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	306,539				273,216	273,216	33,323
Other comprehensive (loss) 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 (loss) 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
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	593,090				563,966	563,966	29,124
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(88,605)			(88,523)		(88,523)	(82)
Cash dividends declared	(123,975)				(109,219)	(109,219)	(14,756)
Cumulative adjustment from adoption of income tax standard update (Note 17)	(11,199)				(11,199)	(11,199)
Stock-based compensation and other	14,015		14,015			14,015
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		71,649
Exercise of stock options	2,302	$ 1	2,301			2,302
Shares repurchased (in shares)		(4,665,618)
Shares repurchased	(500,000)	$ (47)	(499,953)			(500,000)
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		378,006
Issuance of common stock, net	0	$ 4	(4)			0
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances (in shares)		(144,208)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(17,047)	$ (1)	(17,046)			(17,047)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2018		106,186,503
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2018	3,686,277	$ 1,062	1,363,262	(314,191)	2,478,711	3,528,844	157,433
Beginning Balance at Jun. 30, 2018				(301,679)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	143,479
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(12,517)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2018		106,186,503
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2018	$ 3,686,277	$ 1,062	$ 1,363,262	$ (314,191)	$ 2,478,711	$ 3,528,844	$ 157,433