Quarterly Financial Summary (Detail) (USD $) Share data in Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended													12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Sep. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2014		Mar. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 598,566,000		$ 642,418,000		$ 604,721,000		$ 599,843,000		$ 639,635,000		$ 591,196,000	$ 576,842,000	$ 586,597,000	$ 2,445,548,000	[1]	$ 2,394,270,000	[1]	$ 2,519,154,000	[1]
Gross profit	162,440,000		205,446,000		207,363,000		195,599,000		253,279,000		209,611,000	191,670,000	195,911,000	770,848,000		850,471,000		898,843,000
Restructuring and other charges, net (Note 20)	5,322,000	[2]	293,000	[2]	3,332,000	[2]	17,000,000	[2]	33,361,000	[2]	0	0	0	25,947,000	[2]	33,361,000	[2]	111,685,000	[2]
Acquisition and integration related costs (Note 23)	15,054,000	[3]	10,261,000	[3]	4,843,000	[3]	0							30,158,000	[3]	0	[3]	0	[3]
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	(12,990,000)		88,019,000		89,404,000		66,004,000		162,232,000		97,313,000	88,500,000	87,681,000	230,437,000		435,726,000		325,846,000
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (net of tax)	(1,058,000)	[4]	(6,679,000)	[4]	(60,025,000)	[4]	(1,769,000)	[4]	(886,000)		531,000	2,628,000	1,835,000	(69,531,000)		4,108,000		4,281,000
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(4,460,000)		(8,546,000)		(6,932,000)		(7,652,000)		(5,413,000)		(7,332,000)	(8,389,000)	(5,529,000)	(27,590,000)		(26,663,000)		(18,591,000)
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	(18,508,000)		72,794,000		22,447,000		56,583,000		155,933,000		90,512,000	82,739,000	83,987,000	133,316,000		413,171,000		311,536,000
Actuarial (gain) loss	112,600,000		2,800,000				15,400,000		(139,000,000)
Actuarial (gain) loss, net of income tax	$ 71,800,000		$ 1,800,000				$ 9,800,000		$ (88,300,000)
Basic earnings (loss) per share:
Basic earnings per share from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.22)		$ 1.02		$ 1.05		$ 0.73		$ 1.93		$ 1.10	$ 0.95	$ 0.93	$ 2.57		$ 4.88		$ 3.44
Basic earnings (loss) per share from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.02)		$ (0.09)		$ (0.76)		$ (0.02)		$ (0.01)		$ 0.01	$ 0.03	$ 0.02	$ (0.88)		$ 0.05		$ 0.05
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.24)		$ 0.93		$ 0.29		$ 0.71		$ 1.92		$ 1.11	$ 0.98	$ 0.95	$ 1.69		$ 4.93		$ 3.49
Weighted-average common shares outstanding-basic (in shares)	78,144		78,244		78,662		79,735		81,226		81,385	84,028	88,719	78,696		83,839		89,189
Diluted earnings (loss) per share:
Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.22)		$ 1.01		$ 1.04		$ 0.73		$ 1.92		$ 1.10	$ 0.95	$ 0.92	$ 2.57		$ 4.85		$ 3.42
Diluted earnings (loss) per share from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.02)		$ (0.08)		$ (0.76)		$ (0.02)		$ (0.01)		$ 0.01	$ 0.03	$ 0.02	$ (0.88)		$ 0.05		$ 0.05
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.24)		$ 0.93		$ 0.28		$ 0.71		$ 1.91		$ 1.11	$ 0.98	$ 0.94	$ 1.69		$ 4.90		$ 3.47
Weighted-average common shares outstanding-diluted (in shares)	78,545		78,659		79,091		80,112		81,713		81,852	84,489	89,236	79,102		84,322		89,884

[1] No sales in a foreign country exceed 10% of total net sales. Also, net sales are attributed to countries based upon shipments to final destination.

[2] See Note 20, “Restructuring and Other.”

[3] See Note 23, “Acquisitions.”

[4] Included in Loss from discontinued operations (net of tax) for the year ended December 31, 2014 is $(65.7) million related to the loss on the sale of our antioxidant, ibuprofen and propofol businesses and assets, the majority of which was recorded in the second quarter. See Note 2, “Discontinued Operations.”