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	176,346				154,546	154,546	21,800
Other comprehensive (loss) income	116,272			115,579		115,579	693
Cash dividends declared	(88,815)				(70,885)	(70,885)	(17,930)
Stock-based compensation and other	8,216		8,216			8,216
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		62,399
Exercise of stock options	3,337	$ 1	3,336			3,337
Shares repurchased (in shares)		(2,341,083)
Shares repurchased	(250,000)	$ (23)	(249,977)			(250,000)
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		235,005
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)		(88,984)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(8,169)	$ (1)	(8,168)			(8,169)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2017		110,391,127
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2017	3,899,791	$ 1,104	1,850,967	(296,833)	2,205,592	3,760,830	138,961
Beginning Balance at Mar. 31, 2017				(346,981)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	113,689
Other comprehensive (loss) income	50,380
Ending Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2017		110,391,127
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2017	3,899,791	$ 1,104	1,850,967	(296,833)	2,205,592	3,760,830	138,961
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	449,611				434,221	434,221	15,390
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(76,088)			(76,011)		(76,011)	(77)
Cash dividends declared	(88,296)				(73,540)	(73,540)	(14,756)
Cumulative adjustment from adoption of income tax standard update (Note 18)	(11,199)				(11,199)	(11,199)
Stock-based compensation and other	10,728		10,728			10,728
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		28,966
Exercise of stock options	1,288	$ 0	1,288			1,288
Shares repurchased (in shares)		(2,354,133)
Shares repurchased	(250,000)	$ (24)	(249,976)			(250,000)
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		357,927
Issuance of common stock, net	0	$ 4	(4)			0
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances (in shares)		(138,071)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(16,460)	$ (1)	(16,459)			(16,460)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2018		108,441,363
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2018	3,837,280	$ 1,084	1,609,526	(301,679)	2,384,645	3,693,576	143,704
Beginning Balance at Mar. 31, 2018				(174,739)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	310,686
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(127,203)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2018		108,441,363
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2018	$ 3,837,280	$ 1,084	$ 1,609,526	$ (301,679)	$ 2,384,645	$ 3,693,576	$ 143,704