Intangible assets and goodwill (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Disclosure Of Intangible Assets And Goodwill [Abstract]

Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets and goodwill explanatory [Text Block]

As of December 31, 2020
Intangible assets and goodwill	Useful life	Net Value
		ThUS$
IT programs	Finite		4,826
Mining rights	Finite		150,046
Water rights and rights of way.	Indefinite		23,343
Customer-related intangible assets	Finite		-
Other intangible assets	Finite		192
Intangible assets other than goodwill			178,407
Goodwill	Indefinite		41,966
Total Intangible Asset			220,373

As of December 31, 2019
Intangible assets and goodwill	Useful life	Net value
		ThUS$
IT programs	Finite		6,011
Mining rights	Finite		157,570
Water rights and rights of way.	Indefinite		23,342
Customer-related intangible assets	Finite		1,273
Other intangible assets.	Finite		162
Intangible assets other than goodwill			188,358
Goodwill	Indefinite		34,726
Total Intangible Assets			223,084

Disclosure of reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [text block]

a) Movements in identifiable intangible assets as of December 31, 2020:

Gross Value Movements in identifiable intangible assets	IT programs		Mining rights, Finite			Water rights, and rights of way, Indefinite		Customer-related intangible assets		Other intangible assets		Goodwill		Identifiable intangible assets
	ThUS$		ThUS$			ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$
Opening Balance		34,471		158,337			25,423		1,778		2,188		38,120		260,317
Additions		508		2,295			-		-		72		7,380		10,255
Other increases / decreases for foreign currency exchange rates		5		-			1		-		-		-		6
Decreases through sale		-		(136	)		-		-		-		-		(136	)
Other increases (decreases)		297		-			-		-		14		-		311
Total increases (decreases)		810		2,159			1		-		86		7,380		10,436
Closing balance		35,281		160,496			25,424		1,778		2,274		45,500		270,753

Accumulated amortization and impairment Movements in identifiable intangible assets	IT programs			Mining rights, Finite			Water rights, and rights of way, Indefinite			Customer-related intangible assets			Other intangible assets			Goodwill			Identifiable intangible assets
	ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$
Opening Balance		(28,460	)		(767	)		(2,081	)		(505	)		(2,026	)		(3,394	)		(37,233	)
Other increases / decreases for foreign currency exchange rates		-			-			-			-			-			-			-
Other increases (decreases)		-			(2	)		-			-			-			-			(2	)
Impairment losses recognized in profit for the year		(14	)		(654	)		-			(990	)		-			(140	)		(1,798	)
Amortization		(1,981	)		(9,027	)		-			(283	)		(56	)		-			(11,347	)
Total increases (decreases)		(1,995	)		(9,683	)		-			(1,273	)		(56	)		(140	)		(13,147	)
Closing balance		(30,455	)		(10,450	)		(2,081	)		(1,778	)		(2,082	)		(3,534	)		(50,380	)

Net value Movements in Identifiable intangible assets	IT programs			Mining rights, Finite			Water rights, and rights of way, Indefinite		Customer-related intangible assets			Other intangible assets			Goodwill			Identifiable intangible assets
	ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$		ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$
Opening Balance		6,011			157,570			23,342		1,273			162			34,726			223,084
Additions		508			2,295			-		-			72			7,380			10,255
Amortization		(1,981	)		(9,027	)		-		(283	)		(56	)		-			(11,347	)
Impairment losses recognized in profit for the year		(14	)		(654	)		-		(990	)		-			(140	)		(1,798	)
Other increases / decreases for foreign currency exchange rates		5			-			1		-			-			-			6
Decreases through sale		-			(136	)		-		-			-			-			(136	)
Other increases (decreases)		297			(2	)		-		-			14			-			309
Total increases (decreases)		(1,185	)		(7,524	)		1		(1,273	)		30			7,240			(2,711	)
Closing balance		4,826			150,046			23,343		-			192			41,966			220,373

Movements in identifiable intangible assets as of December 31, 2019:

Gross Value Movements in identifiable intangible assets	IT programs			Mining rights, Finite			Water rights, and rights of way, Indefinite			Customer-related intangible assets		Other intangible assets		Goodwill		Identifiable intangible assets
	ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$
Opening Balance		29,137			159,424			25,425			1,778		2,165		38,120		256,049
Additions		2,606			227			-			-		23		-		2,856
Other increases / decreases of foreign currency		(7	)		-			(2	)		-		-		-		(9	)
Decreases through sale		-			(1,314	)		-			-		-		-		(1,314	)
Other increases (decreases)		2,735			-			-			-		-		-		2,735
Total increases (decreases)		5,334			(1,087	)		(2	)		-		23		-		4,268
Closing balance		34,471			158,337			25,423			1,778		2,188		38,120		260,317

Accumulated amortization and impairment Movements in identifiable intangible assets	IT programs			Mining rights, Finite			Water rights, and rights of way, Indefinite			Customer-related intangible assets			Other intangible assets			Goodwill			Identifiable intangible assets
	ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$
Opening Balance		(24,569	)		(168	)		(1,649	)		(205	)		(1,988	)		(3,254	)		(31,833	)
Other increases / decreases of foreign currency		3			-			-			-			-			-			3
Other increases (decreases)		(256	)		-			-			-			-			-			(256	)
Impairment losses recognized in profit for the year		-			(481	)		(432	)		-			-			(140	)		(1,053	)
Amortization		(3,638	)		(118	)		-			(300	)		(38	)		-			(4,094	)
Total increases (decreases)		(3,891	)		(599	)		(432	)		(300	)		(38	)		(140	)		(5,400	)
Closing balance		(28,460	)		(767	)		(2,081	)		(505	)		(2,026	)		(3,394	)		(37,233	)

Net value Movements in Identifiable intangible assets	IT programs			Mining rights, Finite			Water rights, and rights of way, Indefinite			Customer-related intangible assets			Other intangible assets			Goodwill			Identifiable intangible assets
	ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$
Opening Balance		4,568			159,256			23,776			1,573			177			34,866			224,216
Additions		2,606			227			-			-			23			-			2,856
Amortization		(3,638	)		(118	)		-			(300	)		(38	)		-			(4,094	)
Impairment losses recognized in profit or loss for the year		-			(481	)		(432	)		-			-			(140	)		(1,053	)
Other increases / decreases of foreign currency		(4	)		-			(2	)		-			-			-			(6	)
Decreases through sale		-			(1,314	)					-			-			-			(1,314	)
Other increases (decreases)		2,479			-			-			-			-			-			2,479
Total increases (decreases)		1,443			(1,686	)		(434	)		(300	)		(15	)		(140	)		(1,132	)
Closing balance		6,011			157,570			23,342			1,273			162			34,726			223,084

Disclosure of reconciliation of changes in goodwill

(b) Movements in identifiable goodwill as of December 31, 2020:

Gross Value Movements in identifiable goodwill	Goodwill at the start of the period January 01, 2020		Additional recognition		Impairment losses recognized in profit or loss for the year (-)		Total increase (decrease)		Goodwill at end of period
	ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$
SQM Industrial S.A.		3,214		-		-		-		3,214
SQM S.A.		22,255		-		-		-		22,255
SQM Iberian S.A.		148		-		-		-		148
SQM Investment Corporation		86		-		-		-		86
Soquimich Comercial S.A.		320		-		-		-		320
Soquimich European Holding B.V.		11,373		10		-		10		11,383
SQM Holland B.V.		-		7,370		-		7,370		7,370
SQM Potasio S.A.		724		-		-		-		724
Total increases (decreases)		38,120		7,380		-		7,380		45,500
Closing balance		38,120		7,380		-		7,380		45,500

Accumulated impairment Movements in identifiable goodwill	Goodwill at the start of the period January 01, 2020			Additional recognition		Impairment losses recognized in profit or loss for the year (-)			Total increase (decrease)			Goodwill at end of period
	ThUS$			ThUS$		ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$
SQM Industrial S.A.		(3,214	)		-		-			-			(3,214	)
SQM S.A.		-			-		-			-			-
SQM Iberian S.A.		-			-		-			-			-
SQM Investment Corporation		-			-		-			-			-
Soquimich Comercial S.A.		(180	)		-		(140	)		(140	)		(320	)
Soquimich European Holding B.V.		-			-		-			-			-
SQM Holland B.V.		-			-		-			-			-
SQM Potasio S.A.		-			-		-			-			-
Total increases (decreases)		(3,394	)		-		(140	)		(140	)		(3,534	)
Closing balance		(3,394	)		-		(140	)		(140	)		(3,534	)

Net Value Movements in identifiable goodwill	Goodwill at the start of the period January 01, 2020		Additional recognition		Impairment losses recognized in profit or loss for the year (-)			Total increase (decrease)			Goodwill at end of period
	ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$
SQM Industrial S.A.		-		-		-			-			-
SQM S.A.		22,255		-		-			-			22,255
SQM Iberian S.A.		148		-		-			-			148
SQM Investment Corporation		86		-		-			-			86
Soquimich Comercial S.A.		140		-		(140	)		(140	)		-
Soquimich European Holding B.V.		11,373		10		-			10			11,383
SQM Holland B.V.		-		7,370		-			7,370			7,370
SQM Potasio S.A.		724		-		-			-			724
Total increases (decreases)		34,726		7,380		(140	)		7,240			41,966
Closing balance		34,726		7,380		(140	)		7,240			41,966

Movements in identifiable goodwill as of December 31, 2019

Gross Value Movements in identifiable goodwill	Goodwill at the start of the period January 01, 2019		Additional recognition		Impairment losses recognized in profit or loss for the year (-)		Total increase (decrease)		Goodwill at end of period
	ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$
SQM Industrial S.A.		3,214		-		-		-		3,214
SQM S.A.		22,255		-		-		-		22,255
SQM Iberian S.A.		148		-		-		-		148
SQM Investment Corporation		86		-		-		-		86
Soquimich Comercial S.A.		320		-		-		-		320
Soquimich European Holding B.V.		11,373		-		-		-		11,373
SQM Potasio S.A.		724		-		-		-		724
Total increases (decreases)		38,120		-		-		-		38,120
Closing balance		38,120		-		-		-		38,120

Accumulated impairment Movements in identifiable goodwill	Goodwill at the start of the period January 01, 2019			Additional recognition		Impairment losses recognized in profit or loss for the year (-)			Total increase (decrease)			Goodwill at end of period
	ThUS$			ThUS$		ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$
SQM Industrial S.A.		(3,214	)		-		-			-			(3,214	)
SQM S.A.		-			-		-			-			-
SQM Iberian S.A.		-			-		-			-			-
SQM Investment Corporation		-			-		-			-			-
Soquimich Comercial S.A.		(40	)		-		(140	)		(140	)		(180	)
Soquimich European Holding B.V.		-			-		-			-			-
SQM Potasio S.A.		-			-		-			-			-
Total increases (decreases)		(3,254	)		-		(140	)		(140	)		(3,394	)
Closing balance		(3,254	)		-		(140	)		(140	)		(3,394	)

Net Value Movements in identifiable goodwill	Goodwill at the start of the period January 01, 2019		Additional recognition		Impairment losses recognized in profit or loss for the year (-)			Total increase (decrease)			Goodwill at end of period
	ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$			ThUS$			ThUS$
SQM Industrial S.A.	-		-		-			-			-
SQM S.A.		22,255		-		-			-			22,255
SQM Iberian S.A.		148		-		-			-			148
SQM Investment Corporation		86		-		-			-			86
Soquimich Comercial S.A.		280		-		(140	)		(140	)		140
Soquimich European Holding B.V.		11,373		-		-			-			11,373
SQM Potasio S.A.		724		-		-			-			724
Total increases (decreases)		34,866		-		(140	)		(140	)		34,726
Closing balance		34,866		-		(140	)		(140	)		34,726