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	Noncontrolling Interests
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015		112,219,351
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 3,401,313	$ 1,122	$ 2,059,151	$ (421,288)	$ 1,615,407	$ 3,254,392	$ 146,921
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	680,769				643,675	643,675	37,094
Other comprehensive income (loss)	8,258			8,876		8,876	(618)
Cash dividends declared	(173,006)				(137,151)	(137,151)	(35,855)
Stock-based compensation and other	16,251		16,251			16,251
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		212,343
Exercise of stock options	9,402	$ 2	9,400			9,402
Tax benefit related to stock plans	1,811		1,811			1,811
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		131,596
Issuance of common stock, net	0	$ 1	(1)			0
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances (in shares)		(39,500)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(2,194)	$ 0	(2,194)			(2,194)
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016		112,523,790
Ending 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	99,468				54,850	54,850	44,618
Other comprehensive income (loss)	187,631			186,744		186,744	887
Cash dividends declared	(178,374)				(141,618)	(141,618)	(36,756)
Stock-based compensation and other	16,505		16,505			16,505
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		210,432
Exercise of stock options	8,238	$ 2	8,236			8,238
Shares repurchased (in shares)		(2,341,083)
Shares repurchased	(250,000)	$ (23)	(249,977)			(250,000)
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		243,024
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)		(89,489)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(8,376)	$ (1)	(8,375)			(8,376)
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017		110,546,674
Ending 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	739,139				693,562	693,562	45,577
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(125,195)			(125,014)		(125,014)	(181)
Cash dividends declared	(159,357)				(144,601)	(144,601)	(14,756)
Cumulative adjustments from adoption of income tax standard updates (Note 1)	(18,074)				(18,074)	(18,074)
Stock-based compensation and other	$ 18,506		18,506			18,506
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	94,031	94,031
Exercise of stock options	$ 3,633	$ 1	3,632			3,633
Shares repurchased (in shares)		(5,262,654)
Shares repurchased	(500,000)	$ (53)	(499,947)			(500,000)
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		383,974
Issuance of common stock, net	0	$ 4	(4)			0
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances (in shares)		(145,997)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(17,240)	$ (1)	(17,239)			(17,240)
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		105,616,028
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 3,759,108	$ 1,056	$ 1,368,897	$ (350,682)	$ 2,566,050	$ 3,585,321	$ 173,787