Segment Information (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 item	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Information
Number of reportable segments	3
Revenues:
Total Revenues	$ 1,860,631,000	$ 2,399,895,000	$ 2,571,358,000
Segment operating income (loss):
Operating income (loss)	(170,965,000)	(1,013,126,000)	573,431,000
Less interest expense, net	(232,751,000)	(138,552,000)	(96,214,000)
Other income (loss)	2,875,000	(13,081,000)	17,606,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense (benefit)	(400,841,000)	(1,164,759,000)	494,823,000
Income tax expense (benefit)	(41,838,000)	(99,204,000)	131,225,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(359,003,000)	(1,065,555,000)	363,598,000
Impairment and restructuring charges:
Impairment and restructuring charges	2,883,000	1,113,479,000
Depreciation and depletion:
Total depreciation and depletion	311,514,000	316,232,000	230,681,000
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures	153,896,000	391,512,000	414,566,000
Identifiable assets by segment:
Total identifiable assets	5,590,860,000	5,768,420,000	6,856,508,000
Long-lived assets by country:
Total long-lived assets	4,542,554,000	4,697,688,000	4,687,591,000
Export sales
Export sales	1,500,000,000	1,900,000,000	2,000,000,000
Other postretirement benefits (income) expense	58,900,000	52,852,000	40,385,000
U.S.
Long-lived assets by country:
Total long-lived assets	998,763,000	1,034,992,000	1,096,763,000
Canada
Long-lived assets by country:
Total long-lived assets	3,092,483,000	3,203,227,000	3,195,377,000
U.K.
Long-lived assets by country:
Total long-lived assets	451,308,000	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 | Japan
Export sales
Revenues from external customers as a percentage of consolidated revenues	13.20%	11.50%	9.40%
Sales | Foreign countries | Brazil
Export sales
Revenues from external customers as a percentage of consolidated revenues	13.30%	10.70%	10.50%
Sales | Foreign countries | Germany
Export sales
Revenues from external customers as a percentage of consolidated revenues	10.50%	9.70%	9.80%
U.S. Operations
Revenues:
Total Revenues	1,331,308,000	1,728,363,000	1,871,182,000
Segment operating income (loss):
Operating income (loss)	58,371,000	188,696,000	561,370,000
Impairment and restructuring charges:
Impairment and restructuring charges	(7,763,000)	114,281,000
Depreciation and depletion:
Total depreciation and depletion	167,668,000	173,140,000	155,702,000
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures	133,407,000	162,535,000	149,996,000
Identifiable assets by segment:
Total identifiable assets	1,265,255,000	1,603,745,000	1,118,451,000
Export sales
Other postretirement benefits (income) expense	59,118,000	53,301,000	41,745,000
Canadian and U.K. operations
Revenues:
Total Revenues	527,989,000	668,313,000	698,054,000
Segment operating income (loss):
Operating income (loss)	(209,709,000)	(1,158,591,000)	86,538,000
Impairment and restructuring charges:
Impairment and restructuring charges	10,646,000	999,198,000
Depreciation and depletion:
Total depreciation and depletion	141,696,000	141,713,000	74,203,000
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures	18,331,000	224,583,000	264,476,000
Identifiable assets by segment:
Total identifiable assets	3,687,925,000	3,728,817,000	5,021,521,000
Other
Revenues:
Total Revenues	1,334,000	3,219,000	2,122,000
Segment operating income (loss):
Operating income (loss)	(19,627,000)	(43,231,000)	(74,477,000)
Depreciation and depletion:
Total depreciation and depletion	2,150,000	1,379,000	776,000
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures	2,158,000	4,394,000	94,000
Identifiable assets by segment:
Total identifiable assets	637,680,000	435,858,000	716,536,000
Export sales
Other postretirement benefits (income) expense	$ (218,000)	$ (449,000)	$ (1,360,000)