Segment and Geographic Area Information Summarized Financial Information by Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2016		Sep. 30, 2016		Jun. 30, 2016		Mar. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Sep. 30, 2015		Jun. 30, 2015		Mar. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 696,655		$ 654,010		$ 669,327		$ 657,211		$ 722,610		$ 693,216		$ 718,290		$ 692,313		$ 2,677,203		$ 2,826,429		$ 2,445,548
Adjusted EBITDA																		(758,217)		(756,000)		(562,155)
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		(602,090)		(128,220)		314,821		(228,186)		(174,252)	[1]	(65,392)		(52,147)		(43,115)		(643,675)		(334,906)		(133,316)
Depreciation and amortization																		226,169		260,076		103,572
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net		0	[2]	0	[2]	(974)	[2]	(121,324)	[2]									(122,298)		0		0
Restructuring and other, net										0		(6,804)	[3]	0		0		0		(6,804)		25,947
Acquisition and integration related costs		13,047	[4]	6,749	[4]	19,030	[4]	18,558	[4]	15,128	[4]	36,514	[4]	22,832	[4]	57,825	[4]	57,384		132,299		30,158
Interest and financing expenses																		65,181		81,650		41,358
Income tax expense																		96,263		11,134		18,484
(Income) loss from discontinued operations (net of tax)		$ (559,974)		$ (23,185)		$ 398,340	[5]	$ (17,312)		$ (13,402)		$ (11,030)		$ (10,148)		$ 2,104		(202,131)		(32,476)		69,531
Lithium and Advanced Materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																		968,216		834,590		312,788
All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																		180,988		471,434		471,764
Adjusted EBITDA																		(14,772)		(53,993)		(73,973)
Depreciation and amortization																		7,302		18,183		13,478
Reportable Segments | Lithium and Advanced Materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																		968,216		834,590		312,788
Adjusted EBITDA																		(363,360)		(312,867)		(81,596)
Depreciation and amortization																		101,966		84,069		15,790
Reportable Segments | Bromine Specialties
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																		792,425		775,729		808,857
Adjusted EBITDA																		(226,926)		(222,653)		(224,976)
Depreciation and amortization																		39,562		36,179		35,917
Reportable Segments | Refining Solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																		732,137		729,261		852,139
Adjusted EBITDA																		(238,963)		(197,595)		(256,485)
Depreciation and amortization																		36,089		34,039		32,670
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																		3,437		15,415		0
Adjusted EBITDA																		85,804		31,108		74,875
Depreciation and amortization																		6,056		8,703		2,552
Continuing Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA																		758,217		756,000		562,155
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation																		643,675		334,906		133,316
Depreciation and amortization																		190,975		181,173		100,407
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net	[6]																	(122,298)
Utilization of inventory markup	[7]																			83,006
Restructuring and other, net	[8]																			(6,804)		25,947
Acquisition and integration related costs	[9]																	57,384		132,299		30,158
Interest and financing expenses																		65,181		81,650		41,358
Income tax expense																		96,263		11,134		18,484
(Income) loss from discontinued operations (net of tax)																		(202,131)		(32,476)		69,531
Non-operating pension and OPEB items																		25,589		(35,300)		125,462
Other																		3,579	[10]	6,412	[11]	17,492	[11]
Continuing Operations | All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA																		14,772		53,993		73,973
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation																		131,301		32,781		60,495
Depreciation and amortization																		7,302		18,183		13,478
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net	[6]																	(123,831)
Utilization of inventory markup	[7]																			3,029
Restructuring and other, net	[8]																			0		0
Acquisition and integration related costs	[9]																	0		0		0
Interest and financing expenses																		0		0		0
Income tax expense																		0		0		0
(Income) loss from discontinued operations (net of tax)																		0		0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items																		0		0		0
Other																		0	[10]	0	[11]	0	[11]
Continuing Operations | Reportable Segments | Lithium and Advanced Materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA																		363,360		312,867		81,596
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation																		261,394		148,821		65,806
Depreciation and amortization																		101,966		84,069		15,790
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net	[6]																	0
Utilization of inventory markup	[7]																			79,977
Restructuring and other, net	[8]																			0		0
Acquisition and integration related costs	[9]																	0		0		0
Interest and financing expenses																		0		0		0
Income tax expense																		0		0		0
(Income) loss from discontinued operations (net of tax)																		0		0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items																		0		0		0
Other																		0	[10]	0	[11]	0	[11]
Continuing Operations | Reportable Segments | Bromine Specialties
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA																		226,926		222,653		224,976
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation																		187,364		186,474		189,059
Depreciation and amortization																		39,562		36,179		35,917
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net	[6]																	0
Utilization of inventory markup	[7]																			0
Restructuring and other, net	[8]																			0		0
Acquisition and integration related costs	[9]																	0		0		0
Interest and financing expenses																		0		0		0
Income tax expense																		0		0		0
(Income) loss from discontinued operations (net of tax)																		0		0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items																		0		0		0
Other																		0	[10]	0	[11]	0	[11]
Continuing Operations | Reportable Segments | Refining Solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA																		238,963		197,595		256,485
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation																		202,874		161,585		223,815
Depreciation and amortization																		36,089		34,039		32,670
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net	[6]																	0
Utilization of inventory markup	[7]																			0
Restructuring and other, net	[8]																			0		0
Acquisition and integration related costs	[9]																	0		0		0
Interest and financing expenses																		0		0		0
Income tax expense																		0		0		0
(Income) loss from discontinued operations (net of tax)																		0		0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items																		0		0		0
Other																		0	[10]	1,971	[11]	0	[11]
Continuing Operations | Reportable Segments | Reportable Segments Total
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA																		829,249		733,115		563,057
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation																		651,632		496,880		478,680
Depreciation and amortization																		177,617		154,287		84,377
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net	[6]																	0
Utilization of inventory markup	[7]																			79,977
Restructuring and other, net	[8]																			0		0
Acquisition and integration related costs	[9]																	0		0		0
Interest and financing expenses																		0		0		0
Income tax expense																		0		0		0
(Income) loss from discontinued operations (net of tax)																		0		0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items																		0		0		0
Other																		0	[10]	1,971	[11]	0	[11]
Continuing Operations | Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA																		(85,804)		(31,108)		(74,875)
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation																		(139,258)		(194,755)		(405,859)
Depreciation and amortization																		6,056		8,703		2,552
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net	[6]																	1,533
Utilization of inventory markup	[7]																			0
Restructuring and other, net	[8]																			(6,804)		25,947
Acquisition and integration related costs	[9]																	57,384		132,299		30,158
Interest and financing expenses																		65,181		81,650		41,358
Income tax expense																		96,263		11,134		18,484
(Income) loss from discontinued operations (net of tax)																		(202,131)		(32,476)		69,531
Non-operating pension and OPEB items																		25,589		(35,300)		125,462
Other																		$ 3,579	[10]	$ 4,441	[11]	$ 17,492	[11]

[1] The fourth quarter of 2015 includes an income tax benefit of $43.1 million primarily related to the release of certain tax reserves associated with lapses in statutes of limitations and audit closures.

[2] Included in Gain on sales of businesses, net for the year ended December 31, 2016 is $11.5 million and $112.3 million related to the sales of the metal sulfides business and the minerals-based flame retardants and specialty chemicals business, respectively, both of which closed in the first quarter of 2016. In addition, Gain on sales of businesses, net for the year ended December 31, 2016 includes a loss of $1.5 million on the sale of our wafer reclaim business. See Note 3, “Divestitures,” for additional information.

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

[4] See Note 2, “Acquisitions,” for additional information.

[5] Included in Income (loss) from discontinued operations (net of tax) for the second quarter of 2016 is a nonrecurring, non-cash tax charge of $416.7 million related to the change in the Company’s assertion over book and tax basis differences for certain entities included in the sale of the Chemetall Surface Treatment business. In the fourth quarter of 2016, this non-cash tax charge was reversed as a result of the completion of the sale. In addition, the fourth quarter of 2016 includes an after-tax gain of $135.0 million as a result of the sale of the Chemetall Surface Treatment business.

[6] See Note 3, “Divestitures,” for additional information.

[7] 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 year ended December 31, 2015, $55.9 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.

[8] See Note 21, “Restructuring and Other,” for additional information.

[9] See Note 2, “Acquisitions,” for additional information.

[10] Includes amounts recorded in (1) Research and development expenses related to the write-off of fixed assets of $1.4 million; (2) Selling, general and administrative expenses related to the net loss on the sales of properties of $0.9 million and (3) Other income (expenses), net related to environmental charges related to a site formerly owned by Albemarle of $2.4 million, partially offset by a gain related to a previously disposed of site in China of $1.1 million.

[11] 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.