Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income	Retained Earnings	Total Albemarle Shareholders' Equity	Non-controlling Interests
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015		112,219,351
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 3,401,313	$ 1,122	$ 2,059,151	$ (421,288)	$ 1,615,407	$ 3,254,392	$ 146,921
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	70,491				41,585	41,585	28,906
Other comprehensive income	87,315			86,857		86,857	458
Cash dividends declared	(126,706)				(102,832)	(102,832)	(23,874)
Stock-based compensation and other	12,882		12,882			12,882
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		162,438
Exercise of stock options	6,779	$ 1	6,778			6,779
Tax benefit related to stock plans	1,369		1,369			1,369
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		120,160
Issuance of common stock, net	0	$ 1	(1)			0
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances (in shares)		(35,701)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(2,010)	$ 0	(2,010)			(2,010)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2016		112,466,248
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2016	3,451,433	$ 1,124	2,078,169	(334,431)	1,554,160	3,299,022	152,411
Beginning Balance at Jun. 30, 2016				(375,456)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	137,697
Other comprehensive income	41,048
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2016		112,466,248
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2016	3,451,433	$ 1,124	2,078,169	(334,431)	1,554,160	3,299,022	152,411
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016		112,523,790
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	3,942,604	$ 1,125	2,084,418	(412,412)	2,121,931	3,795,062	147,542
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	306,539				273,216	273,216	33,323
Other comprehensive income	163,292			162,469		162,469	823
Cash dividends declared	(134,034)				(106,243)	(106,243)	(27,791)
Stock-based compensation and other	12,477		12,477			12,477
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		159,432
Exercise of stock options	7,011	$ 2	7,009			7,011
Shares repurchased (in shares)		(2,341,083)
Shares repurchased	(250,000)	$ (23)	(249,977)			(250,000)
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		241,755
Issuance of common stock, net	0	$ 2	(2)			0
Termination of Tianqi Lithium Corporation option agreement	0		13,144			13,144	(13,144)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances (in shares)		(89,057)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(8,317)	$ (1)	(8,316)			(8,317)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2017		110,494,837
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2017	4,039,572	$ 1,105	1,858,753	(249,943)	2,288,904	3,898,819	140,753
Beginning Balance at Jun. 30, 2017				(296,833)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	130,193
Other comprehensive income	47,020
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2017		110,494,837
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2017	$ 4,039,572	$ 1,105	$ 1,858,753	$ (249,943)	$ 2,288,904	$ 3,898,819	$ 140,753