Segment and Related Information (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 27, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 28, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 29, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 29, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Segment Facility	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) Segment
Segment and Related Information [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments | Segment									5		2
Minimum number of mining or production facilities | Facility									25
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 429.9	$ 451.0	$ 463.4	$ 453.3	$ 516.0	$ 543.5	$ 421.1	$ 244.4	$ 1,797.6	$ 1,725.0	$ 1,018.2
Income from operations	37.7	49.9	52.8	59.9	42.6	66.8	35.8	23.6	200.3	168.8	126.9
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									98.3	84.4	47.3
Segment assets	2,980.0				3,157.5				2,980.0	3,157.5	1,217.5
Capital expenditures									86.0	81.8	43.8
Income from operations before provision for taxes on income [Abstract]
Income from operations	37.7	49.9	52.8	59.9	42.6	66.8	35.8	23.6	200.3	168.8	126.9
Acquisition related transaction and integration costs									(11.8)	(19.1)	0.0
Unallocated corporate expenses									(7.0)	(7.6)	(7.4)
Non-operating deductions, net									(67.7)	(45.8)	(3.2)
Income from continuing operations before provision for taxes on income									132.6	123.0	123.7
Reportable Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									1,797.6	1,725.0	1,018.2
Income from operations									219.1	195.5	134.3
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									98.3	84.4	47.3
Segment assets	2,918.1				3,112.7				2,918.1	3,112.7	983.7
Capital expenditures									85.2	81.1	41.9
Income from operations before provision for taxes on income [Abstract]
Income from operations									219.1	195.5	134.3
Corporate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment assets	61.9				44.8				61.9	44.8	233.8
Capital expenditures									0.8	0.7	1.9
Specialty Minerals [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	157.6	156.5	156.5	154.0	159.6	163.0	167.8	159.7
Specialty Minerals [Member] | Reportable Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									624.6	650.1	669.8
Income from operations									100.8	95.8	98.4
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									34.0	35.6	38.6
Segment assets	505.3				494.4				505.3	494.4	605.6
Capital expenditures									51.9	44.4	33.6
Income from operations before provision for taxes on income [Abstract]
Income from operations									100.8	95.8	98.4
Refractories [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	68.2	77.4	76.4	73.9	92.9	90.4	91.7	84.7
Refractories [Member] | Reportable Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									295.9	359.7	348.4
Income from operations									27.8	43.2	35.9
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									7.5	10.8	8.7
Segment assets	292.7				357.3				292.7	357.3	378.1
Capital expenditures									11.1	11.7	8.3
Income from operations before provision for taxes on income [Abstract]
Income from operations									27.8	43.2	35.9
Performance Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	131.3	126.5	129.1	127.9	141.4	135.6	75.8	0.0
Performance Materials [Member] | Reportable Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									514.8	352.8	0.0
Income from operations									95.9	41.0	0.0
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									31.7	18.7	0.0
Segment assets	1,626.0				1,584.4				1,626.0	1,584.4	0.0
Capital expenditures									9.8	7.3	0.0
Income from operations before provision for taxes on income [Abstract]
Income from operations									95.9	41.0	0.0
Construction Technologies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	39.4	49.7	52.1	38.9	46.0	69.1	37.2	0.0
Construction Technologies [Member] | Reportable Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									180.1	152.3	0.0
Income from operations									22.5	(0.8)	0.0
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									7.7	5.8	0.0
Segment assets	339.4				447.7				339.4	447.7	0.0
Capital expenditures									1.3	1.0	0.0
Income from operations before provision for taxes on income [Abstract]
Income from operations									22.5	(0.8)	0.0
Energy Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	33.4	$ 40.9	$ 49.3	$ 58.6	76.1	$ 85.4	$ 48.6	$ 0.0
Energy Services [Member] | Reportable Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									182.2	210.1	0.0
Income from operations									(27.9)	16.3	0.0
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									17.4	13.5	0.0
Segment assets	$ 154.7				$ 228.9				154.7	228.9	0.0
Capital expenditures									11.1	16.7	0.0
Income from operations before provision for taxes on income [Abstract]
Income from operations									$ (27.9)	$ 16.3	$ 0.0