Basis of Presentation - Consolidated Statements of Income (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2012
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 648,638		$ 661,226		$ 1,924,460		$ 2,057,824
Cost of goods sold	436,989		443,476		1,316,582		1,339,806
Gross profit	211,649		217,750		607,878		718,018
Selling, general and administrative expenses	62,543		53,404		190,193		189,143
Research and development expenses	19,441		19,831		60,959		59,791
Restructuring and other charges, net	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]	94,703	[1]
Operating profit	129,665		144,515		356,726		374,381
Interest and financing expenses	(9,496)		(7,914)		(22,335)		(25,134)
Other income, net	(389)		2,370		(6,295)		1,564
Income before income taxes and equity in net income of unconsolidated investments	119,780		138,971		328,096		350,811
Income tax expense	27,274		32,472		74,916		93,382
Income before equity in net income of unconsolidated investments	92,506		106,499		253,180		257,429
Equity in net income of unconsolidated investments (net of tax)	5,338		7,935		25,308		29,233
Net income	97,844		114,434		278,488		286,662
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(7,332)		(4,975)		(21,250)		(12,852)
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	90,512		109,459		257,238		273,810
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.11		$ 1.23		$ 3.04		$ 3.07
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.11		$ 1.22		$ 3.02		$ 3.04
Weighted-average common shares outstanding - basic (in shares)	81,385		89,327		84,711		89,246
Weighted-average common shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	81,852		89,879		85,192		89,959
Cash dividends declared per share of common stock (in dollars per share)	$ 0.24		$ 0.20		$ 0.72		$ 0.60
As Previously Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Net sales			661,226				2,057,824
Cost of goods sold			446,469				1,352,495
Gross profit			214,757				705,329
Selling, general and administrative expenses			59,982				215,298
Research and development expenses			19,831				59,791
Restructuring and other charges, net			6,508				101,211
Operating profit			128,436				329,029
Interest and financing expenses			(7,914)				(25,134)
Other income, net			2,370				1,564
Income before income taxes and equity in net income of unconsolidated investments			122,892				305,459
Income tax expense			26,591				76,804
Income before equity in net income of unconsolidated investments			96,301				228,655
Equity in net income of unconsolidated investments (net of tax)			7,935				29,233
Net income			104,236				257,888
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests			(4,975)				(12,852)
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation			99,261				245,036
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)			$ 1.11				$ 2.75
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)			$ 1.10				$ 2.72
Weighted-average common shares outstanding - basic (in shares)			89,327				89,246
Weighted-average common shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)			89,879				89,959
Cash dividends declared per share of common stock (in dollars per share)			$ 0.20				$ 0.60
Effect of Accounting Change
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Net sales			0				0
Cost of goods sold			(2,993)				(12,689)
Gross profit			2,993				12,689
Selling, general and administrative expenses			(6,578)				(26,155)
Research and development expenses			0				0
Restructuring and other charges, net			(6,508)				(6,508)
Operating profit			16,079				45,352
Interest and financing expenses			0				0
Other income, net			0				0
Income before income taxes and equity in net income of unconsolidated investments			16,079				45,352
Income tax expense			5,881				16,578
Income before equity in net income of unconsolidated investments			10,198				28,774
Equity in net income of unconsolidated investments (net of tax)			0				0
Net income			10,198				28,774
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests			0				0
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation			$ 10,198				$ 28,774
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)			$ 0.12				$ 0.32
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)			$ 0.12				$ 0.32
Weighted-average common shares outstanding - basic (in shares)			0				0
Weighted-average common shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)			0				0
Cash dividends declared per share of common stock (in dollars per share)			$ 0.00				$ 0.00

[1] See Note 13, “Restructuring and Other.”