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	174,954				151,824	151,824	23,130
Other comprehensive loss	(118,299)			(117,896)		(117,896)	(403)
Cash dividends declared	(72,517)				(64,905)	(64,905)	(7,612)
Stock-based compensation and other	10,016		10,016			10,016
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		77,546
Exercise of stock options	2,713	$ 1	2,712			2,713
Shares repurchased (in shares)		(1,967,069)
Shares repurchased	(150,000)	$ (20)	(13,321)		(136,659)	(150,000)
Tax benefit related to stock plans	836		836			836
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		135,578
Issuance of common stock, net	0	$ 1	(1)			0
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances (in shares)		(50,144)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(3,208)	$ (1)	(3,207)			(3,208)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2014		78,248,753
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2014	1,587,271	$ 782	6,992	(1,651)	1,450,618	1,456,741	130,530
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	177,387				160,654	160,654	16,733
Other comprehensive loss	(324,548)			(324,000)		(324,000)	(548)
Cash dividends declared	(120,802)				(97,607)	(97,607)	(23,195)
Stock-based compensation and other	10,473		10,473			10,473
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		10,500
Exercise of stock options	342	$ 0	342			342
Tax benefit related to stock plans	(170)		(170)			(170)
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		69,166
Issuance of common stock, net	$ 0	$ 1	(1)			0
Acquisition of Rockwood (in shares)	34,113,064	34,113,064
Acquisition of Rockwood	$ 2,039,572	$ 341	2,036,209			2,036,550	3,022
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)		(21,276)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(1,218)	$ 0	(1,218)			(1,218)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2015		112,201,978
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2015	$ 3,274,514	$ 1,122	$ 2,056,082	$ (386,413)	$ 1,473,698	$ 3,144,489	$ 130,025