| Principal Accounting Policies and Related Financial Information (Policies) | 12 Months Ended |
| Dec. 31, 2022 |
| Accounting Policies [Abstract] | |
| Basis of Presentation and Principles of consolidation | Basis of presentation and principles of consolidation. The accompanying consolidated financial statements are presented on a consolidated basis and include all of the accounts and operations of Livent and its majority-owned subsidiaries. The financial statements reflect the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of Livent in accordance with U.S. GAAP. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation. |
| Earnings per share | Earnings per share. The weighted average common shares outstanding for both basic and diluted earnings per share for all periods presented was calculated, in accordance with ASC 260, Earnings Per Share. |
| Estimates and assumptions | Estimates and assumptions . In preparing the financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP we are required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ materially from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions, but we do not believe such differences will materially affect our financial position, results of operations or cash flows. |
| Cash equivalents | Cash equivalents . We consider investments in all liquid debt instruments with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. |
| Trade receivables, net of allowance | Trade receivables, net of allowance and other receivables . Trade receivables consist of amounts owed to us from customer sales and are recorded when revenue is recognized. The allowance for trade receivables represents our best estimate of the probable losses associated with potential customer defaults. In developing our allowance for trade receivables, we use a two stage process which includes calculating a formula to develop an allowance to appropriately address the uncertainty surrounding collection risk of our entire portfolio and specific allowances for customers where the risk of collection has been reasonably identified either due to liquidity constraints or disputes over contractual terms and conditions. |
| Inventories | Inventories . Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Inventory costs include those costs directly |
| Property, plant and equipment | Property, plant and equipment . We record property, plant and equipment, including capitalized interest, at cost. We recognize acquired property, plant and equipment, from acquisitions at its estimated fair value. Depreciation is calculated principally on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets. The major classifications of property, equipment and software, including their respective expected useful lives, consisted of the following: Asset type Useful Life Land — Land improvements 20 years Buildings 20-40 years Machinery and Equipment 3-18 years Software 3-10 years |
| Capitalized interest | Capitalized interest . For the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020 we capitalized interest expense of $15.8 million, $15.4 million and $12.0 million, respectively. These costs were associated with the construction of certain long-lived assets and have been capitalized as part of the cost of those assets. We amortize capitalized interest over the estimated useful lives of the assets. |
| Impairments of long-lived assets | Impairments of long-lived assets . We review the recoverability of the net book value of long-lived assets whenever events and circumstances indicate ("triggering events") that the net book value of an asset may not be recoverable from the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from its use and eventual disposition. In cases where a triggering event occurs and undiscounted expected future cash flows are less than the net book value, we recognize an impairment loss equal to an amount by which the net book value exceeds the fair value of the asset. Long-lived assets to be disposed of are reported at the lower of carrying amount or fair value less cost to sell. There were no significant impairments during the three years ended December 31, 2022. |
| Asset retirement obligations | Asset retirement obligations . We record asset retirement obligations ("AROs") at present value at the time the liability is incurred if we can reasonably estimate the settlement date. The associated AROs are capitalized as part of the carrying amount of related long-lived assets. In future periods, the liability is accreted to its estimated fair value and the capitalized cost is depreciated over the useful life of the related asset. We also adjust the liability for changes resulting from the passage of time and/or revisions to the timing or the amount of the original estimate. Upon retirement of the long-lived asset, we either settle the obligation for its recorded amount or incur a gain or loss. We have mining operations and legal reclamation obligations related to our facilities upon closure of the mines. The AROs primarily relate to post-closure reclamation of brine wells and sites involved in the surface mining and manufacturing of lithium in Argentina. Also, we have obligations at certain of our manufacturing facilities and offices in the event of permanent plant shutdown. The carrying amounts for the AROs for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 are $0.2 million and $0.3 million, respectively. These amounts are included in "Other long-term liabilities" on the consolidated balance sheets. |
| Deferred compensation plan | Deferred compensation plan. We have established a trust fund administered by a third party to provide funding for benefits payable under the Livent Non-qualified Saving Plan ("Livent NQSP") to which highly compensated Livent employees can elect to defer part of their compensation. The assets held in the trust consist of money market investments, a managed portfolio of equity securities and Livent common stock. For each reporting period, the Company records a net mark-to-market adjustment to Selling, general and administrative expense in our consolidated statements of operations for the investments in the trust fund and the corresponding obligation to participants in the Livent NQSP. The money market investments and equity securities assets are included in Other assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. The investments in Livent common stock under the Livent NQSP are included in Treasury stock on our consolidated balance sheets. The deferred compensation obligation to participants is included in Other long-term liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets. |
| 4.125% Convertible Senior Notes due 2025 (the "2025 Notes") | 4.125% Convertible Senior Notes due 2025 (the "2025 Notes"). We account for our 2025 Notes under Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2020-06, Debt - Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging - Contracts in Entity's Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity's Own Equity ("ASU 2020-06"). |
| Financial instruments | Financial instruments. Our financial instruments include cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables, other current assets, investments held in trust fund, trade payables, debt, derivatives and amounts included in accruals meeting the definition of financial instruments. Trade receivables and trade payables are recorded at carrying value, which approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of the instruments. Investments held in trust are for the Livent NQSP as discussed in "Deferred compensation plan" subsection above. Livent enters into derivative contracts to hedge exposures and the associated assets or liabilities are recorded in our consolidated balance sheets and the gains or losses associated with these transactions are included in the consolidated statements of operations. |
| Equity method investments | Equity method investments. On June 6, 2022 , |
| Leases | Leases. The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at the inception of the contract. Our operating leases are included in Operating lease right-of-use ("ROU") assets, Operating lease liabilities - current, and Operating lease liabilities - long term in the consolidated balance sheets. The operating lease ROU assets and operating lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of future minimum lease payments over the lease term at commencement date. As most of our leases do not provide an implicit interest rate, we utilize an estimated incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of future payments. In determining the discount rate used in the present value calculation, the Company has elected to apply the portfolio approach for leases provided the leases commenced at or around the same time. This election allows the Company to account for leases at a portfolio level provided that the resulting accounting at this level would not differ materially from the accounting at the individual lease level. Lease expense for minimum lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company has elected not to separate lease and non-lease components and accounts for each separate lease component and non-lease component associated with that lease component as a single lease component. Operating lease ROU assets include all contractual lease payments and initial direct costs incurred less any lease incentives. Facility leases generally only contain lease expense and non-component items such as taxes and pass through charges. Additionally, we have elected not to apply the recognition requirements of ASC 842 to leases which have a lease term of less than one year at the commencement date. |
| Restructuring and other charges | Restructuring and other charges . We continually perform strategic reviews and assess the return on our businesses. This sometimes results in a plan to restructure the operations of our business. We record an accrual for severance and other exit costs under the provisions of the relevant accounting guidance. Additionally, as part of these restructuring plans, write-downs of long-lived assets may occur. Two types of assets are impacted: assets to be disposed of by sale and assets to be abandoned. Assets to be disposed of by sale are measured at the lower of carrying amount or estimated net proceeds from the sale. Assets to be abandoned with no remaining future service potential are written down to amounts expected to be recovered. The useful life of assets to be abandoned that have a remaining future service potential are adjusted and depreciation is recorded over the adjusted useful life. |
| Finite-lived intangible assets | Finite-lived intangible assets . Finite-lived intangible assets consist of a patent, which is being amortized over a period of 15 years. |
| Revenue recognition | Revenue recognition . Revenue from product sales is recognized when we satisfy a performance obligation by transferring the promised goods to a customer, that is, when control of the good transfers to the customer. The customer is then Our lithium products are developed and sold to global and regional customers in the EV, electronics, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, polymer and specialty alloy metals market among others. Lithium hydroxide products are used in advanced batteries for all-electric vehicles as well as other products that require portable energy storage such as power tools and military devices. Lithium hydroxide is also sold into grease applications for use in automobiles, aircraft, railcars, agricultural and other types of equipment. Butyllithium products are primarily used as polymer initiators, and in the synthesis of agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. High purity lithium metal and other specialty compounds include lithium phosphate, pharmaceutical-grade lithium carbonate, high purity lithium chloride and specialty organics. Additionally, we sell whatever lithium carbonate and lithium chloride we do not use internally to our customers for various applications. Sale of Goods Revenue from product sales is recognized when we satisfy a performance obligation by transferring the promised goods to a customer, that is, when control of the good transfers to the customer. The customer is then invoiced at the agreed-upon price with payment terms generally ranging from 30 to 180 days. In determining when the control of goods is transferred, we typically assess, among other things, the transfer of title and risk of loss and the shipping terms of the contract. We record amounts billed for shipping and handling fees as revenue. Costs incurred for shipping and handling are recorded in cost of sales. When we perform shipping and handling activities after the transfer of control to the customer (e.g., when control transfers prior to delivery), they are considered fulfillment activities, and accordingly, the costs are accrued to cost of sales when the related revenue is recognized. Amounts billed for sales and use taxes, VAT, and certain excise and other specific transactional taxes imposed on revenue-producing transactions are presented on a net basis and excluded from revenue in the consolidated statements of operations. We record a liability until remitted to the respective taxing authority. Right of Return We warrant to our customers that our products conform to mutually agreed product specifications. We accrue for expected returns as they occur. Contract asset and contract liability balances We satisfy our obligations by transferring goods and services in exchange for consideration from customers. The timing of performance sometimes differs from the timing the associated consideration is received from the customer, thus resulting in the recognition of a contract liability. We recognize a contract liability if the customer’s payment of consideration is received prior to completion of our related performance obligation. |
| Research and Development | Research and Development . Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. |
| Income and other taxes | Income and other taxes . We provide current income taxes on income reported for financial statement purposes adjusted for transactions that do not enter into the computation of income taxes payable and recognize deferred tax liabilities and assets for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the carrying amounts and the tax basis of assets and liabilities. Prior to separation, pursuant to the tax matters agreement with FMC, in jurisdictions where we file consolidated returns with FMC, we have recorded our allocated share of the consolidated liability as part of the income tax payable in our consolidated balance sheets. In taxing jurisdictions where we file as a standalone entity we have recorded the tax liability/benefit to income tax payable/receivable. We do not provide income taxes on the equity in undistributed earnings of consolidated foreign subsidiaries as it is our intention that such earnings will remain invested in those companies. |
| Segment information | Segment information. We operate as one reportable segment based on the commonalities among our products and services and the manner in which we review and evaluate operating performance. |
| Stock-based compensation | Stock-based compensation. Stock-based compensation expense for the three years ended December 31, 2022 has been recognized for all share options and other equity-based arrangements. Stock-based compensation cost is measured at the date of grant, based on the fair value of the award, and is recognized over the employee’s requisite service period. We made a policy election to recognize forfeitures in stock-based compensation expense as they occur. |
| Environmental obligations | Environmental obligations. We provide for environmental-related obligations when they are probable and amounts can be reasonably estimated. Included in our environmental liabilities are costs for the operation, maintenance and monitoring of site remediation plans ("OM&M"). Such reserves are based on our best estimates for these OM&M plans. Over time we may incur OM&M costs in excess of these reserves which could be significant. |
| Foreign currency | Foreign currency. We translate the assets and liabilities of our foreign operations at exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date. For foreign operations for which the functional currency is not the U.S. dollar, we record translation gains and losses as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss in equity. The foreign operations’ statements of operations are translated at the monthly exchange rates for the period. Transactions denominated in foreign currency other than our functional currency of the operation are recorded upon initial recognition at the exchange rate at the date of the transaction. After initial recognition, monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currency are remeasured at each reporting date into the functional currency at the exchange rate at that date. Exchange rate differences are recognized as foreign currency transaction gain or loss recorded as a component of Costs of sales in our consolidated statements of operations. |
| New Accounting guidance and regulatory items | New Accounting guidance and regulatory items In November 2021, the Financial Accounting Standard Board ("FASB") issued ASU No. 2021-10, Government Assistance (Topic 832) . This ASU requires business entities to disclose information about government assistance they receive if the transactions were accounted for by analogy to either a grant or a contribution accounting model. The disclosure requirements include the nature of the transaction and the related accounting policy used, the line items on the balance sheets and statements of operations that are affected and the amounts applicable to each financial statement line item and the significant terms and conditions of the transactions. The ASU is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021. The disclosure requirements can be applied either retrospectively or prospectively to all transactions in the scope of the amendments that are reflected in the financial statements at the date of initial application and new transactions that are entered into after the date of initial application. The adoption did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In April 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848) . The amendments in this ASU provide optional expedients and exceptions for applying U.S. GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. We applied the amendments for the annual period ended December 31, 2022. The adoption did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. |
| Derivatives | Use of Derivative Financial Instruments to Manage Risk We mitigate certain financial exposures connected to currency risk through a program of risk management that includes the use of derivative financial instruments. We enter into foreign exchange forward contracts to reduce the effects of fluctuating foreign currency exchange rates. We formally document all relationships between hedging instruments and hedged items, as well as the risk management objective and strategy for undertaking various hedge transactions. This process includes relating derivatives that are designated as fair value or cash flow hedges to specific assets and liabilities on the balance sheet or to specific firm commitments or forecasted transactions. We also assess both at the inception of the hedge and on an ongoing basis, whether each derivative is highly effective in offsetting changes in fair values or cash flows of the hedged item. If we determine that a derivative is not highly effective as a hedge, or if a derivative ceases to be a highly effective hedge, we discontinue hedge accounting with respect to that derivative prospectively. Foreign Currency Exchange Risk Management We conduct business in many foreign countries, exposing earnings, cash flows, and our financial position to foreign currency risks. The majority of these risks arise as a result of foreign currency transactions. The primary currencies for which we have exchange rate exposure are the Euro, the British pound, the Chinese yuan, the Argentine peso, and the Japanese yen. We currently do not hedge foreign currency risks associated with the Argentine peso due to the limited availability and the high cost of suitable derivative instruments. Our policy is to minimize exposure to adverse changes in currency exchange rates. This is accomplished through a controlled program of risk management that could include the use of foreign currency debt and forward foreign exchange contracts. We also use forward foreign exchange contracts to hedge firm and highly anticipated foreign currency cash flows, with an objective of balancing currency risk to provide adequate protection from significant fluctuations in the currency markets. Concentration of Credit Risk Our counterparties to derivative contracts are primarily major financial institutions. We limit the dollar amount of contracts entered into with any one financial institution and monitor counterparties’ credit ratings. We also enter into master netting agreements with each financial institution, where possible, which helps mitigate the credit risk associated with our financial instruments. While we may be exposed to credit losses due to the nonperformance of counterparties, we consider this risk remote. Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Cash Flow Hedges |
