Quarterly Financial Summary (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ 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
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
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
Gross profit	240,966		238,972		248,104		242,534		237,773		219,045		212,031		191,384		970,576	860,233	770,848
Gain on sales of businesses, net	0	[1]	0	[1]	(974)	[1]	(121,324)	[1]									(122,298)	0	0
Restructuring and other, net									0		(6,804)	[2]	0		0		0	(6,804)	25,947
Acquisition and integration related costs	13,047	[3]	6,749	[3]	19,030	[3]	18,558	[3]	15,128	[3]	36,514	[3]	22,832	[3]	57,825	[3]	57,384	132,299	30,158
Net income from continuing operations(e)	50,304		114,512		95,586		218,236		169,275	[4]	59,842		49,218		49,253		478,638	327,588	230,437
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)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(8,188)		(9,477)		(12,067)		(7,362)		(8,425)		(5,480)		(7,219)		(4,034)		(37,094)	(25,158)	(27,590)
Net income (loss) attributable to Albemarle Corporation	$ 602,090		$ 128,220		$ (314,821)		$ 228,186		$ 174,252	[4]	$ 65,392		$ 52,147		$ 43,115		$ 643,675	$ 334,906	$ 133,316
Basic earnings (loss) per share:
Basic earnings per share from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.37		$ 0.93		$ 0.74		$ 1.88		$ 1.43	[4]	$ 0.48		$ 0.37		$ 0.42		$ 3.93	$ 2.72	$ 2.57
Basic earnings (loss) per share from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	4.98		0.21		(3.54)		0.15		0.12		0.10		0.09		(0.02)		1.80	0.29	(0.88)
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 5.35		$ 1.14		$ (2.80)		$ 2.03		$ 1.55		$ 0.58		$ 0.46		$ 0.40		$ 5.73	$ 3.01	$ 1.69
Weighted-average common shares outstanding—basic (in shares)	112,487		112,429		112,339		112,260		112,207		112,202		112,189		108,130		112,379	111,182	78,696
Diluted earnings (loss) per share:
Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.37		$ 0.93		$ 0.74		$ 1.87		$ 1.43	[4]	$ 0.48		$ 0.37		$ 0.42		$ 3.9	$ 2.71	$ 2.57
Diluted earnings (loss) per share from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	4.93		0.20		(3.52)		0.15		0.12		0.10		0.09		(0.02)		1.78	0.29	(0.88)
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 5.30		$ 1.13		$ (2.78)		$ 2.02		$ 1.55		$ 0.58		$ 0.46		$ 0.40		$ 5.68	$ 3.00	$ 1.69
Weighted-average common shares outstanding—diluted (in shares)	113,563		113,448		113,175		112,770		112,608		112,544		112,607		108,464		113,239	111,556	79,102

[1] 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.

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

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

[4] 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.

[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.