XML 112 R49.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Derivative
Dec. 31, 2013
Derivative
Dec. 31, 2012
Apr. 30, 2013
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]        
Assets held for sale $ 0us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationLongLivedAssets $ 0us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationLongLivedAssets    
Balance in excess of FDIC-insured limits 39,000,000lxu_BalanceInExcessOfFdicInsuredLimits      
Interest cost capitized 14,100,000us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized 4,000,000us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized 400,000us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized  
Impairments of goodwill 0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss 0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss 0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss  
Insurance coverage of general liability and auto liability risks 100,000,000lxu_InsuranceCoverageOfGeneralLiabilityAndAutoLiabilityRisks     100,000,000lxu_InsuranceCoverageOfGeneralLiabilityAndAutoLiabilityRisks
Insurance policy covering pollution liability 50,000,000lxu_InsurancePolicyCoveringPollutionLiability      
Tax benefit recognized Greater than 50%      
Number of derivatives held with fair value eligible for offset 0us-gaap_DerivativeNumberOfInstrumentsHeld 0us-gaap_DerivativeNumberOfInstrumentsHeld    
Capitalized Software [Member]        
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]        
Estimated useful lives of the software 8 years      
Interest cost capitized 500,000us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= lxu_CapitalizedSoftwareMember
100,000us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= lxu_CapitalizedSoftwareMember
0us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= lxu_CapitalizedSoftwareMember
 
Amortization expense 400,000us-gaap_CapitalizedComputerSoftwareAmortization
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= lxu_CapitalizedSoftwareMember
  0us-gaap_CapitalizedComputerSoftwareAmortization
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= lxu_CapitalizedSoftwareMember
 
Estimated amortization related to capitalized software, 2015 1,200,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseNextTwelveMonths
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= lxu_CapitalizedSoftwareMember
     
Estimated amortization related to capitalized software, 2016 2,200,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearTwo
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= lxu_CapitalizedSoftwareMember
     
Estimated amortization related to capitalized software, 2017 2,700,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearThree
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= lxu_CapitalizedSoftwareMember
     
Estimated amortization related to capitalized software, 2018 2,700,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearFour
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= lxu_CapitalizedSoftwareMember
     
Estimated amortization related to capitalized software, 2019 $ 2,600,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearFive
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= lxu_CapitalizedSoftwareMember
     
Minimum [Member]        
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]        
Ownership interest in equity method investment 20.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
     
Maximum [Member]        
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]        
Ownership interest in equity method investment 50.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
     
Short-Term Investments [Member]        
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]        
Original maturity period 26 weeks      
Noncurrent Restricted Investments [Member] | CD [Member]        
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]        
Original maturity period No longer than approximately 26 weeks