Segment Information Summarized Financial Information by Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 931,485	$ 604,721	$ 1,815,889	$ 1,204,564
Adjusted EBITDA		230,081	144,688	495,709	280,718
Depreciation and amortization				(131,469)	(52,714)
Restructuring and other charges, net		0	(3,332)	0	(20,332)
Acquisition and integration related costs		(24,166)	(4,843)	(83,689)	(4,843)
Interest and financing expenses		(33,182)	(8,733)	(68,928)	(17,506)
Income tax expense		(17,139)	(21,773)	(31,279)	(34,963)
Loss from discontinued operations (net of tax)		0	(60,025)	0	(61,794)
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		52,147	22,447	95,262	79,030
All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		113,404	119,320	235,773	248,605
Adjusted EBITDA		9,714	21,816	23,278	42,511
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		3,351	0	5,763	0
Adjusted EBITDA		(24,957)	(20,633)	8,382	(39,717)
Continuing Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA		230,081	144,688	495,709	280,718
Depreciation and amortization		(67,483)	(24,905)	(131,469)	(49,549)	[1]
Utilization of inventory markup	[2]	(37,278)		(85,464)
Restructuring and other charges, net	[3]		(3,332)		(20,332)
Acquisition and integration related costs	[4]	(24,166)	(4,843)	(83,689)	(4,843)
Interest and financing expenses		(33,182)	(8,733)	(68,928)	(17,506)
Income tax expense		(17,139)	(21,773)	(31,279)	(34,963)
Loss from discontinued operations (net of tax)			(60,025)		(61,794)
Non-operating pension and OPEB items		1,314	1,370	4,823	(12,701)
Other	[5]			(4,441)
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		52,147	22,447	95,262	79,030
Continuing Operations | All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA		9,714	21,816	23,278	42,511
Depreciation and amortization		(5,724)	(3,423)	(11,222)	(6,787)	[1]
Utilization of inventory markup	[2]	(378)		(3,029)
Restructuring and other charges, net	[3]		0		0
Acquisition and integration related costs	[4]	0	0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses		0	0	0	0
Income tax expense		0	0	0	0
Loss from discontinued operations (net of tax)			0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items		0	0	0	0
Other	[5]			0
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		3,612	18,393	9,027	35,724
Continuing Operations | Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA		(24,957)	(20,633)	8,382	(39,717)
Depreciation and amortization		(2,322)	(541)	(4,221)	(1,085)	[1]
Utilization of inventory markup	[2]	0		0
Restructuring and other charges, net	[3]		(3,332)		(20,332)
Acquisition and integration related costs	[4]	(24,166)	(4,843)	(83,689)	(4,843)
Interest and financing expenses		(33,182)	(8,733)	(68,928)	(17,506)
Income tax expense		(17,139)	(21,773)	(31,279)	(34,963)
Loss from discontinued operations (net of tax)			(60,025)		(61,794)
Non-operating pension and OPEB items		1,314	1,370	4,823	(12,701)
Other	[5]			(4,441)
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		(100,452)	(118,510)	(179,353)	(192,941)
Reportable Segments | Performance Chemicals
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		436,962	280,377	825,328	556,274
Adjusted EBITDA		148,682	76,954	279,210	150,339
Reportable Segments | Refining Solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		164,573	205,024	343,739	399,685
Adjusted EBITDA		48,200	66,551	90,393	127,585
Reportable Segments | Chemetall Surface Treatment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		213,195	0	405,286	0
Adjusted EBITDA		48,442	0	94,446	0
Reportable Segments | Continuing Operations | Performance Chemicals
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA		148,682	76,954	279,210	150,339
Depreciation and amortization		(31,843)	(13,093)	(62,126)	(25,149)	[1]
Utilization of inventory markup	[2]	(33,823)		(62,405)
Restructuring and other charges, net	[3]		0		0
Acquisition and integration related costs	[4]	0	0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses		0	0	0	0
Income tax expense		0	0	0	0
Loss from discontinued operations (net of tax)			0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items		0	0	0	0
Other	[5]			0
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		83,016	63,861	154,679	125,190
Reportable Segments | Continuing Operations | Refining Solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA		48,200	66,551	90,393	127,585
Depreciation and amortization		(8,483)	(7,848)	(16,593)	(16,528)	[1]
Utilization of inventory markup	[2]	0		0
Restructuring and other charges, net	[3]		0		0
Acquisition and integration related costs	[4]	0	0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses		0	0	0	0
Income tax expense		0	0	0	0
Loss from discontinued operations (net of tax)			0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items		0	0	0	0
Other	[5]			0
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		39,717	58,703	73,800	111,057
Reportable Segments | Continuing Operations | Chemetall Surface Treatment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA		48,442	0	94,446	0
Depreciation and amortization		(19,111)	0	(37,307)	0	[1]
Utilization of inventory markup	[2]	(3,077)		(20,030)
Restructuring and other charges, net	[3]		0		0
Acquisition and integration related costs	[4]	0	0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses		0	0	0	0
Income tax expense		0	0	0	0
Loss from discontinued operations (net of tax)			0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items		0	0	0	0
Other	[5]			0
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		26,254	0	37,109	0
Reportable Segments | Continuing Operations | Reportable Segments Subtotal
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA		245,324	143,505	464,049	277,924
Depreciation and amortization		(59,437)	(20,941)	(116,026)	(41,677)	[1]
Utilization of inventory markup	[2]	(36,900)		(82,435)
Restructuring and other charges, net	[3]		0		0
Acquisition and integration related costs	[4]	0	0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses		0	0	0	0
Income tax expense		0	0	0	0
Loss from discontinued operations (net of tax)			0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items		0	0	0	0
Other	[5]			0
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		$ 148,987	$ 122,564	$ 265,588	$ 236,247

[1] Excludes discontinued operations.

[2] In connection with the acquisition of Rockwood, the Company valued Rockwood’s existing inventory at fair value as of the Acquisition Closing Date, which resulted in a markup of the underlying net book value of the inventory totaling approximately $103 million. The inventory markup is being expensed over the estimated remaining selling period. For the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2015, $27.3 million and $67.6 million, respectively, was included in Cost of goods sold, and Equity in net income of unconsolidated investments was reduced by $10.0 million and $17.9 million, respectively, related to the utilization of the inventory markup.

[3] See Note 15, “Restructuring and Other.”

[4] See Note 2, “Acquisitions.”

[5] Financing-related fees expensed in the 2015 period in connection with the acquisition of Rockwood.