Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 754,866	$ 654,010	$ 2,214,187	$ 1,980,548
Cost of goods sold	479,077	415,038	1,411,216	1,250,938
Gross profit	275,789	238,972	802,971	729,610
Selling, general and administrative expenses	105,582	86,302	329,269	254,988
Research and development expenses	21,763	21,012	63,423	61,384
Gain on sales of businesses, net	0	0	0	(122,298)
Acquisition and integration related costs	0	6,749	0	44,337
Operating profit	148,444	124,909	410,279	491,199
Interest and financing expenses	(15,792)	(15,946)	(98,895)	(46,860)
Other (expenses) income, net	(3,008)	2,990	(6,512)	740
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in net income of unconsolidated investments	129,644	111,953	304,872	445,079
Income tax expense	18,495	12,394	53,596	61,535
Income from continuing operations before equity in net income of unconsolidated investments	111,149	99,559	251,276	383,544
Equity in net income of unconsolidated investments (net of tax)	19,044	14,953	55,263	44,790
Net income from continuing operations	130,193	114,512	306,539	428,334
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (net of tax)	0	23,185	0	(357,843)
Net income	130,193	137,697	306,539	70,491
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(11,523)	(9,477)	(33,323)	(28,906)
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	$ 118,670	$ 128,220	$ 273,216	$ 41,585
Basic earnings (loss) per share:
Basic earnings per share from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 1.07	$ 0.93	$ 2.46	$ 3.56
Basic earnings per share from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.21	0.00	(3.19)
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	1.07	1.14	2.46	0.37
Diluted earnings (loss) per share:
Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	1.06	0.93	2.43	3.53
Diluted earnings per share from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.20	0.00	(3.16)
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.06	$ 1.13	$ 2.43	$ 0.37
Weighted-average common shares outstanding - basic (in shares)	110,476	112,429	111,049	112,343
Weighted-average common shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	111,975	113,448	112,456	113,131
Cash dividends declared per share of common stock (in dollars per share)	$ 0.32	$ 0.305	$ 0.96	$ 0.915