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Fair Value of Financial Instruments - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures [Line Items]      
Derivative, notional amount $ 479,900,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount $ 321,400,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount  
Forward Contracts      
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures [Line Items]      
Derivative, notional amount 479,900,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
321,400,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
 
Forward Contracts | Other Accounts Receivable      
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures [Line Items]      
Fair value of foreign currency forward contracts, assets 600,000us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyDerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsAssetAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= us-gaap_AccountsReceivableMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
200,000us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyDerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsAssetAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= us-gaap_AccountsReceivableMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
 
Forward Contracts | Other income (expenses), net      
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures [Line Items]      
Recognized gains (losses) of foreign currency forward contracts (17,800,000)us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= alb_OtherIncomeExpenseNetMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
(1,100,000)us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= alb_OtherIncomeExpenseNetMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
5,100,000us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= alb_OtherIncomeExpenseNetMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
Forward Contracts | Other, net      
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures [Line Items]      
Change in the fair value of foreign currency forward contracts 17,800,000alb_ChangeInFairValueOfForeignCurrencyForwardContracts
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= alb_OtherNetMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
1,100,000alb_ChangeInFairValueOfForeignCurrencyForwardContracts
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= alb_OtherNetMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
(5,100,000)alb_ChangeInFairValueOfForeignCurrencyForwardContracts
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= alb_OtherNetMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
Cash settlements $ (18,300,000)us-gaap_DerivativeCashReceivedOnHedge
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= alb_OtherNetMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
$ (1,800,000)us-gaap_DerivativeCashReceivedOnHedge
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= alb_OtherNetMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
$ 4,800,000us-gaap_DerivativeCashReceivedOnHedge
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= alb_OtherNetMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember