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, 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	62,657				51,213	51,213	11,444
Other comprehensive income	65,892			65,431		65,431	461
Cash dividends declared	(35,441)				(35,441)	(35,441)	0
Stock-based compensation and other	3,945		3,945			3,945
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		37,146
Exercise of stock options	2,170	$ 0	2,170			2,170
Shares repurchased (in shares)		(1,948,178)
Shares repurchased	(250,000)	$ (19)	(249,981)			(250,000)
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		225,559
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)		(86,117)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(7,855)	$ 0	(7,855)			(7,855)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2017		110,752,200
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2017	3,783,972	$ 1,108	1,845,839	(346,981)	2,137,703	3,637,669	146,303
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017		110,546,674
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	3,817,696	$ 1,105	1,863,949	(225,668)	2,035,163	3,674,549	143,147
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	138,925				131,760	131,760	7,165
Other comprehensive income	51,115			50,929		50,929	186
Cash dividends declared	(44,481)				(37,103)	(37,103)	(7,378)
Cumulative adjustment from adoption of income tax standard update (Note 18)	(11,199)				(11,199)	(11,199)
Stock-based compensation and other	5,737		5,737			5,737
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		12,740
Exercise of stock options	646	$ 0	646			646
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		319,440
Issuance of common stock, net	0	$ 3	(3)			0
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances (in shares)		(122,740)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(15,009)	$ (1)	(15,008)			(15,009)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2018		110,756,114
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2018	$ 3,943,430	$ 1,107	$ 1,855,321	$ (174,739)	$ 2,118,621	$ 3,800,310	$ 143,120