Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income	Retained Earnings	Total Albemarle Shareholders' Equity	Non-controlling Interests
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013		80,052,842
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 1,742,776	$ 801	$ 9,957	$ 116,245	$ 1,500,358	$ 1,627,361	$ 115,415
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	93,614				79,030	79,030	14,584
Other comprehensive loss	(16,879)			(16,601)		(16,601)	(278)
Cash dividends declared	(50,999)				(43,387)	(43,387)	(7,612)
Stock-based compensation and other	6,606		6,606			6,606
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		70,046
Exercise of stock options	2,355	$ 1	2,354			2,355
Shares repurchased (in shares)		(1,967,069)
Shares repurchased	(150,000)	$ (20)	(13,321)		(136,659)	(150,000)
Tax benefit related to stock plans	767		767			767
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		127,533
Issuance of common stock, net	0	$ 1	(1)			0
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances (in shares)		(49,322)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(3,150)	$ (1)	(3,149)			(3,150)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2014		78,234,030
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2014	1,625,090	$ 782	3,213	99,644	1,399,342	1,502,981	122,109
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014		78,030,524
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	1,488,635	$ 780	10,447	(62,413)	1,410,651	1,359,465	129,170
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	106,515				95,262	95,262	11,253
Other comprehensive loss	(254,144)			(253,993)		(253,993)	(151)
Cash dividends declared	(73,350)				(65,068)	(65,068)	$ (8,282)
Stock-based compensation and other	7,868		7,868			7,868
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		10,500
Exercise of stock options	342	$ 0	342			342
Tax benefit related to stock plans	(131)		(131)			(131)
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		59,764
Issuance of common stock, net	$ 0	$ 1	(1)			0
Acquisition of Rockwood (in shares)	34,113,064	34,113,064
Acquisition of Rockwood	$ 2,036,550	$ 341	2,036,209			2,036,550
Noncontrolling interest assumed in acquisition of Shanghai Chemetall	4,843					0	$ 4,843
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances (in shares)		(21,254)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(1,218)	$ 0	(1,218)			(1,218)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2015		112,192,598
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2015	$ 3,315,910	$ 1,122	$ 2,053,516	$ (316,406)	$ 1,440,845	$ 3,179,077	$ 136,833