Debt instrument maturity year.

No definition available.

Name:	lxu_DebtInstrumentMaturityYear
Namespace Prefix:	lxu_
Data Type:	xbrli:gYearItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt instrument number of periodic payment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lxu_DebtInstrumentNumberOfPeriodicPayment
Namespace Prefix:	lxu_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum letter of credit capacity under a line of credit facility.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lxu_LetterOfCreditMaximumCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	lxu_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of unsecured guarantors in an agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lxu_NumberOfUnsecuredGuarantors
Namespace Prefix:	lxu_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34725769&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Description of the frequency of periodic payments (monthly, quarterly, annual).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479336&loc=d3e64711-112823

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFrequencyOfPeriodicPayment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Description of the payment terms of the debt instrument (for example, whether periodic payments include principal and frequency of payments) and discussion about any contingencies associated with the payment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(3))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479336&loc=d3e64711-112823

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentPaymentTerms
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of payment greater than the preceding installment payments to be paid at final maturity date of debt.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentPeriodicPaymentTermsBalloonPaymentToBePaid
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The effective interest rate at the end of the reporting period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityInterestRateAtPeriodEnd
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility (current borrowing capacity less the amount of borrowings outstanding).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityRemainingBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Weighted average interest rate of long-term debt outstanding.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash inflow from borrowings supported by a written promise to pay an obligation that is collateralized (backed by pledge, mortgage or other lien in the entity's assets).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Financing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6513228

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3255-108585

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=lxu_SeniorSecuredNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=lxu_WorkingCapitalRevolverLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=lxu_SevenPointSevenFivePercentageSeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=lxu_SecuredPromissoryNoteMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=lxu_FivePointSevenThreeSecuredPromissoryNoteDueTwoThousandAndNineteenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=lxu_SecuredPromissoryNoteDueTwoThousandAndTwentyThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=lxu_ElDoradoAmmoniaLimitedLiabilityCompanyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=lxu_OtherLongTermDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=lxu_SecuredPromissoryNoteDueTwoThousandAndNineteenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=lxu_ElDoradoChemicalCompanyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Period Type:

Long-Term Debt - Schedule of Long-Term Debt (Parenthetical) (Detail)			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Feb. 05, 2016 USD ($) Installment	Sep. 16, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) Guarantor	Dec. 31, 2015
12% Senior Secured Notes Due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate			12.00%	12.00%
Maturity year			2019	2019
Senior Secured Notes Due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maturity date			Aug. 01, 2019
Debt instrument, frequency of interest payment			Interest is to be paid semiannually on February 1st and August 1st.
Number of unsecured guarantors \| Guarantor			1
Working Capital Revolver Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, interest rate			4.00%	4.00%
Maturity date			Apr. 13, 2018
Maximum amount of revolving credit facility			$ 100,000,000
Letters of credit maximum capacity			15,000,000
Amount available for borrowing			$ 69,300,000
7.75% Senior Secured Notes Due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate			7.75%	7.75%
Maturity year			2019	2019
Secured Promissory Note Due 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maturity year			2016	2016
Long-term debt, effective Interest Rate			3.63%	3.63%
5.73% Secured Promissory Note due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maturity year			2019	2019
Long-term debt, effective Interest Rate			5.73%	5.73%
Secured Promissory Note Due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maturity year			2021	2021
Long-term debt, effective Interest Rate			5.25%	5.25%
Maturity date			Mar. 26, 2021
Secured promissory note, payment term			This note requires interest only monthly payments for the first 12 months of the term (through April 2016) and then principal and interest monthly payments through the remaining term.
Secured Promissory Note Due 2023 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maturity year			2023	2023
Long-term debt, effective Interest Rate			4.44%	4.44%
Maturity date			May 31, 2023
Secured Promissory Note Due 2023 [Member] \| EL Dorado Ammonia L.L.C [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds of the secured promissory note		$ 15,000,000
Secured Promissory Note Due 2023 [Member] \| EL Dorado Ammonia L.L.C [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, principal amount		$ 19,800,000
Other [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate of other debt			4.43%	4.43%
Secured Promissory Note due 2019 [Member] \| EL Dorado Chemical Company [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maturity year	2019
Maturity date	Jun. 29, 2019
Proceeds of the secured promissory note	$ 10,000,000
Debt instrument, number of periodic payment \| Installment	40
Final balloon payment	$ 6,700,000