Segment Information - Summarized Financial Information by Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 764,049,000	$ 885,052,000	$ 1,502,894,000	$ 1,717,116,000
Adjusted EBITDA	185,193,000	261,900,000	381,558,000	487,767,000
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	85,624,000	154,198,000	192,828,000	287,767,000
Depreciation and amortization	57,841,000	52,948,000	111,535,000	102,231,000
Restructuring and other	6,733,000	4,760,000	8,580,000	5,290,000
Acquisition and integration related costs	5,470,000	4,990,000	8,426,000	10,274,000
Gain on sale of property			0	(11,079,000)
Interest and financing expenses	17,852,000	11,601,000	34,737,000	24,187,000
Income tax expense	15,431,000	30,411,000	33,873,000	67,925,000
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	(2,895,000)	(676,000)	(5,803,000)	(1,259,000)
Other	(863,000)	3,668,000	(2,618,000)	2,431,000
All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	50,495,000	38,560,000	113,723,000	78,038,000
Adjusted EBITDA	18,598,000	11,240,000	41,422,000	18,483,000
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	16,425,000	9,118,000	37,271,000	14,324,000
Depreciation and amortization	2,173,000	2,122,000	4,151,000	4,159,000
Restructuring and other	0	0	0	0
Acquisition and integration related costs	0	0	0	0
Gain on sale of property				0
Interest and financing expenses	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	0	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0	0
Reportable Segments | Lithium
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	283,722,000	324,758,000	520,540,000	616,644,000
Adjusted EBITDA	94,536,000	141,779,000	173,173,000	257,395,000
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	66,038,000	117,303,000	119,278,000	210,472,000
Depreciation and amortization	28,498,000	24,365,000	53,895,000	46,457,000
Restructuring and other	0	0	0	0
Acquisition and integration related costs	0	0	0	0
Gain on sale of property				0
Interest and financing expenses	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	0	0	0	0
Other	0	111,000	0	466,000
Reportable Segments | Bromine Specialties
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	232,779,000	255,433,000	464,371,000	504,485,000
Adjusted EBITDA	73,041,000	81,332,000	156,303,000	159,929,000
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	60,692,000	69,616,000	132,357,000	137,096,000
Depreciation and amortization	12,349,000	11,716,000	23,946,000	22,833,000
Restructuring and other	0	0	0	0
Acquisition and integration related costs	0	0	0	0
Gain on sale of property				0
Interest and financing expenses	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	0	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0	0
Reportable Segments | Catalysts
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	197,053,000	266,301,000	404,260,000	517,949,000
Adjusted EBITDA	22,777,000	66,875,000	70,247,000	126,946,000
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	10,702,000	54,124,000	45,594,000	101,983,000
Depreciation and amortization	12,075,000	12,751,000	24,653,000	24,963,000
Restructuring and other	0	0	0	0
Acquisition and integration related costs	0	0	0	0
Gain on sale of property				0
Interest and financing expenses	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	0	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0	0
Reportable Segments | Reportable Segments Total
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA	190,354,000	289,986,000	399,723,000	544,270,000
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	137,432,000	241,043,000	297,229,000	449,551,000
Depreciation and amortization	52,922,000	48,832,000	102,494,000	94,253,000
Restructuring and other	0	0	0	0
Acquisition and integration related costs	0	0	0	0
Gain on sale of property				0
Interest and financing expenses	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	0	0	0	0
Other	0	111,000	0	466,000
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA	(23,759,000)	(39,326,000)	(59,587,000)	(74,986,000)
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	(68,233,000)	(95,963,000)	(141,672,000)	(176,108,000)
Depreciation and amortization	2,746,000	1,994,000	4,890,000	3,819,000
Restructuring and other	6,733,000	4,760,000	8,580,000	5,290,000
Acquisition and integration related costs	5,470,000	4,990,000	8,426,000	10,274,000
Gain on sale of property				(11,079,000)
Interest and financing expenses	17,852,000	11,601,000	34,737,000	24,187,000
Income tax expense	15,431,000	30,411,000	33,873,000	67,925,000
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	(2,895,000)	(676,000)	(5,803,000)	(1,259,000)
Other	$ (863,000)	$ 3,557,000	$ (2,618,000)	$ 1,965,000