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	2,273,835,000	2,191,156,000					2,191,156,000	82,679,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(140,337,000)	(140,310,000)				(140,310,000)		(27,000)
Common stock dividends declared	(167,043,000)	(140,795,000)					(140,795,000)	(26,248,000)
Mandatory convertible preferred stock cumulative dividends	0
Stock-based compensation	31,186,000	31,186,000			31,186,000
Exercise of stock options (in shares)			1,812
Exercise of stock options	117,000	117,000	$ 0		117,000
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)			293,891
Issuance of common stock, net	0	0	$ 3,000		(3,000)
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation award distributions (in shares)			(112,352)
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation award distributions	(26,166,000)	(26,166,000)	$ (1,000)		(26,165,000)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2023			117,351,717	0
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2023	10,162,439,000	9,897,815,000	$ 1,174,000	$ 0	2,945,975,000	(700,972,000)	7,651,638,000	264,624,000
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2023			117,339,879	0
Beginning 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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income	320,693,000	302,533,000					302,533,000	18,160,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(183,045,000)	(183,026,000)				(183,026,000)		(19,000)
Common stock dividends declared	(73,188,000)	(46,940,000)					(46,940,000)	(26,248,000)
Mandatory convertible preferred stock cumulative dividends	0
Stock-based compensation	11,159,000	11,159,000			11,159,000
Exercise of stock options (in shares)			592
Exercise of stock options	36,000	36,000	$ 0		36,000
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)			17,031
Issuance of common stock, net	0	0	$ 0		0
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation award distributions (in shares)			(5,785)
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation award distributions	(1,256,000)	(1,256,000)	$ 0		(1,256,000)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2023			117,351,717	0
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2023	10,162,439,000	9,897,815,000	$ 1,174,000	$ 0	2,945,975,000	(700,972,000)	7,651,638,000	264,624,000
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	(1,220,588,000)	(1,254,742,000)					(1,254,742,000)	34,154,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income	58,925,000	58,756,000				58,756,000		169,000
Common stock dividends declared	(178,793,000)	(141,617,000)					(141,617,000)	(37,176,000)
Mandatory convertible preferred stock cumulative dividends	(94,959,000)	(94,959,000)					(94,959,000)
Stock-based compensation	25,105,000	25,105,000			25,105,000
Exercise of stock options (in shares)			1,920
Exercise of stock options	114,000	114,000	$ 0		114,000
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)			273,834
Issuance of common stock, net	11,546,000	11,546,000	$ 3,000		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)			(94,190)
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation award distributions	(10,893,000)	(10,893,000)	$ (1,000)		(10,892,000)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2024			117,537,834	2,300,000
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2024	10,490,661,000	10,240,595,000	$ 1,176,000	$ 2,235,105,000	2,978,387,000	(469,770,000)	5,495,697,000	250,066,000
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2024			117,528,174	2,300,000
Beginning 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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income	(1,060,641,000)	(1,068,992,000)					(1,068,992,000)	8,351,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income	167,939,000	167,781,000				167,781,000		158,000
Common stock dividends declared	(66,642,000)	(47,603,000)					(47,603,000)	(19,039,000)
Mandatory convertible preferred stock cumulative dividends	(41,687,000)	(41,687,000)					(41,687,000)
Stock-based compensation	8,723,000	8,723,000			8,723,000
Exercise of stock options (in shares)			500
Exercise of stock options	28,000	28,000	$ 0		28,000
Issuance of common stock, net (in shares)			11,621
Issuance of common stock, net	1,000	1,000	$ 1,000		0
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation award distributions (in shares)			(2,461)
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation award distributions	(215,000)	(215,000)	$ 0		(215,000)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2024			117,537,834	2,300,000
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2024	$ 10,490,661,000	$ 10,240,595,000	$ 1,176,000	$ 2,235,105,000	$ 2,978,387,000	$ (469,770,000)	$ 5,495,697,000	$ 250,066,000