Other (Income) Expenses (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011 entity	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Other (income) expenses
Net gains		$ (6,162,000)	$ (7,792,000)	$ (8,047,000)
Contingent consideration adjustments		(3,966,000)	(10,620,000)
Employee termination benefit costs		36,174,000	24,816,000	10,931,000
Costs to exit activities		10,007,000	34,384,000	4,297,000
Product line rationalization		66,063,000	34,302,000
Impaired asset write-downs			9,966,000	1,494,000
Other (income) expense, miscellaneous		624,000	1,417,000	(1,114,000)
Other (income) expenses		102,740,000	86,473,000	7,561,000
Withdrawal liability to exit certain multi-employer pension plans			8,300,000
Harsco Metals & Minerals Segment
Other (income) expenses
Net gains		(1,666,000)	(3,942,000)	(3,406,000)
Employee termination benefit costs		18,533,000	4,684,000	7,998,000
Costs to exit activities		1,313,000	930,000	2,577,000
Impaired asset write-downs			1,028,000	1,464,000
Harsco Infrastructure Segment
Other (income) expenses
Net gains		(3,607,000)	(3,253,000)	(4,641,000)
Contingent consideration adjustments		(3,966,000)	(10,620,000)
Employee termination benefit costs		16,546,000	19,068,000	2,352,000
Costs to exit activities		8,694,000	33,458,000	1,720,000
Product line rationalization		66,063,000	34,302,000
Impaired asset write-downs			8,938,000	30,000
Assets held-for-sale, number of lines of business sold (in entities)	2
Harsco Industrial Segment
Other (income) expenses
Net gains		(889,000)	(597,000)
Employee termination benefit costs		423,000	486,000	303,000
Costs to exit activities			(4,000)
Harsco Rail Segment
Other (income) expenses
Employee termination benefit costs		296,000	578,000	246,000
Corporate
Other (income) expenses
Employee termination benefit costs		$ 376,000		$ 32,000