Investments	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]
Investments	Investments: The Company holds a 49% equity interest in Windfield Holdings Pty. Ltd. (“Windfield”). With regard to the Company’s ownership in Windfield, the parties share risks and benefits disproportionate to their voting interests. As a result, the Company considers Windfield to be a variable interest entity (“VIE”). However, the Company does not consolidate Windfield as it is not the primary beneficiary. The carrying amount of our 49% equity interest in Windfield, which is our most significant VIE, was $318.8 million and $288.6 million at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. The Company’s aggregate net investment in all other entities which it considers to be VIE’s for which the Company is not the primary beneficiary was $9.1 million and $8.8 million at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. Our unconsolidated VIE’s are reported in Investments in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. The Company does not guarantee debt for, or have other financial support obligations to, these entities, and its maximum exposure to loss in connection with its continuing involvement with these entities is limited to the carrying value of the investments. As part of the original Windfield joint venture agreement, Tianqi Lithium Corporation ("Tianqi") was granted an option to purchase from 20% to 30% of the equity interests in Rockwood Lithium GmbH, a wholly-owned German subsidiary of Albemarle, and its subsidiaries. In February 2017, Albemarle and Tianqi terminated the option agreement, and as a result, we will retain 100% of the ownership interest in Rockwood Lithium GmbH and its subsidiaries. Following the termination of the option agreement, the $13.1 million fair value of the option agreement originally recorded in Noncontrolling interests was reversed and recorded as an adjustment to Additional paid-in capital.

Investments

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]

Investments:

The Company holds a 49% equity interest in Windfield Holdings Pty. Ltd. (“Windfield”). With regard to the Company’s ownership in Windfield, the parties share risks and benefits disproportionate to their voting interests. As a result, the Company considers Windfield to be a variable interest entity (“VIE”). However, the Company does not consolidate Windfield as it is not the primary beneficiary. The carrying amount of our 49% equity interest in Windfield, which is our most significant VIE, was $318.8 million and $288.6 million at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. The Company’s aggregate net investment in all other entities which it considers to be VIE’s for which the Company is not the primary beneficiary was $9.1 million and $8.8 million at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. Our unconsolidated VIE’s are reported in Investments in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. The Company does not guarantee debt for, or have other financial support obligations to, these entities, and its maximum exposure to loss in connection with its continuing involvement with these entities is limited to the carrying value of the investments.

As part of the original Windfield joint venture agreement, Tianqi Lithium Corporation ("Tianqi") was granted an option to purchase from 20% to 30% of the equity interests in Rockwood Lithium GmbH, a wholly-owned German subsidiary of Albemarle, and its subsidiaries. In February 2017, Albemarle and Tianqi terminated the option agreement, and as a result, we will retain 100% of the ownership interest in Rockwood Lithium GmbH and its subsidiaries. Following the termination of the option agreement, the $13.1 million fair value of the option agreement originally recorded in Noncontrolling interests was reversed and recorded as an adjustment to Additional paid-in capital.