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	593,090				563,966	563,966	29,124
Other comprehensive loss	(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 1)	(11,199)				(11,199)	(11,199)
Stock-based compensation	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
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Shares		(4,665,618)
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	(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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cash dividends declared (in dollars per share)	$ 1.005
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2018		108,441,363
Beginning 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]
Net income	143,479				129,745	129,745	13,734
Other comprehensive loss	(12,517)			(12,512)		(12,512)	(5)
Cash dividends declared	(35,679)				(35,679)	(35,679)
Stock-based compensation	3,287		3,287			3,287
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		42,683
Exercise of stock options	1,014	$ 1	1,013			1,014
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Shares		(2,311,485)
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	(250,000)	$ (23)	(249,977)			(250,000)
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		20,079
Issuance of common stock, net	0	$ 0	0			0
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances (in shares)		(6,137)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(587)	$ 0	(587)			(587)
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
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	498,114				442,837	442,837	55,277
Other comprehensive loss	(85,437)			(85,295)		(85,295)	(142)
Cash dividends declared	(174,042)				(116,830)	(116,830)	(57,212)
Stock-based compensation	16,999		16,999			16,999
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		161,909
Exercise of stock options	4,814	$ 2	4,812			4,814
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		383,313
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)		(130,162)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(10,774)	$ (1)	(10,773)			(10,774)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019		106,031,088
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2019	$ 4,008,337	$ 1,060	1,379,419	(435,977)	2,892,057	3,836,559	171,778
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cash dividends declared (in dollars per share)	$ 1.1025
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019		105,971,464
Beginning 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]
Net income	171,618				155,070	155,070	16,548
Other comprehensive loss	(86,688)			(86,566)		(86,566)	(122)
Cash dividends declared	(57,203)				(38,953)	(38,953)	(18,250)
Stock-based compensation	4,802		4,802			4,802
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		36,000
Exercise of stock options	1,609	$ 1	1,608			1,609
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		26,489
Issuance of common stock, net	0	$ 0	0			0
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances (in shares)		(2,865)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(204)	$ 0	(204)			(204)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019		106,031,088
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2019	$ 4,008,337	$ 1,060	$ 1,379,419	$ (435,977)	$ 2,892,057	$ 3,836,559	$ 171,778
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cash dividends declared (in dollars per share)	$ 0.3675