Segment Information - Summarized Financial Information by Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 754,866	$ 654,010	$ 2,214,187	$ 1,980,548
Adjusted EBITDA	209,383	188,329	639,700	570,833
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	118,670	128,220	273,216	41,585
Depreciation and amortization			144,087	176,499
Gain on acquisition			(6,025)	0
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net	0	0	0	(122,298)
Acquisition and integration related costs	0	6,749	0	44,337
Interest and financing expenses	15,792	15,946	98,895	46,860
Income tax expense	18,495	12,394	53,596	61,535
Income from discontinued operations (net of tax)	0	(23,185)	0	357,843
All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	28,021	28,272	91,144	150,987
Adjusted EBITDA	306	5,470	7,906	14,810
Other		0
Reportable Segments | Lithium and Advanced Materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	343,557	240,424	945,791	689,950
Adjusted EBITDA	130,218	91,719	382,789	260,861
Other		0
Reportable Segments | Bromine Specialties
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	212,923	194,496	636,059	597,912
Adjusted EBITDA	63,936	51,807	194,499	179,977
Other		0
Reportable Segments | Refining Solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	170,275	190,453	539,904	539,044
Adjusted EBITDA	43,120	64,960	142,777	181,620
Other		0
Reportable Segments | Reportable Segments Total
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Other		0
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	90	365	1,289	2,655
Adjusted EBITDA	(28,197)	(25,627)	(88,271)	(66,435)
Continuing Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA	209,383	188,329	639,700	570,833
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	118,670	128,220	273,216	41,585
Depreciation and amortization	49,895	47,974	144,087	141,288
Utilization of inventory markup	568		23,095
Restructuring and other, net			17,141
Gain on acquisition	1,408		(6,025)
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net				(122,298)
Acquisition and integration related costs	5,635	6,749	26,395	44,337
Interest and financing expenses	15,792	15,946	98,895	46,860
Income tax expense	18,495	12,394	53,596	61,535
Income from discontinued operations (net of tax)		(23,185)		357,843
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	(1,028)	(231)	(3,144)	(779)
Multiemployer plan shortfall contributions	1,646		6,586
Other	(1,698)	462	5,858	462
Continuing Operations | All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA	306	5,470	7,906	14,810
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	(1,776)	3,806	1,622	133,012
Depreciation and amortization	2,082	1,664	6,284	5,629
Utilization of inventory markup	0		0
Restructuring and other, net			0
Gain on acquisition	0		0
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net				(123,831)
Acquisition and integration related costs	0	0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Income from discontinued operations (net of tax)		0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	0	0	0	0
Multiemployer plan shortfall contributions	0		0
Other	0		0	0
Continuing Operations | Reportable Segments | Lithium and Advanced Materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA	130,218	91,719	382,789	260,861
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	103,199	66,166	292,655	186,373
Depreciation and amortization	26,136	25,553	74,157	74,488
Utilization of inventory markup	568		23,095
Restructuring and other, net			0
Gain on acquisition	1,408		(6,025)
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net				0
Acquisition and integration related costs	0	0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Income from discontinued operations (net of tax)		0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	0	0	0	0
Multiemployer plan shortfall contributions	0		0
Other	(1,093)		(1,093)	0
Continuing Operations | Reportable Segments | Bromine Specialties
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA	63,936	51,807	194,499	179,977
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	53,760	41,621	164,193	150,221
Depreciation and amortization	10,176	10,186	30,306	29,756
Utilization of inventory markup	0		0
Restructuring and other, net			0
Gain on acquisition	0		0
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net				0
Acquisition and integration related costs	0	0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Income from discontinued operations (net of tax)		0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	0	0	0	0
Multiemployer plan shortfall contributions	0		0
Other	0		0	0
Continuing Operations | Reportable Segments | Refining Solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA	43,120	64,960	142,777	181,620
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	34,392	55,981	115,329	154,767
Depreciation and amortization	9,978	8,979	28,698	26,853
Utilization of inventory markup	0		0
Restructuring and other, net			0
Gain on acquisition	0		0
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net				0
Acquisition and integration related costs	0	0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Income from discontinued operations (net of tax)		0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	0	0	0	0
Multiemployer plan shortfall contributions	0		0
Other	(1,250)		(1,250)	0
Continuing Operations | Reportable Segments | Reportable Segments Total
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA	237,274	208,486	720,065	622,458
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	191,351	163,768	572,177	491,361
Depreciation and amortization	46,290	44,718	133,161	131,097
Utilization of inventory markup	568		23,095
Restructuring and other, net			0
Gain on acquisition	1,408		(6,025)
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net				0
Acquisition and integration related costs	0	0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Income from discontinued operations (net of tax)		0		0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	0	0	0	0
Multiemployer plan shortfall contributions	0		0
Other	(2,343)		(2,343)	0
Continuing Operations | Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA	(28,197)	(25,627)	(88,271)	(66,435)
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	(70,905)	(39,354)	(300,583)	(582,788)
Depreciation and amortization	1,523	1,592	4,642	4,562
Utilization of inventory markup	0		0
Restructuring and other, net			17,141
Gain on acquisition	0		0
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net				1,533
Acquisition and integration related costs	5,635	6,749	26,395	44,337
Interest and financing expenses	15,792	15,946	98,895	46,860
Income tax expense	18,495	12,394	53,596	61,535
Income from discontinued operations (net of tax)		(23,185)		357,843
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	(1,028)	(231)	(3,144)	(779)
Multiemployer plan shortfall contributions	1,646		6,586
Other	$ 645	$ 462	$ 8,201	$ 462