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, 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 income (loss)	(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 1)	(11,199)				(11,199)	(11,199)
Stock-based compensation	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
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Shares		(2,354,133)
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	(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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cash dividends declared (in dollars per share)	$ 0.67
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2018		110,756,114
Beginning Balance at Mar. 31, 2018	$ 3,943,430	$ 1,107	1,855,321	(174,739)	2,118,621	3,800,310	143,120
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	310,686				302,461	302,461	8,225
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(127,203)			(126,940)		(126,940)	(263)
Cash dividends declared	(43,815)				(36,437)	(36,437)	(7,378)
Stock-based compensation	4,991		4,991			4,991
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		16,226
Exercise of stock options	642	$ 0	642			642
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Shares		(2,354,133)
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	(250,000)	$ (24)	(249,976)			(250,000)
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		38,487
Issuance of common stock, net	0	$ 1	(1)			0
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances (in shares)		(15,331)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(1,451)	$ 0	(1,451)			(1,451)
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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cash dividends declared (in dollars per share)	$ 0.335
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		105,616,028
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 3,759,108	$ 1,056	1,368,897	(350,682)	2,566,050	3,585,321	173,787
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	326,496				287,767	287,767	38,729
Other comprehensive income (loss)	1,251			1,271		1,271	(20)
Cash dividends declared	(116,839)				(77,877)	(77,877)	(38,962)
Stock-based compensation	12,197		12,197			12,197
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		125,909
Exercise of stock options	3,205	$ 1	3,204			3,205
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		356,824
Issuance of common stock, net	0	$ 3	(3)			0
Increase in ownership interest of noncontrolling interest	(445)		(513)			(513)	68
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances (in shares)		(127,297)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(10,570)	$ (1)	(10,569)			(10,570)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019		105,971,464
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2019	$ 3,974,403	$ 1,059	1,373,213	(349,411)	2,775,940	3,800,801	173,602
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cash dividends declared (in dollars per share)	$ 0.735
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019		105,950,011
Beginning Balance at Mar. 31, 2019	$ 3,864,039	$ 1,059	1,368,069	(357,538)	2,660,684	3,672,274	191,765
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	174,970				154,198	154,198	20,772
Other comprehensive income (loss)	8,154			8,127		8,127	27
Cash dividends declared	(77,904)				(38,942)	(38,942)	(38,962)
Stock-based compensation	4,930		4,930			4,930
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		11,781
Exercise of stock options	529	$ 0	529			529
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		16,713
Issuance of common stock, net	0	$ 0	0			0
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances (in shares)		(7,041)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(315)	$ 0	(315)			(315)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019		105,971,464
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2019	$ 3,974,403	$ 1,059	$ 1,373,213	$ (349,411)	$ 2,775,940	$ 3,800,801	$ 173,602
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cash dividends declared (in dollars per share)	$ 0.3675