Joint Ventures (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Disclosure Of Joint Ventures Explanatory [Abstract]

Disclosure of detailed information about investments in joint ventures [Text Block]

Investment in joint ventures accounted for under the equity method of accounting

			Country of	Share of interest		Dividends received
Joint venture	Description of the nature of the relationship	Domicile	incorporation	in ownership		12/31/2017	12/31/2016
						ThUS$	ThUS$
Sichuan SQM Migao Chemical Fertilizers Co. Ltda.	Production and distribution of soluble fertilizers.	Huangjing Road, Dawan Town, Qingbaijiang District, Chengdu Municipality, Sichuan Province	China	50	%	-	-
Coromandel SQM India	Production and distribution of potassium nitrate.	1-2-10, Sardar Patel Road, Secunderabad – 500003 Andhra Pradesh	India	50	%	-	-
SQM Vitas Fzco.	Production and commercialization of specialty plant and animal nutrition and industrial hygiene.	Jebel ALI Free Zone P.O. Box 18222, Dubai	United Arab Emirates	50	%	-	-
SQM Star Qingdao Corp Nutrition. Co. Ltd.	Production and distribution of nutrient plant solutions with specialties NPK soluble	Longquan Town, Jimo City, Qingdao Municipality, Shangdong Province	China	50	%	-	-
SQM Vitas Holland B.V (1)	Without information	Herikerbergweg 238, 1101 CM Amsterdam Zuidoost	Holland	50	%	-	-
Minera Exar S.A.	Exploration and exploitation of minerals, processing and trading of such minerals	Dr. Sabín 1082 Ciudad de Nieva – San Salvador de Jujuy- Jujuy- República Argentina	Argentina	50	%	-	-

(1) During May 2016, SQM Vitas Holland B.V. sold its interest in SQM Vitas Spain, to SQM Iberian S.A. resulting in the latter obtaining 100% in this transaction generating a loss of ThUS$ 104.

The companies described in the following table are related to the following joint ventures:

(1) SQM Vitas Fzco.

(2) SQM Vitas Holland B.V.

		Domicile	Country of incorporation	Share of interest in ownership		Dividends received
SQM Vitas Brazil Agroindustria (1)	Production and commercialization of specialty plant and animal nutrition and industrial hygiene.	Via Cndeias, Km. 01 Sem Numero, Lote 4, Bairro Cia Norte, Candeias, Bahia.	Brazil	49.99	%	-	-
SQM Vitas Peru S.A.C (1).	Production and commercialization of specialty plant and animal nutrition and industrial hygiene	Av. Juan de Arona 187, Torre B, Oficina 301-II, San Isidro, Lima	Peru	50	%	-	-
SQM Vitas Plantacote B.V.(2)	Production and commercialization of controlled-released fertilizers	Herikerbergweg 238, 1101 CM Amsterdam Zuidoost	Holland	50	%	-	-

Disclosure of reconciliation of summarised financial information of joint venture accounted for using equity method to carrying amount of interest in joint venture [text block]

Joint Venture	Final reporting period date	Accounting method
Sichuan SQM Migao Chemical Fertilizers Co Ltda.	December 31, 2017	Equity method
Coromandel SQM India	December 31, 2017	Equity method
SQM Vitas Fzco.	December 31, 2017	Equity method
SQM Star Qingdao Corp Nutrition Co., Ltd.	December 31, 2017	Equity method
SQM Vitas Brazil Agroindustria	December 31, 2017	Equity method
SQM Vitas Southern Africa Pty.	December 31, 2017	Equity method
SQM Vitas Perú S.A.C.	December 31, 2017	Equity method
SQM Vitas Holland B.V.	December 31, 2017	Equity method
SQM Vitas Plantacote B.V.	December 31, 2017	Equity method
Minera Exar S.A.	December 31, 2017	Equity method

Joint Venture	Equity-accounted investees						Share in profit (loss) of associates and joint ventures accounted for using the equity method
	12/31/2017		12/31/2016		12/31/2015		12/31/2017		12/31/2016		12/31/2015
	ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$
Sichuan SQM Migao Chemical Fertilizers Co. Ltd.		11,444		12,150		13,257		(535)		(1,372)		(845)
Coromandel SQM India		1,633		1,499		962		165		435		88
SQM Vitas Fzco,		19,478		17,956		11,604		1,502		3,458		369
SQM Star Qingdao Corp. Nutrition Co. Ltd.		2,980		2,618		2,462		361		163		495
SQM Vitas Holland		1,429		1,269		1,181		(18)		171		(10)
Minera Exar S.A.		26,860		25,000		-		(27)		-		-
Total		63,824		60,492		29,466		1,448		2,855		97

Joint Venture	Share on other comprehensive income of associates and joint ventures accounted for using the equity method, net of tax						Share on total other comprehensive income of associates and joint ventures accounted for using the equity method
	12/31/2017		12/31/2016		12/31/2015		12/31/2017		12/31/2016		12/31/2015
	ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$
Sichuan SQM Migao Chemical Fertilizers Co. Ltd.		-		-		(12)		(535)		(1,372)		(857)
Coromandel SQM India		-		-		-		165		435		88
SQM Vitas Fzco,		(5)		449		9,686		1,497		3,907		10,055
SQM Star Qingdao Corp. Nutrition Co. Ltd.		-		-		-		361		163		495
SQM Vitas Holland		-		-		-		(18)		171		(11)
Minera Exar S.A.		-						(27)		-
Total		(5)		449		9,674		1,443		3,304		9,770

Joint Venture	Equity-accounted investees				Share in profit (loss) of associates and joint ventures accounted for using the equity method
	12/31/2017		12/31/2016	12/31/2015		12/31/2017	12/31/2016		12/31/2015
	ThUS$		ThUS$	ThUS$		ThUS$	ThUS$		ThUS$
SQM Vitas Brazil Agroindustria(1)		11,003	9,343	3,722		1,753		4,570		(72)
SQM Vitas Peru S.A.C (1)		5,961	5,964	5,061		(216)		815		786
SQM Vitas Plantacote B.V. (2)		669	588	3,598		(1)		187		215
SQM Vitas Spain (2)		-	-	1,182		-		-		(251)
Total		17,633	15,895	13,563		1,536		5,572		678

Joint Venture	Share in other comprehensive income of associates and joint ventures accounted for using the equity method, net of tax					Share in total other comprehensive income of associates and joint ventures accounted for using the equity method
	12/31/2017		12/31/2016		12/31/2015	12/31/2017		12/31/2016		12/31/2015
	ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$	ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$
SQM Vitas Brazil Agroindustria(1)		(51)		2,845	-		826		5,130		(36)
SQM Vitas Peru S.A.C (1)		-		-	-		(108)		408		393
SQM Vitas Plantacote B.V. (2)		-		-	-		(1)		(80)		(125)
SQM Vitas Spain (2)		-		-	-		-		-		109
Total		(51)		2,845	-		717		5,458		341

Disclosure of assets,liabilities,revenue and expenses from joint venure explanatory [Text Block]

Assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses from joint ventures:

	12/31/2017
	Assets				Liabilities						Gain (loss) from continuing		Other comprehensive		Comprehensive
Joint Venture	Current		Non-current			Current	Non-current		Revenue		operations		income		income
	ThUS$		ThUS$			ThUS$	ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$
Sichuan SQM Migao Chemical Fertilizers Co. Ltda.		31,461		6,656		15,228		-		13,326		(1,070)		-		(1,070)
Coromandel SQM India		6,659		862		4,205		53		10,381		332		-		332
SQM Vitas Fzco,		23,699		17,479		2,221		-		15,518		3,003		(9)		2,994
SQM Star Qingdao Corp. Nutrition Co. Ltd.		6,941		171		1,152		-		12,631		721		-		721
SQM Vitas Brazil Agroindustria		30,303		8,453		27,752		-		60,131		1,753		(101)		1,652
SQM Vitas Peru S.A.C		20,933		8,534		17,380		6,126		35,299		(216)		-		(216)
SQM Vitas Holland B.V		2,190		669		-		-		-		(36)		-		(36)
SQM Vitas Plantacote B.V.		679		-		10		-		-		(1)		-		(1)
Minera Exar S.A.		19,277		73,114		38,670		-		-		(53)		-		(53)
Total		142,142		115,938		106,618		6,179		147,286		4,433		(110)		4,323

	12/31/2016
	Assets				Liabilities						Gain (loss) from continuing		Other comprehensive		Comprehensive
Joint Venture	Current		Non-current		Current		Non-current		Revenue		operations		income		Income
	ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$
Sichuan SQM Migao Chemical Fertilizers Co. Ltda.		43,639		7,399		26,738		-		16,051		(2,744)		-		(2,744)
Coromandel SQM India		4,485		847		2,334		-		8,034		870		-		870
SQM Vitas Fzco.		20,896		16,395		1,380		-		16,210		6,916		897		7,813
SQM Star Qingdao Corp. Nutrition Co. Ltd.		5,733		203		697		-		7,553		325		-		325
SQM Vitas Brazil Agroindustria		21,511		8,917		21,085		-		63,055		4,570		5,690		10,260
SQM Vitas Peru S.A.C		23,598		8,931		20,333		6,231		36,926		815		-		815
SQM Vitas Holland B.V		1,961		588		11		-		-		342		-		342
SQM Vitas Plantacote B.V.		619		-		31		-		-		(159)		-		(159)
Total		122,442		43,280		72,609		6,231		147,829		10,935		6,587		17,522

	12/31/2015
	Assets				Liabilities						Gain (loss) from continuing		Other comprehensive		Comprehensive
Joint Venture	Current		Non-current		Current		Non-current		Revenue		operations		income		income
	ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$
Sichuan SQM Migao Chemical Fertilizers Co. Ltda.		56,053		8,023		37,563		-		65,929		(1,689)		(24)		(1,713)
Coromandel SQM India		3,738		924		2,668		70		5,816		176		-		176
SQM Vitas Fzco.		14,096		10,575		1,464		-		17,893		738		19,371		20,109
SQM Star Qingdao Corp. Nutrition Co. Ltd.		5,100		202		377		-		10,539		990		-		990
SQM Vitas Brazil Agroindustria		32,449		6,638		35,365		-		67,870		(72)		-		(72)
SQM Vitas Peru S.A.C		24,432		6,562		25,933		-		45,739		786		-		786
SQM Vitas Spain		1,662		729		1,208		-		11,875		218		-		218
SQM Vitas Holland B.V		428		1,955		18		-		-		(21)		-		(21)
SQM Vitas Plantacote B.V.		802		-		30		-		-		(250)		-		(250)
Total		138,760		35,608		104,626		70		225,661		876		19,347		20,223

Disclosure of detailed information about other joint venture information explanatory [Text Block]

Other Joint Venture disclosures:

	Cash and cash equivalents				Other current financial liabilities				Other non-current financial liabilities
	12/31/2017		12/31/2016		12/31/2017		12/31/2016		12/31/2017		12/31/2016
	ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$$
Sichuan SQM Migao Chemical Fertilizers Co. Ltda.		6,198		4,097		-		-		-		-
Coromandel SQM India		1,118		15		-		478		-		-
SQM Vitas Fzco,		15,307		11,514		-		-		-		-
SQM Star Qingdao Corp. Nutrition Co. Ltd.		3,675		3,756		-		-		-		-
SQM Vitas Brazil Agroindustria		5,139		2,168		7,342		8,718		-		-
SQM Vitas Peru S.A.C.		687		958		2,215		3,834		1,372		1,781
SQM Vitas Holland B.V		2,190		1,961		-		-		-		-
SQM Vitas Plantacote B.V		679		615		-		-		-		-
Minera Exar S.A.		9,189		-		-		-		-
Total		44,182		25,084		9,557		13,030		1,372		1,781

	Depreciation and amortization expense						Interest expense						Income tax expense, continuing operations
	12/31/2017		12/31/2016		12/31/2015		12/31/2017		12/31/2016		12/31/2015		12/31/2017		12/31/2016		12/31/2015
	ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$		ThUS$
Sichuan SQM Migao Chemical Fertilizers Co. Ltda.		(696)		(691)		(687)		(25)		(433)		(241)		303		200		233
Coromandel SQM India		-		-		(69)		(16)		(49)		(73)		(485)		(44)		(89)
SQM Vitas Fzco.		(553)		(717)		(1,067)		(19)		(16)		(10)		-		-		-
SQM Star Qingdao Corp. Nutrition Co. Ltd.		(68)		(64)		(66)		-		(1)		(2)		(174)		(195)		(378)
SQM Vitas Brazil Agroindustria		(453)		(438)		(29)		(1,253)		(2,127)		(1,651)		(283)		(337)		(49)
SQM Vitas Peru S.A.C.		(375)		(82)		(29)		(432)		(323)				(214)		(362)		(370)
SQM Vitas Holland B.V		-		-		-		-		-		(2)		-		-		-
SQM Vitas Plantacote B.V		-		-		-		(1)		(1)				-		-		-
Minera Exar S.A.		(523)		-		-		(32)		-		(3)		(620)		-		-
SQM Vitas Spain		-		-		(116)		-		-		(4)		-		-		(73)
Total		(2,668)		(1,992)		(2,063)		(1,778)		(2,950)		(1,986)		(1,473)		(738)		(726)