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Long-Term Debt (Footnote) (Detail) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Feb. 01, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Jan. 12, 2015
Jan. 20, 2005
Debt Instrument [Line Items]            
Repayments of long-term debt $ 1,326,263us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt $ 101us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt        
1.875% Senior Notes            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]            
Unamortized discount 5,717us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_OnePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
    6,605us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_OnePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
   
Debt instrument, interest rate 1.875%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_OnePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
    1.875%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_OnePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
   
3.00% Senior Notes            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]            
Unamortized discount 291us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_ThreePointZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember
    306us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_ThreePointZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember
   
Debt instrument, interest rate 3.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_ThreePointZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember
    3.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_ThreePointZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember
   
4.15% Senior Notes            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]            
Unamortized discount 1,403us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FourPointOneFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
    1,439us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FourPointOneFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
   
Debt instrument, interest rate 4.15%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FourPointOneFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
    4.15%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FourPointOneFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
   
4.50% Senior Notes            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]            
Unamortized discount 1,793us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FourPointFiveZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember
    1,871us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FourPointFiveZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember
   
Debt instrument, interest rate 4.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FourPointFiveZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember
    4.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FourPointFiveZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember
   
4.625% Senior Notes            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]            
Debt instrument, interest rate 4.625%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FourPointSixTwoFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
      4.625%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FourPointSixTwoFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
 
Unamortized Premium 42,102us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedPremium
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FourPointSixTwoFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
      43,700us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedPremium
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FourPointSixTwoFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
 
5.10% Senior Notes            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]            
Unamortized discount       3us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FivePointOneZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember
   
Debt instrument, interest rate       5.10%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FivePointOneZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember
  5.10%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FivePointOneZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember
Repayments of long-term debt     325,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FivePointOneZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember
     
5.45% Senior Notes            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]            
Unamortized discount 1,020us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FivePointFourFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
    1,029us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FivePointFourFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
   
Debt instrument, interest rate 5.45%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FivePointFourFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
    5.45%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_FivePointFourFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
   
Senior Unsecured Cash Bridge Facility | Bridge Loan            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]            
Repayments of long-term debt 800,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_BridgeLoanMember
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= alb_SeniorUnsecuredCashBridgeFacilityMember
         
Short-term Debt | Term Loan            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]            
Repayments of long-term debt 1,000,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= alb_TermLoanMember
/ us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ShortTermDebtMember
         
Revolving Credit Facility            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]            
Repayments of long-term debt $ 250,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember