Consolidating Guarantor Financial Information - Balance Sheet (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 2,489,768	$ 477,239	$ 477,696	$ 469,416
Trade accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	385,212	446,864
Other accounts receivable	49,423	45,094
Intergroup receivable	0	0
Inventories	358,361	436,049
Other current assets	66,086	77,669
Total current assets	3,348,850	1,482,915
Property, plant and equipment, at cost	2,620,670	2,972,084
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization	1,388,802	1,615,015
Net property, plant and equipment	1,231,868	1,357,069
Investments	194,042	212,178
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	160,956	160,229
Goodwill	243,262	284,203	276,966
Other intangibles, net of amortization	44,125	88,203
Total assets	5,223,103	3,584,797	3,437,291
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	231,705	208,181
Intergroup payable	0	0
Accrued expenses	166,174	176,416
Current portion of long-term debt	711,096	24,554
Dividends payable	21,458	19,197
Income taxes payable	9,453	8,015
Total current liabilities	1,139,886	436,363
Long-term debt, less current portion	2,223,035	1,054,310
Postretirement benefits	56,424	53,903
Pension benefits	170,534	57,647
Other noncurrent liabilities	87,705	110,610
Deferred income taxes	56,884	129,188
Commitments and contingencies (Note 16)
Equity
Common stock	780	801
Additional paid-in capital	10,447	9,957
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(62,413)	116,245	85,264	60,329
Retained earnings	1,410,651	1,500,358
Total Albemarle Corporation shareholders’ equity	1,359,465	1,627,361
Noncontrolling interests	129,170	115,415
Total equity	1,488,635	1,742,776	1,932,008	1,678,827
Total liabilities and equity	5,223,103	3,584,797
Issuer
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1,930,802	88,476	145,999	47,018
Trade accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	91,849	149,834
Other accounts receivable	19,033	11,812
Intergroup receivable	74,102	88,090
Inventories	201,006	219,390
Other current assets	45,901	52,457
Total current assets	2,362,693	610,059
Property, plant and equipment, at cost	1,726,690	1,999,398
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization	1,047,372	1,268,205
Net property, plant and equipment	679,318	731,193
Investments	73,500	69,616
Investment in subsidiaries	1,551,071	1,611,662
Other assets	35,837	18,621
Goodwill	49,212	49,212
Other intangibles, net of amortization	20,834	35,003
Total assets	4,772,465	3,125,366
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	122,479	107,781
Intergroup payable	18,097	28,433
Accrued expenses	84,619	92,273
Current portion of long-term debt	692,280	99
Dividends payable	21,458	19,197
Income taxes payable	1,396	2,364
Total current liabilities	940,329	250,147
Long-term debt, less current portion	2,214,755	1,035,977
Postretirement benefits	56,424	53,903
Pension benefits	128,238	20,931
Other noncurrent liabilities	51,936	61,095
Deferred income taxes	21,318	75,952
Equity
Common stock	780	801
Additional paid-in capital	10,447	9,957
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(62,413)	116,245
Retained earnings	1,410,651	1,500,358
Total Albemarle Corporation shareholders’ equity	1,359,465	1,627,361
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	1,359,465	1,627,361
Total liabilities and equity	4,772,465	3,125,366
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Trade accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Other accounts receivable	0	0
Intergroup receivable	0	0
Inventories	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, at cost	0	0
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization	0	0
Net property, plant and equipment	0	0
Investments	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Other intangibles, net of amortization	0	0
Total assets	0	0
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	0	0
Intergroup payable	0	0
Accrued expenses	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Dividends payable	0	0
Income taxes payable	0	0
Total current liabilities	0	0
Long-term debt, less current portion	0	0
Postretirement benefits	0	0
Pension benefits	0	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Equity
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	0	0
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0
Retained earnings	0	0
Total Albemarle Corporation shareholders’ equity	0	0
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	0	0
Total liabilities and equity	0	0
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	558,966	388,763	331,697	422,398
Trade accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	293,363	297,030
Other accounts receivable	30,390	33,282
Intergroup receivable	18,097	28,433
Inventories	171,543	234,975
Other current assets	25,111	28,979
Total current assets	1,097,470	1,011,462
Property, plant and equipment, at cost	893,980	972,686
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization	341,430	346,810
Net property, plant and equipment	552,550	625,876
Investments	120,542	142,562
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	125,119	141,608
Goodwill	194,050	234,991
Other intangibles, net of amortization	23,291	53,200
Total assets	2,113,022	2,209,699
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	109,226	100,400
Intergroup payable	74,102	88,090
Accrued expenses	81,555	84,143
Current portion of long-term debt	18,816	24,455
Dividends payable	0	0
Income taxes payable	7,944	5,651
Total current liabilities	291,643	302,739
Long-term debt, less current portion	8,280	18,333
Postretirement benefits	0	0
Pension benefits	42,296	36,716
Other noncurrent liabilities	35,769	49,515
Deferred income taxes	35,566	53,236
Equity
Common stock	6,808	6,807
Additional paid-in capital	553,172	549,265
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(51,073)	111,038
Retained earnings	1,061,391	966,635
Total Albemarle Corporation shareholders’ equity	1,570,298	1,633,745
Noncontrolling interests	129,170	115,415
Total equity	1,699,468	1,749,160
Total liabilities and equity	2,113,022	2,209,699
Consolidating Adjustments
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Trade accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Other accounts receivable	0	0
Intergroup receivable	(92,199)	(116,523)
Inventories	(14,188)	(18,316)
Other current assets	(4,926)	(3,767)
Total current assets	(111,313)	(138,606)
Property, plant and equipment, at cost	0	0
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization	0	0
Net property, plant and equipment	0	0
Investments	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(1,551,071)	(1,611,662)
Other assets	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Other intangibles, net of amortization	0	0
Total assets	(1,662,384)	(1,750,268)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	0	0
Intergroup payable	(92,199)	(116,523)
Accrued expenses	0
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Dividends payable	0	0
Income taxes payable	113	0
Total current liabilities	(92,086)	(116,523)
Long-term debt, less current portion	0	0
Postretirement benefits	0	0
Pension benefits	0	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Equity
Common stock	(6,808)	(6,807)
Additional paid-in capital	(553,172)	(549,265)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	51,073	(111,038)
Retained earnings	(1,061,391)	(966,635)
Total Albemarle Corporation shareholders’ equity	(1,570,298)	(1,633,745)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	(1,570,298)	(1,633,745)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (1,662,384)	$ (1,750,268)