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, 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	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	(18,074)				(18,074)	(18,074)
Stock-based compensation	18,506		18,506			18,506
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cash dividends declared (in dollars per share)	$ 1.34
Net income	$ 604,357				533,228	533,228	71,129
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(45,520)			(45,053)		(45,053)	(467)
Cash dividends declared	(238,987)				(155,800)	(155,800)	(83,187)
Cumulative adjustments from adoption of income tax standard updates	(18,100)
Stock-based compensation	21,284		21,284			21,284
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)		396,269
Issuance of common stock, net	0	$ 4	(4)			0
Increase in ownership interest of noncontrolling interest	(445)		(513)			(513)	68
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances (in shares)		(133,991)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(11,031)	$ (1)	(11,030)			(11,031)
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019		106,040,215
Ending 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]
Cash dividends declared (in dollars per share)	$ 1.47
Net income	$ 446,615				375,764	375,764	70,851
Other comprehensive income (loss)	69,850			69,603		69,603	247
Cash dividends declared	(196,051)				(163,990)	(163,990)	(32,061)
Stock-based compensation	$ 19,306		19,306			19,306
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	682,068	682,068
Exercise of stock options	$ 40,437	$ 7	40,430			40,437
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)		185,918
Issuance of common stock, net	0	$ 2	(2)			0
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances (in shares)		(65,832)
Shares withheld for withholding taxes associated with common stock issuances	(5,143)	$ (1)	(5,142)			(5,143)
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020		106,842,369
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 4,468,594	$ 1,069	$ 1,438,038	$ (326,132)	$ 3,155,252	$ 4,268,227	$ 200,367
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cash dividends declared (in dollars per share)	$ 1.54