$ 0.27
Basic earnings per share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders (in dollars per share)	(0.11)	0.30	[1]	0.16	0.27
Diluted earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	(0.10)	0.31		0.17	0.27
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.11)	$ 0.30	[1]	$ 0.16	$ 0.27
As Previously Reported
Revenues from continuing operations:
Service revenues					$ 1,054,040
Total revenues					1,573,653
Costs and expenses from continuing operations:
Cost of services sold		$ 285,098			875,898
Selling, general and administrative expenses		68,289			213,052
Research and development expenses					5,456
Loss on disposal of the Harsco Infrastructure Segment and transaction costs					5,607
Total costs and expenses		480,639			1,489,340
Operating income from continuing operations		45,738			84,313
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity income		31,946			42,830
Income tax expense		(11,671)			(20,424)
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated entities, net		5,295
Income from continuing operations		25,570			23,463
Net income		25,167			23,747
Net income attributable to Harsco Corporation		23,635			20,799
Amounts attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders:
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax		$ 24,038			$ 20,515
Basic earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)		$ 0.30			$ 0.25
Basic earnings per share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders (in dollars per share)		0.29			0.26
Diluted earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)		0.30			0.25
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.29			$ 0.26
Revision
Revenues from continuing operations:
Service revenues					$ 551
Total revenues					551
Costs and expenses from continuing operations:
Cost of services sold		$ (2,191)			(2,151)
Selling, general and administrative expenses		(515)			(515)
Research and development expenses					(881)
Loss on disposal of the Harsco Infrastructure Segment and transaction costs					(954)
Total costs and expenses		(2,706)			(4,501)
Operating income from continuing operations		2,706			5,052
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity income		2,706			5,052
Income tax expense		(2,254)			(3,655)
Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated entities, net		510
Income from continuing operations		962			1,397
Net income		962			1,397
Net income attributable to Harsco Corporation		962			1,397
Amounts attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders:
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax		$ 962			$ 1,397
Basic earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)		$ 0.01			$ 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)		0.01			0.02
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Harsco Corporation common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.01			$ 0.01

[1] Does not total due to rounding.