Recently Adopted and Recently Issued Accounting Standards (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2018	Jan. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Current assets:
Trade accounts receivable, net	$ 295,390	$ 288,566	$ 288,034
Inventories	130,871	118,500	178,293
Current portion of contract assets	18,798	18,248	0
Other current assets	44,562	39,511	39,332
Total current assets	584,057	551,258	592,092
Contract assets	3,566	3,566	0
Deferred income tax assets	42,387		51,574
Other assets	19,394	16,600	15,263
Total assets	1,611,412	1,542,754	1,578,685
Current liabilities:
Current portion of advances on contracts	39,559	39,451	117,958
Other current liabilities	130,577	147,363	133,368
Total current liabilities	381,306	409,616	474,128
Advances on contracts	13,493	24,564	0
Other liabilities	48,821	42,426	40,846
Liabilities	1,345,259	1,325,152	1,363,520
HARSCO CORPORATION STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(557,889)	(548,102)	(546,582)
Retained earnings	1,219,992	1,161,758	1,157,801
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	223,732	172,888	170,451
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	42,421		44,714
Total equity	266,153	217,602	215,165	$ 186,896	$ 137,563
Total liabilities and equity	1,611,412	1,542,754	1,578,685
Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606 [Member]
Current assets:
Trade accounts receivable, net	295,661		288,034
Inventories	209,404		178,293
Current portion of contract assets	0		0
Other current assets	44,388		39,332
Total current assets	643,889		592,092
Contract assets	0		0
Deferred income tax assets	43,346
Other assets	18,163		15,263
Total assets	1,667,406		1,578,685
Current liabilities:
Current portion of advances on contracts	119,550		117,958
Other current liabilities	121,850		133,368
Total current liabilities	452,570		474,128
Advances on contracts	0		0
Other liabilities	48,520		40,846
Liabilities	1,402,729		1,363,520
HARSCO CORPORATION STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(556,266)		(546,582)
Retained earnings	1,216,913		1,157,801
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	222,276		170,451
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	42,401
Total equity	264,677		215,165
Total liabilities and equity	1,667,406		$ 1,578,685
Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09
Current assets:
Trade accounts receivable, net	271	532
Inventories	78,533	(59,793)
Current portion of contract assets	(18,798)	18,248
Other current assets	(174)	179
Total current assets	59,832	(40,834)
Contract assets	(3,566)	3,566
Deferred income tax assets	959
Other assets	(1,231)	1,337
Total assets	55,994	(35,931)
Current liabilities:
Current portion of advances on contracts	79,991	(78,507)
Other current liabilities	(8,727)	13,995
Total current liabilities	71,264	(64,512)
Advances on contracts	(13,493)	24,564
Other liabilities	(301)	1,580
Liabilities	57,470	(38,368)
HARSCO CORPORATION STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	1,623	(1,520)
Retained earnings	(3,079)	3,957
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	(1,456)	2,437
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(20)
Total equity	(1,476)	2,437
Total liabilities and equity	$ 55,994	$ (35,931)