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Earnings Per Share - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Feb. 03, 2014
tranche
Apr. 30, 2014
May 01, 2014
May 10, 2013
Nov. 17, 2014
Dec. 19, 2013
Feb. 12, 2013
Oct. 13, 2011
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]                      
Common stock equivalents not included in computation of diluted earnings per share (in dollars per shares) 662,259us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount                    
Preferred stock, shares authorized (in shares) 15,000,000us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized                    
Payment for repurchase of common stock $ 150,000,000us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock $ 582,298,000us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock $ 63,575,000us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock                
Shares available for repurchase 3,749,340us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingNumberOfSharesAuthorizedToBeRepurchased                    
Common Stock                      
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]                      
Shares repurchased (in shares) 2,190,254us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares
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9,198,056us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares
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1,092,767us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares
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Maximum                      
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]                      
Stock repurchase program, number of shares authorized to be repurchased (in shares)                   15,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramNumberOfSharesAuthorizedToBeRepurchased
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5,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramNumberOfSharesAuthorizedToBeRepurchased
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Restricted Stock                      
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]                      
Number of shares containing nonforfeitable rights to dividends 5,600us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
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Merrill Lynch | Accelerated Share Repurchase Agreement                      
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]                      
Forward purchase contract adjustment to fair value (in dollars per share) $ 0.77alb_ForwardPurchaseContractAdjustmentToFairValue
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Stock repurchase program, authorized amount       50,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
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Number of tranches       2alb_NumberofTranches
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Authorized amount per tranche purchased       25,000,000alb_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmountPerTranchePurchased
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Merrill Lynch | Initial Delivery | Accelerated Share Repurchase Agreement                      
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]                      
Payment for repurchase of common stock       50,000,000us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock
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Repurchase of common stock shares (in shares)       623,248alb_RepurchaseOfCommonStockShares
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Stock repurchased during period, value       40,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue
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Merrill Lynch | Final Settlement | Accelerated Share Repurchase Agreement                      
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]                      
Repurchase of common stock shares (in shares)         150,504alb_RepurchaseOfCommonStockShares
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Merrill Lynch | Total | Accelerated Share Repurchase Agreement                      
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]                      
Repurchase of common stock shares (in shares) 773,752alb_RepurchaseOfCommonStockShares
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JP Morgan | Accelerated Share Repurchase Agreement                      
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]                      
Forward purchase contract adjustment to fair value (in dollars per share)   $ 1.01alb_ForwardPurchaseContractAdjustmentToFairValue
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Stock repurchase program, authorized amount         100,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
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Number of tranches         2alb_NumberofTranches
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Authorized amount per tranche purchased         50,000,000alb_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmountPerTranchePurchased
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JP Morgan | Initial Delivery | Accelerated Share Repurchase Agreement                      
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]                      
Payment for repurchase of common stock           100,000,000us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock
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Repurchase of common stock shares (in shares)           1,193,317alb_RepurchaseOfCommonStockShares
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5,680,921alb_RepurchaseOfCommonStockShares
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Stock repurchased during period, value           $ 80,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue
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$ 360,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue
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JP Morgan | Final Settlement | Accelerated Share Repurchase Agreement                      
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]                      
Repurchase of common stock shares (in shares)               223,185alb_RepurchaseOfCommonStockShares
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JP Morgan | Total | Accelerated Share Repurchase Agreement                      
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]                      
Repurchase of common stock shares (in shares) 1,416,502alb_RepurchaseOfCommonStockShares
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