CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME [Abstract]
Product sales	$ 1,615.4	$ 1,514.9	$ 1,018.2
Service revenue	182.2	210.1	0.0
Total net sales	1,797.6	1,725.0	1,018.2
Cost of goods sold	1,190.0	1,141.5	784.5
Cost of service revenue	136.6	148.1	0.0
Total cost of sales	1,326.6	1,289.6	784.5
Production margin	471.0	435.4	233.7
Marketing and administrative expenses	182.3	177.4	89.2
Research and development expenses	23.6	24.4	20.1
Insurance / litigation settlement (gain)	0.0	(2.3)	(2.5)
Amortization expense of intangible assets acquired	7.8	4.8	0.0
Acquisition related transaction and integration costs	11.8	19.1	0.0
Restructuring and other charges	45.2	43.2	0.0
Income from operations	200.3	168.8	126.9
Interest expense, net	(60.9)	(41.8)	(0.2)
Premium on early extinguishment of debt	(4.5)	(5.8)	0.0
Other non-operating income (deductions), net	(2.3)	1.8	(3.0)
Total non-operating deductions, net	(67.7)	(45.8)	(3.2)
Income from continuing operations before provision for taxes and equity in earnings	132.6	123.0	123.7
Provision for taxes on income	22.8	30.8	34.5
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of tax	1.8	1.2	0.0
Income from continuing operations, net of tax	111.6	93.4	89.2
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0.0	2.1	(5.8)
Consolidated net income	111.6	95.5	83.4
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests	3.7	3.1	3.1
Net income attributable to Minerals Technologies Inc. (MTI)	$ 107.9	$ 92.4	$ 80.3
Basic:
Income from continuing operations attributable to MTI (in dollars per share)	$ 3.11	$ 2.62	$ 2.48
Income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to MTI (in dollars per share)	0	0.06	(0.17)
Basic earnings per share attributable to MTI (in dollars per share)	3.11	2.68	2.31
Diluted:
Income from continuing operations attributable to MTI (in dollars per share)	3.08	2.59	2.46
Income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to MTI (in dollars per share)	0	0.06	(0.16)
Diluted earnings per share attributable to MTI (in dollars per share)	3.08	2.65	2.30
Cash dividends declared per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.20	$ 0.20	$ 0.20
Shares used in computation of earnings per share:
Basic (in shares)	34.7	34.5	34.7
Diluted (in shares)	35.0	34.8	35.0