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Investments
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2024
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]  
Investments Investments:
Proportionately Consolidated Joint Ventures
On October 18, 2023, the Company closed on the restructuring of the MARBL lithium joint venture in Australia (“MARBL”) with Mineral Resources Limited (“MRL”). This updated structure is intended to simplify the commercial operation agreements previously entered into, allowed us to retain full control of downstream conversion assets and provide greater strategic opportunities for each company based on their global operations and the evolving lithium market.
Under the amended agreements, Albemarle acquired the remaining 40% ownership of the Kemerton lithium hydroxide processing facility in Australia that was jointly owned with MRL through the MARBL joint venture. Following this restructuring, Albemarle and MRL each own 50% of the Wodgina Lithium Mine Project (“Wodgina”), and MRL operates the Wodgina mine on behalf of the joint venture. During the fourth quarter of 2023, Albemarle paid MRL approximately $380 million in cash, which included $180 million of consideration for the remaining ownership of Kemerton as well as a payment for the economic effective date of the transaction being retroactive to April 1, 2022.
This joint venture is unincorporated with each investor holding an undivided interest in each asset and proportionately liable for each liability; therefore our proportionate share of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses are included in the appropriate classifications in the consolidated financial statements.
Unconsolidated Joint Ventures
The following table details the Company’s equity in net income of unconsolidated investments (net of tax) for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 (in thousands):
Three Months Ended
September 30,		Nine Months Ended
September 30,
2024202320242023
Windfield$227,266 $465,931 $678,940 $1,399,173 
Other joint ventures1,792 4,375 17,496 18,372 
Total$229,058 $470,306 $696,436 $1,417,545 
The Company holds a 49% equity interest in Windfield, where the ownership parties share risks and benefits disproportionate to their voting interests. As a result, the Company considers Windfield to be a variable interest entity (“VIE”), however this investment is not consolidated as the Company is not the primary beneficiary. The carrying amount of the Company’s 49% equity interest in Windfield, which is the Company’s most significant VIE, was $637.9 million and $712.0 million at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. The Company’s unconsolidated VIEs are reported in Investments on the consolidated balance sheets. The Company does not guarantee debt for, or have other financial support obligations to, these entities, and its maximum exposure to loss in connection with its continuing involvement with these entities is limited to the carrying value of the investments.
The following table summarizes the unaudited results of operations for the Windfield joint venture, which met the significant subsidiary test for subsidiaries not consolidated or 50% or less owned persons under Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X, for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 (in thousands):
Three Months Ended
September 30,		Nine Months Ended
September 30,
2024202320242023
Net sales$338,844 $1,478,430 $1,070,835 $5,756,748 
Gross profit244,490 1,410,698 786,082 5,556,634 
Income before income taxes205,071 1,353,249 626,023 5,289,278 
Net income143,147 947,275 436,247 3,702,503 
Public Equity Securities
Included in the Company’s investments balance are holdings in equity securities of public companies. The fair value is measured using publicly available share prices of the investments, with any changes reported in Other (expenses) income, net in our consolidated statements of (loss) income. During the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, the Company purchased approximately $203.4 million of shares in publicly-traded companies. In addition, during the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2024, the Company recorded unrealized mark-to-market losses of $5.0 million and $32.2 million, respectively, in Other (expenses) income, net for all public equity securities held at the end of the balance sheet date. During the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023, the Company recorded unrealized mark-to-market (losses) gains of ($26.4) million and $34.4 million, respectively, in Other (expenses) income, net for all public equity securities held at the end of the balance sheet date.
In January 2024, the Company sold equity securities of a public company for proceeds of approximately $81.5 million. As a result of the sale, the Company realized a loss of $33.7 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2024.
Other
As part of the proceeds from the sale of the fine chemistry services (“FCS”) business on June 1, 2021, W.R. Grace & Co. (“Grace”) issued Albemarle preferred equity of a Grace subsidiary having an aggregate stated value of $270 million. The preferred equity can be redeemed at Grace’s option under certain conditions and began accruing payment-in-kind (“PIK”) dividends at an annual rate of 12% on June 1, 2023. In addition, the preferred equity can be redeemed by Albemarle when the accumulated balance reaches 200% of the original value. This preferred equity had a fair value of $304.5 million and $289.3 million at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively, which is reported in Investments in the consolidated balance sheets.