Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Retained Earnings	Total Albemarle Shareholders' Equity	Non-controlling Interests
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) income	(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
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) income	(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
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019		106,040,215
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2019	4,093,580	$ 1,061	1,383,446	(395,735)	2,943,478	3,932,250	161,330
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	344,438				291,129	291,129	53,309
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(2,585)			(2,732)		(2,732)	147
Cash dividends declared	(137,144)				(122,858)	(122,858)	(14,286)
Stock-based compensation	14,970		14,970			14,970
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		300,833
Exercise of stock options	16,925	$ 3	16,922			16,925
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		179,368
Issuance of common stock, net	0	$ 2	(2)			0
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances (in shares)		(63,368)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(4,803)	$ (1)	(4,802)			(4,803)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020		106,457,048
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2020	4,325,381	$ 1,065	1,410,534	(398,467)	3,111,749	4,124,881	200,500
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020		106,336,982
Beginning Balance at Jun. 30, 2020	4,206,161	$ 1,064	1,400,105	(431,131)	3,054,434	4,024,472	181,689
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	117,045				98,301	98,301	18,744
Other comprehensive (loss) income	32,731			32,664		32,664	67
Cash dividends declared	(40,986)				(40,986)	(40,986)	0
Stock-based compensation	5,098		5,098			5,098
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		96,356
Exercise of stock options	6,116	$ 1	6,115			6,116
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		33,798
Issuance of common stock, net	0	$ 0	0			0
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances (in shares)		(10,088)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(784)	$ 0	(784)			(784)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020		106,457,048
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2020	$ 4,325,381	$ 1,065	$ 1,410,534	$ (398,467)	$ 3,111,749	$ 4,124,881	$ 200,500