Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity - USD ($)	Total	Total Albemarle Shareholders’ Equity	Common Stock	Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Retained Earnings	Noncontrolling Interests
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2022			117,168,366	0
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2022	$ 8,190,847,000	$ 7,982,627,000	$ 1,172,000	$ 0	$ 2,940,840,000	$ (560,662,000)	$ 5,601,277,000	$ 208,220,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income	1,953,142,000	1,888,623,000					1,888,623,000	64,519,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income	42,708,000	42,716,000				42,716,000		(8,000)
Common stock dividends declared	(93,855,000)	(93,855,000)					(93,855,000)	0
Mandatory convertible preferred stock cumulative dividends	0
Stock-based compensation	20,027,000	20,027,000			20,027,000
Exercise of stock options (in shares)			1,220
Exercise of stock options	81,000	81,000	$ 0		81,000
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)			276,860
Issuance of common stock, net	0	0	$ 3,000		(3,000)
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation award distributions (in shares)			(106,567)
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation award distributions	(24,910,000)	(24,910,000)	$ (1,000)		(24,909,000)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2023			117,339,879	0
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2023	10,088,040,000	9,815,309,000	$ 1,174,000	$ 0	2,936,036,000	(517,946,000)	7,396,045,000	272,731,000
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2023			117,299,392	0
Beginning Balance at Mar. 31, 2023	9,459,070,000	9,212,735,000	$ 1,173,000	$ 0	2,931,961,000	(513,337,000)	6,792,938,000	246,335,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income	676,439,000	650,043,000					650,043,000	26,396,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(4,609,000)	(4,609,000)				(4,609,000)		0
Common stock dividends declared	(46,936,000)	(46,936,000)					(46,936,000)	0
Mandatory convertible preferred stock cumulative dividends	0
Stock-based compensation	10,369,000	10,369,000			10,369,000
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)			71,688
Issuance of common stock, net	0	0	$ 1,000		(1,000)
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation award distributions (in shares)			(31,201)
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation award distributions	(6,293,000)	(6,293,000)	$ 0		(6,293,000)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2023			117,339,879	0
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2023	10,088,040,000	9,815,309,000	$ 1,174,000	$ 0	2,936,036,000	(517,946,000)	7,396,045,000	272,731,000
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2023			117,356,270	0
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2023	9,665,099,000	9,412,180,000	$ 1,174,000	$ 0	2,952,517,000	(528,526,000)	6,987,015,000	252,919,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income	(159,947,000)	(185,750,000)					(185,750,000)	25,803,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(109,014,000)	(109,025,000)				(109,025,000)		11,000
Common stock dividends declared	(112,151,000)	(94,014,000)					(94,014,000)	(18,137,000)
Mandatory convertible preferred stock cumulative dividends	(53,272,000)	(53,272,000)					(53,272,000)
Stock-based compensation	16,382,000	16,382,000			16,382,000
Exercise of stock options (in shares)			1,420
Exercise of stock options	86,000	86,000	$ 0		86,000
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)			262,213
Issuance of common stock, net	11,545,000	11,545,000	$ 2,000		11,543,000
Issuance of mandatory convertible preferred stock, net (in shares)				2,300,000
Issuance of mandatory convertible preferred stock, net	2,235,105,000	2,235,105,000		$ 2,235,105,000
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation award distributions (in shares)			(91,729)
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation award distributions	(10,678,000)	(10,678,000)	$ (1,000)		(10,677,000)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2024			117,528,174	2,300,000
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2024	11,483,155,000	11,222,559,000	$ 1,175,000	$ 2,235,105,000	2,969,851,000	(637,551,000)	6,653,979,000	260,596,000
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2024			117,527,167	2,300,000
Beginning Balance at Mar. 31, 2024	11,799,719,000	11,532,802,000	$ 1,175,000	$ 2,235,379,000	2,962,585,000	(597,205,000)	6,930,868,000	266,917,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income	(176,594,000)	(188,198,000)					(188,198,000)	11,604,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(40,134,000)	(40,346,000)				(40,346,000)		212,000
Common stock dividends declared	(65,140,000)	(47,003,000)					(47,003,000)	(18,137,000)
Mandatory convertible preferred stock cumulative dividends	(41,688,000)	(41,688,000)					(41,688,000)
Stock-based compensation	7,325,000	7,325,000			7,325,000
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)			1,463
Issuance of common stock, net	0	0	$ 0		0
Issuance of mandatory convertible preferred stock, net (in shares)				0
Issuance of mandatory convertible preferred stock, net	(274,000)	(274,000)		$ (274,000)
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation award distributions (in shares)			(456)
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation award distributions	(59,000)	(59,000)	$ 0		(59,000)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2024			117,528,174	2,300,000
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2024	$ 11,483,155,000	$ 11,222,559,000	$ 1,175,000	$ 2,235,105,000	$ 2,969,851,000	$ (637,551,000)	$ 6,653,979,000	$ 260,596,000