Statement of Cash Flows (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 212.9	$ 219.2
Depreciation and amortization	50.3	48.2
Litigation settlement gain	(14.7)
Loss on prepayment of debt	7.2	3.2
Call premium and interest paid on Senior Notes redeemed	(6.2)	(2.5)
Assets held for sale write-down	0.4	1.1
Reversal of accrued contingent consideration	(0.8)
Benefit plan expense less than cash funding requirements:
Defined benefit pension expense	0.4	0.2
Other postretirement benefit expense	(1.1)	(1.3)
Deferred income taxes	37.9	69.3
Net distributions from (contributions to) Ti02manufacturing joint venture	(30.1)	2.1
Other, net	0.9	6.5
Change in assets and liabilities:
Accounts and other receivables, net	(53.8)	(121.1)
Inventories, net	(157.8)	(60.7)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	(36.8)	63.1
Accounts with affiliates	54.1	(2.0)
Income taxes	(6.8)	18.8
Other, net	(9.8)	(23.6)
Net cash provided by operating activities	46.2	220.5
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(66.0)	(91.1)
Capitalized permit costs	(2.9)	(6.6)
Purchases of:
Mutual funds		(272.6)
Other marketable securities	(5.7)	(5.8)
Titanium Metals Corporation ("TIMET") common stock		(30.4)
Proceeds from:
Disposal of mutual funds	21.1	227.0
Disposal of other marketable securities	8.1	3.6
Sale of business		0.3
Real estate-related litigation settlement	15.6
Acquisition, net of cash acquired		(4.9)
Change in restricted cash equivalents, net	(5.0)	3.4
Other, net	2.7	(8.1)
Net cash used in investing activities	(32.1)	(185.2)
Indebtedness:
Borrowings	503.3	119.1
Principal payments	(422.6)	(278.1)
Deferred financing costs paid	(7.1)
Valhi cash dividends paid	(48.0)	(39.6)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries	(13.9)	(24.7)
Treasury stock acquired		(9.5)
Other, net		0.3
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	11.7	(232.5)
Cash and cash equivalents - net change from:
Operating, investing and financing activities	25.8	(197.2)
Effect of exchange rate on cash	1.3	0.5
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	96.4	325.1
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	123.5	128.4
Cash paid for:
Interest, net of capitalized interest (including call premium paid)	51.3	46.1
Income taxes, net	64.4	48.1
Noncash investing activities:
Accrual for capital expenditures	8.6	16.9
Accrual for capitalized permit costs	$ 1.6	$ 0.7