Segment and Geographic Area Information Summarized Financial Information by Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 857,789	$ 754,866	$ 737,258	$ 722,063	$ 696,655	$ 654,010	$ 669,327	$ 657,211	$ 3,071,976	$ 2,677,203	$ 2,826,429
Adjusted EBITDA									885,480	758,217	756,000
Net income (loss) attributable to Albemarle Corporation	$ 218,366	$ (118,670)	$ (103,333)	$ (51,213)	(602,090)	(128,220)	314,821	(228,186)	(54,850)	(643,675)	(334,906)
Depreciation and amortization									196,928	226,169	260,076
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net					0	0	(974)	(121,324)	0	(122,298)	0
Restructuring and other, net									0	0	(6,804)
Gain on acquisition									(6,221)	0	0
Acquisition and integration related costs					13,047	6,749	19,030	18,558	0	57,384	132,299
Interest and financing expenses									115,350	65,181	81,650
Income tax expense									431,817	96,263	11,134
Income from discontinued operations (net of tax)					$ (559,974)	$ (23,185)	$ 398,340	$ (17,312)	0	(202,131)	(32,476)
Note receivable reserve									28,700
Lithium and Advanced Materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									1,308,153	968,216	834,590
All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									128,914	180,988	471,434
Adjusted EBITDA									13,878	14,772	53,993
Depreciation and amortization									8,357	7,302	18,183
Reportable Segments | Lithium and Advanced Materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									1,308,153	968,216	834,590
Adjusted EBITDA									518,530	363,360	312,867
Depreciation and amortization									102,389	101,966	84,069
Reportable Segments | Bromine Specialties
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									855,143	792,425	775,729
Adjusted EBITDA									258,901	226,926	222,653
Depreciation and amortization									40,062	39,562	36,179
Reportable Segments | Refining Solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									778,304	732,137	729,261
Adjusted EBITDA									212,005	238,963	197,595
Depreciation and amortization									39,958	36,089	34,039
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									1,462	3,437	15,415
Adjusted EBITDA									(117,834)	(85,804)	(31,108)
Depreciation and amortization									6,162	6,056	8,703
Continuing Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA									885,480	758,217	756,000
Net income (loss) attributable to Albemarle Corporation									54,850	643,675	334,906
Depreciation and amortization									196,928	190,975	181,173
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net										(122,298)
Utilization of inventory markup									23,095		83,006
Restructuring and other, net									17,056		(6,804)
Gain on acquisition									(6,221)
Acquisition and integration related costs									33,954	57,384	132,299
Interest and financing expenses									115,350	65,181	81,650
Income tax expense									431,817	96,263	11,134
Income from discontinued operations (net of tax)										(202,131)	(32,476)
Non-operating pension and OPEB items									(16,125)	25,589	(35,300)
Multiemployer plan shortfall contributions									7,887
Note receivable reserve									28,730
Other									(1,841)	3,579	6,412
Continuing Operations | All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA									13,878	14,772	53,993
Net income (loss) attributable to Albemarle Corporation									5,521	131,301	32,781
Depreciation and amortization									8,357	7,302	18,183
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net										(123,831)
Utilization of inventory markup									0		3,029
Restructuring and other, net									0		0
Gain on acquisition									0
Acquisition and integration related costs									0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses									0	0	0
Income tax expense									0	0	0
Income from discontinued operations (net of tax)										0	0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items									0	0	0
Multiemployer plan shortfall contributions									0
Note receivable reserve									0
Other									0	0	0
Continuing Operations | Reportable Segments | Lithium and Advanced Materials
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA									518,530	363,360	312,867
Net income (loss) attributable to Albemarle Corporation									400,360	261,394	148,821
Depreciation and amortization									102,389	101,966	84,069
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net										0
Utilization of inventory markup									23,095		79,977
Restructuring and other, net									0		0
Gain on acquisition									(6,221)
Acquisition and integration related costs									0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses									0	0	0
Income tax expense									0	0	0
Income from discontinued operations (net of tax)										0	0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items									0	0	0
Multiemployer plan shortfall contributions									0
Note receivable reserve									0
Other									(1,093)	0	0
Continuing Operations | Reportable Segments | Bromine Specialties
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA									258,901	226,926	222,653
Net income (loss) attributable to Albemarle Corporation									218,839	187,364	186,474
Depreciation and amortization									40,062	39,562	36,179
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net										0
Utilization of inventory markup									0		0
Restructuring and other, net									0		0
Gain on acquisition									0
Acquisition and integration related costs									0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses									0	0	0
Income tax expense									0	0	0
Income from discontinued operations (net of tax)										0	0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items									0	0	0
Multiemployer plan shortfall contributions									0
Note receivable reserve									0
Other									0	0	0
Continuing Operations | Reportable Segments | Refining Solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA									212,005	238,963	197,595
Net income (loss) attributable to Albemarle Corporation									173,297	202,874	161,585
Depreciation and amortization									39,958	36,089	34,039
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net										0
Utilization of inventory markup									0		0
Restructuring and other, net									0		0
Gain on acquisition									0
Acquisition and integration related costs									0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses									0	0	0
Income tax expense									0	0	0
Income from discontinued operations (net of tax)										0	0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items									0	0	0
Multiemployer plan shortfall contributions									0
Note receivable reserve									0
Other									(1,250)	0	1,971
Continuing Operations | Reportable Segments | Reportable Segments Total
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA									989,436	829,249	733,115
Net income (loss) attributable to Albemarle Corporation									792,496	651,632	496,880
Depreciation and amortization									182,409	177,617	154,287
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net										0
Utilization of inventory markup									23,095		79,977
Restructuring and other, net									0		0
Gain on acquisition									(6,221)
Acquisition and integration related costs									0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses									0	0	0
Income tax expense									0	0	0
Income from discontinued operations (net of tax)										0	0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items									0	0	0
Multiemployer plan shortfall contributions									0
Note receivable reserve									0
Other									(2,343)	0	1,971
Continuing Operations | Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA									(117,834)	(85,804)	(31,108)
Net income (loss) attributable to Albemarle Corporation									(743,167)	(139,258)	(194,755)
Depreciation and amortization									6,162	6,056	8,703
(Gain) loss on sales of businesses, net										1,533
Utilization of inventory markup									0		0
Restructuring and other, net									17,056		(6,804)
Gain on acquisition									0
Acquisition and integration related costs									33,954	57,384	132,299
Interest and financing expenses									115,350	65,181	81,650
Income tax expense									431,817	96,263	11,134
Income from discontinued operations (net of tax)										(202,131)	(32,476)
Non-operating pension and OPEB items									(16,125)	25,589	(35,300)
Multiemployer plan shortfall contributions									7,887
Note receivable reserve									28,730
Other									$ 502	$ 3,579	$ 4,441