Segment Information - Summarized Financial Information by Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 2,091,805	$ 830,566	$ 4,699,126	$ 2,433,753
Adjusted EBITDA	1,189,966	217,569	2,232,105	642,251
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	897,215	(392,781)	1,557,371	127,496
Depreciation and amortization	77,713	62,082	215,280	185,765
Acquisition and integration related costs	2,145	1,553	9,244	5,629
Interest and financing expenses	29,691	5,136	98,934	56,170
Income tax expense (benefit)	196,938	(114,670)	366,486	14,422
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	(5,027)	(5,471)	(15,345)	(16,407)
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period		657,412		657,412
Other	(8,709)	2,570	(8,265)	17,894
Restructuring and other		754		2,294
(Gain) loss on sale of business/interest in properties	0	984	8,400	(428,424)
Charitable Contribution Expense				20,000
All Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	75,095
Adjusted EBITDA	0	0	0	29,858
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	0	0	0	27,988
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	1,870
Acquisition and integration related costs	0	0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	0	0	0	0
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period		0		0
Other	0	0	0	0
Restructuring and other		0		0
(Gain) loss on sale of business/interest in properties		0	0	0
Charitable Contribution Expense				0
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA			(86,173)	(81,892)
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation			(540,184)	(414,856)
Depreciation and amortization			8,042	8,415
Acquisition and integration related costs			9,244	5,629
Interest and financing expenses			98,934	56,170
Income tax expense (benefit)			366,486	14,422
Non-operating pension and OPEB items			(15,345)	(16,407)
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period		657,412		657,412
Other			(13,350)	13,453
Restructuring and other				2,294
Reportable Segments | Lithium
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,501,073	359,229	2,942,861	958,539
Adjusted EBITDA	1,111,243	125,416	1,915,066	341,293
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	1,063,426	92,449	1,777,214	237,293
Depreciation and amortization	47,758	34,256	128,786	99,559
Acquisition and integration related costs	0	0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	0	0	0	0
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period		0		0
Other	59	(1,289)	666	4,441
Restructuring and other		0		0
(Gain) loss on sale of business/interest in properties		0	8,400	0
Charitable Contribution Expense				0
Reportable Segments | Bromine
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	354,908	277,783	1,092,239	837,978
Adjusted EBITDA	106,958	86,012	371,875	273,298
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	93,186	73,409	332,208	235,670
Depreciation and amortization	13,772	12,603	39,667	37,628
Acquisition and integration related costs	0	0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	0	0	0	0
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period		0		0
Other	0	0	0	0
Restructuring and other		0		0
(Gain) loss on sale of business/interest in properties		0	0	0
Charitable Contribution Expense				0
Reportable Segments | Catalysts
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	235,824	193,554	664,026	562,141
Adjusted EBITDA	4,635	33,103	31,337	79,694
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	(12,473)	20,039	(11,867)	41,401
Depreciation and amortization	12,689	13,064	38,785	38,293
Acquisition and integration related costs	0	0	0	0
Interest and financing expenses	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	0	0	0	0
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period		0		0
Other	4,419	0	4,419	0
Restructuring and other		0		0
(Gain) loss on sale of business/interest in properties		0	0	0
Charitable Contribution Expense				0
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Adjusted EBITDA	(32,870)	(26,962)
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	(246,924)	(578,678)
Depreciation and amortization	3,494	2,159
Acquisition and integration related costs	2,145	1,553
Interest and financing expenses	29,691	5,136
Income tax expense (benefit)	196,938	(114,670)
Non-operating pension and OPEB items	(5,027)	(5,471)
Other	$ (13,187)	3,859
Restructuring and other		754
(Gain) loss on sale of business/interest in properties		$ 984	$ 0	(428,424)
Charitable Contribution Expense				$ 20,000