Segment Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012 item	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Information
Number of reportable segments		3
Revenues:
Total Revenues		$ 2,399,895,000	$ 2,571,358,000	$ 1,587,730,000
Segment operating income (loss):
Total operating income (loss)		(1,013,126,000)	573,431,000	594,062,000
Less interest expense, net		(138,552,000)	(96,214,000)	(16,466,000)
Other income (loss)		(13,081,000)	17,606,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense		(1,164,759,000)	494,823,000	577,596,000
Income tax (expense) benefit		99,204,000	(131,225,000)	(188,171,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations		(1,065,555,000)	363,598,000	389,425,000
Impairment charges:
Restructuring and impairment charge	9,100,000	1,113,479,000
Depreciation and depletion:
Total depreciation and depletion		316,232,000	230,681,000	98,702,000
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures		391,512,000	414,566,000	157,476,000
Identifiable assets by segment:
Total identifiable assets	5,768,420,000	5,768,420,000	6,856,508,000	1,657,765,000
Long-lived assets by country:
Total long-lived assets	4,697,688,000	4,697,688,000	4,687,591,000	790,001,000
Export sales
Export sales		1,900,000,000	2,000,000,000	1,200,000,000
Other postretirement benefits (income) expense		52,852,000	40,385,000	41,478,000
U.S.
Long-lived assets by country:
Total long-lived assets	1,034,992,000	1,034,992,000	1,096,763,000	790,001,000
Canada
Long-lived assets by country:
Total long-lived assets	3,203,227,000	3,203,227,000	3,195,377,000
U.K.
Long-lived assets by country:
Total long-lived assets	459,469,000	459,469,000	395,451,000
Sales | Foreign countries | Greater than
Export sales
Threshold for sales to customers in foreign countries as a percentage of consolidated revenues		10.00%	10.00%	10.00%
Sales | Foreign countries | U.K.
Export sales
Revenues from external customers as a percentage of consolidated revenues	5.40%	5.40%	6.20%	10.30%
Sales | Foreign countries | Brazil
Export sales
Revenues from external customers as a percentage of consolidated revenues	10.70%	10.70%	10.50%	24.90%
Sales | Foreign countries | Germany
Export sales
Revenues from external customers as a percentage of consolidated revenues	9.70%	9.70%	9.80%	13.70%
Sales | Foreign countries | Japan
Export sales
Revenues from external customers as a percentage of consolidated revenues	11.50%	11.50%	9.40%	5.20%
U.S. Operations
Revenues:
Total Revenues		1,728,363,000	1,871,182,000	1,584,734,000
Segment operating income (loss):
Total operating income (loss)		188,696,000	561,370,000	634,442,000
Impairment charges:
Restructuring and impairment charge		114,281,000
Depreciation and depletion:
Total depreciation and depletion		173,140,000	155,702,000	98,170,000
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures		162,535,000	149,996,000	152,299,000
Identifiable assets by segment:
Total identifiable assets	1,603,745,000	1,603,745,000	1,118,451,000	1,021,534,000
Export sales
Other postretirement benefits (income) expense		53,301,000	41,745,000	43,228,000
Canadian and U.K. operations
Revenues:
Total Revenues		668,313,000	698,054,000
Segment operating income (loss):
Total operating income (loss)		(1,158,591,000)	86,538,000
Impairment charges:
Restructuring and impairment charge		999,198,000
Depreciation and depletion:
Total depreciation and depletion		141,713,000	74,203,000
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures		224,583,000	264,476,000
Identifiable assets by segment:
Total identifiable assets	3,728,817,000	3,728,817,000	5,021,521,000
Other
Revenues:
Total Revenues		3,219,000	2,122,000	2,996,000
Segment operating income (loss):
Total operating income (loss)		(43,231,000)	(74,477,000)	(40,380,000)
Depreciation and depletion:
Total depreciation and depletion		1,379,000	776,000	532,000
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures		4,394,000	94,000	5,177,000
Identifiable assets by segment:
Total identifiable assets	435,858,000	435,858,000	716,536,000	630,319,000
Export sales
Other postretirement benefits (income) expense		(449,000)	(1,360,000)	(1,750,000)
Discontinued operations
Identifiable assets by segment:
Total identifiable assets				$ 5,912,000