Segment Information Summarized Financial Information by Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 669,327	$ 718,290	$ 1,326,538	$ 1,410,603
Adjusted EBITDA		190,471	181,358	382,504	400,858
Depreciation and amortization				(128,505)	(131,469)
Gain (loss) on sales of businesses, net		974	0	122,298	0
Acquisition and integration related costs		(19,030)	(22,832)	(37,588)	(80,657)
Interest and financing expenses		(15,800)	(20,599)	(30,914)	(42,899)
Income tax expense		(23,656)	(14,851)	(49,141)	(28,636)
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (net of tax)		(398,340)	10,122	(381,028)	8,024
Net (loss) income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		(314,821)	52,147	(86,635)	95,262
All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		50,626	113,404	122,715	235,773
Adjusted EBITDA		876	9,714	9,340	23,278
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		473	3,351	2,290	5,763
Adjusted EBITDA		(21,221)	(25,238)	(40,808)	7,977
Reportable Segments | Lithium and Advanced Materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		233,353	213,003	449,526	411,777
Adjusted EBITDA		82,668	79,985	169,142	157,580
Reportable Segments | Bromine Specialties
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		206,863	223,959	403,416	413,551
Adjusted EBITDA		66,562	68,697	128,170	121,630
Reportable Segments | Refining Solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		178,012	164,573	348,591	343,739
Adjusted EBITDA		61,586	48,200	116,660	90,393
Continuing Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA		190,471	181,358	382,504	400,858
Depreciation and amortization		(49,705)	(48,372)	(93,314)	(94,162)
Utilization of inventory markup	[1]		(34,201)		(65,434)
Gain (loss) on sales of businesses, net	[2]	974		122,298
Acquisition and integration related costs	[3]	(19,030)	(22,832)	(37,588)	(80,657)
Interest and financing expenses		(15,800)	(20,599)	(30,914)	(42,899)
Income tax expense		(23,656)	(14,851)	(49,141)	(28,636)
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (net of tax)		(398,340)	10,122	(381,028)	8,024
Non-operating pension and OPEB items		265	1,522	548	2,609
Other	[4]				(4,441)
Net (loss) income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		(314,821)	52,147	(86,635)	95,262
Continuing Operations | All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA		876	9,714	9,340	23,278
Depreciation and amortization		(3,353)	(5,724)	(3,965)	(11,222)
Utilization of inventory markup	[1]		(378)		(3,029)
Gain (loss) on sales of businesses, net	[2]	974		123,831
Acquisition and integration related costs	[3]	0	0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses		0	0	0	0
Income tax expense		0	0	0	0
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (net of tax)		0	0	0	0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items		0	0	0	0
Other	[4]				0
Net (loss) income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		(1,503)	3,612	129,206	9,027
Continuing Operations | Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA		(21,221)	(25,238)	(40,808)	7,977
Depreciation and amortization		(1,635)	(2,322)	(2,970)	(4,221)
Utilization of inventory markup	[1]		0		0
Gain (loss) on sales of businesses, net	[2]	0		(1,533)
Acquisition and integration related costs	[3]	(19,030)	(22,832)	(37,588)	(80,657)
Interest and financing expenses		(15,800)	(20,599)	(30,914)	(42,899)
Income tax expense		(23,656)	(14,851)	(49,141)	(28,636)
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (net of tax)		(398,340)	10,122	(381,028)	8,024
Non-operating pension and OPEB items		265	1,522	548	2,609
Other	[4]				(4,441)
Net (loss) income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		(479,417)	(74,198)	(543,434)	(142,244)
Continuing Operations | Reportable Segments | Lithium and Advanced Materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA		82,668	79,985	169,142	157,580
Depreciation and amortization		(25,788)	(23,632)	(48,935)	(45,454)
Utilization of inventory markup	[1]		(33,823)		(62,405)
Gain (loss) on sales of businesses, net	[2]	0		0
Acquisition and integration related costs	[3]	0	0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses		0	0	0	0
Income tax expense		0	0	0	0
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (net of tax)		0	0	0	0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items		0	0	0	0
Other	[4]				0
Net (loss) income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		56,880	22,530	120,207	49,721
Continuing Operations | Reportable Segments | Bromine Specialties
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA		66,562	68,697	128,170	121,630
Depreciation and amortization		(9,815)	(8,211)	(19,570)	(16,672)
Utilization of inventory markup	[1]		0		0
Gain (loss) on sales of businesses, net	[2]	0		0
Acquisition and integration related costs	[3]	0	0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses		0	0	0	0
Income tax expense		0	0	0	0
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (net of tax)		0	0	0	0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items		0	0	0	0
Other	[4]				0
Net (loss) income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		56,747	60,486	108,600	104,958
Continuing Operations | Reportable Segments | Refining Solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA		61,586	48,200	116,660	90,393
Depreciation and amortization		(9,114)	(8,483)	(17,874)	(16,593)
Utilization of inventory markup	[1]		0		0
Gain (loss) on sales of businesses, net	[2]	0		0
Acquisition and integration related costs	[3]	0	0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses		0	0	0	0
Income tax expense		0	0	0	0
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (net of tax)		0	0	0	0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items		0	0	0	0
Other	[4]				0
Net (loss) income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		52,472	39,717	98,786	73,800
Continuing Operations | Reportable Segments | Reportable Segments Total
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA		210,816	196,882	413,972	369,603
Depreciation and amortization		(44,717)	(40,326)	(86,379)	(78,719)
Utilization of inventory markup	[1]		(33,823)		(62,405)
Gain (loss) on sales of businesses, net	[2]	0		0
Acquisition and integration related costs	[3]	0	0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses		0	0	0	0
Income tax expense		0	0	0	0
(Loss) income from discontinued operations (net of tax)		0	0	0	0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items		0	0	0	0
Other	[4]				0
Net (loss) income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		$ 166,099	$ 122,733	$ 327,593	$ 228,479

[1] 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 $103.4 million. The inventory markup was expensed over the estimated remaining selling period. For the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2015, $24.2 million and $47.5 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.

[2] See Note 3, “Divestitures,”

[3] See Note 2, “Acquisitions,”

[4] Financing-related fees expensed in connection with the acquisition of Rockwood.