Segment and Geographic Area Information Summarized Financial Information by Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015		Sep. 30, 2015		Jun. 30, 2015		Mar. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Sep. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2014		Mar. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 930,353		$ 905,093		$ 931,485		$ 884,404		$ 598,566		$ 642,418		$ 604,721		$ 599,843		$ 3,651,335	$ 2,445,548		$ 2,394,270
Adjusted EBITDA																		959,322	562,155		557,551
Depreciation and amortization																		(260,076)	(103,572)		(107,370)
Restructuring and other, net		0	[1]	6,804	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]	(5,322)	[1]	(293)	[1]	(3,332)	[1]	(17,000)	[1]	6,804	(25,947)		(33,361)
Acquisition and integration related costs		(19,609)	[2]	(42,798)	[2]	(24,166)	[2]	(59,523)	[2]	(15,054)	[2]	(10,261)	[2]	(4,843)	[2]	0	[2]	(146,096)	(30,158)		0
Interest and financing expenses																		(132,722)	(41,358)		(31,559)
Income tax expense																		(29,122)	(18,484)		(134,445)
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (net of tax)										(1,058)	[3]	(6,679)	[3]	(60,025)	[3]	(1,769)	[3]	0	(69,531)		4,108
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		$ 174,252		$ 65,392		$ 52,147		$ 43,115		$ (18,508)		$ 72,794		$ 22,447		$ 56,583		334,906	133,316		413,171
Performance Chemicals
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																		1,610,319	1,121,645		1,141,890
All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																		471,434	471,764		477,173
Adjusted EBITDA																		53,993	73,973		71,691
Depreciation and amortization																		(18,183)	(13,478)		(13,323)
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																		15,415	0		0
Adjusted EBITDA																		(29,814)	(74,875)		(69,240)
Depreciation and amortization																		(8,703)	(2,552)		(2,188)
Operating Segments | Performance Chemicals
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																		1,610,319	1,121,645		1,141,890
Adjusted EBITDA																		535,520	306,572		364,712
Depreciation and amortization																		(120,248)	(51,707)		(46,225)
Operating Segments | Refining Solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																		729,261	852,139		775,207
Adjusted EBITDA																		197,595	256,485		190,388
Depreciation and amortization																		(34,039)	(32,670)		(33,580)
Operating Segments | Chemetall Surface Treatment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																		824,906	0		0
Adjusted EBITDA																		202,028	0		0
Depreciation and amortization																		(78,903)	0		0
Continuing Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA																		959,322	562,155		557,551
Depreciation and amortization																		(260,076)	(100,407)	[4]	(95,316)	[4]
Utilization of inventory markup	[5]																	(103,036)
Restructuring and other, net	[6]																	6,804	(25,947)		(33,361)
Acquisition and integration related costs	[7]																	(146,096)	(30,158)
Interest and financing expenses																		(132,722)	(41,358)		(31,559)
Income tax expense																		(29,122)	(18,484)		(134,445)
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (net of tax)																			(69,531)		4,108
Non-operating pension and OPEB items																		46,244	(125,462)		146,193
Other	[8]																	(6,412)	(17,492)
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation																		334,906	133,316		413,171
Continuing Operations | All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA																		53,993	73,973		71,691
Depreciation and amortization																		(18,183)	(13,478)	[4]	(13,323)	[4]
Utilization of inventory markup	[5]																	(3,029)
Restructuring and other, net	[6]																	0	0		0
Acquisition and integration related costs	[7]																	0	0
Interest and financing expenses																		0	0		0
Income tax expense																		0	0		0
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (net of tax)																			0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items																		0	0		0
Other	[8]																	0	0
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation																		32,781	60,495		58,368
Continuing Operations | Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA																		(29,814)	(74,875)		(69,240)
Depreciation and amortization																		(8,703)	(2,552)	[4]	(2,188)	[4]
Utilization of inventory markup	[5]																	0
Restructuring and other, net	[6]																	6,804	(25,947)		(33,361)
Acquisition and integration related costs	[7]																	(146,096)	(30,158)
Interest and financing expenses																		(132,722)	(41,358)		(31,559)
Income tax expense																		(29,122)	(18,484)		(134,445)
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (net of tax)																			(69,531)		4,108
Non-operating pension and OPEB items																		46,244	(125,462)		146,193
Other	[8]																	(4,441)	(17,492)
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation																		(297,850)	(405,859)		(120,492)
Continuing Operations | Operating Segments | Performance Chemicals
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA																		535,520	306,572		364,712
Depreciation and amortization																		(120,248)	(51,707)	[4]	(46,225)	[4]
Utilization of inventory markup	[5]																	(79,977)
Restructuring and other, net	[6]																	0	0		0
Acquisition and integration related costs	[7]																	0	0
Interest and financing expenses																		0	0		0
Income tax expense																		0	0		0
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (net of tax)																			0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items																		0	0		0
Other	[8]																	0	0
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation																		335,295	254,865		318,487
Continuing Operations | Operating Segments | Refining Solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA																		197,595	256,485		190,388
Depreciation and amortization																		(34,039)	(32,670)	[4]	(33,580)	[4]
Utilization of inventory markup	[5]																	0
Restructuring and other, net	[6]																	0	0		0
Acquisition and integration related costs	[7]																	0	0
Interest and financing expenses																		0	0		0
Income tax expense																		0	0		0
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (net of tax)																			0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items																		0	0		0
Other	[8]																	(1,971)	0
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation																		161,585	223,815		156,808
Continuing Operations | Operating Segments | Chemetall Surface Treatment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA																		202,028	0		0
Depreciation and amortization																		(78,903)	0	[4]	0	[4]
Utilization of inventory markup	[5]																	(20,030)
Restructuring and other, net	[6]																	0	0		0
Acquisition and integration related costs	[7]																	0	0
Interest and financing expenses																		0	0		0
Income tax expense																		0	0		0
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (net of tax)																			0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items																		0	0		0
Other	[8]																	0	0
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation																		103,095	0		0
Continuing Operations | Operating Segments | Reportable Segments Total
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA																		935,143	563,057		555,100
Depreciation and amortization																		(233,190)	(84,377)	[4]	(79,805)	[4]
Utilization of inventory markup	[5]																	(100,007)
Restructuring and other, net	[6]																	0	0		0
Acquisition and integration related costs	[7]																	0	0
Interest and financing expenses																		0	0		0
Income tax expense																		0	0		0
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (net of tax)																			0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items																		0	0		0
Other	[8]																	(1,971)	0
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation																		$ 599,975	$ 478,680		$ 475,295

[1] See Note 21, “Restructuring and Other.”

[2] See Note 2, “Acquisitions.”

[3] Included in Loss from discontinued operations (net of tax) for the year ended December 31, 2014 is ($65.7) million related to the loss on the sale of our antioxidant, ibuprofen and propofol businesses and assets, the majority of which was recorded in the second quarter. See Note 3, “Divestitures.”

[4] Excludes discontinued operations.

[5] 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 was expensed over the estimated remaining selling period. For the year ended December 31, 2015, $75.9 million was included in Cost of goods sold, and Equity in net income of unconsolidated investments was reduced by $27.1 million related to the utilization of the inventory markup.

[6] See Note 21, “Restructuring and Other.”

[7] See Note 2, “Acquisitions.”

[8] For the year ended December 31, 2015, Refining Solutions includes an impairment charge of approximately $2.0 million related to our unconsolidated investment in Fábrica Carioca de Catalisadores SA. For the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, Corporate includes approximately $4.4 million and $17.5 million, respectively, of financing-related fees expensed in connection with the acquisition of Rockwood.