Quarterly Financial Summary (Schedule Of Quarterly Financial Information) (Details) (USD $) Share data in Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2009
Quarterly Financial Summary [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 707,390,000	$ 722,977,000	$ 742,108,000	$ 696,530,000	$ 604,975,000	$ 585,036,000	$ 592,483,000	$ 580,270,000		$ 2,869,005,000	[1]	$ 2,362,764,000	[1]	$ 2,005,394,000	[1]
Gross profit	234,082,000	258,012,000	251,949,000	233,016,000	196,461,000	196,823,000	188,167,000	164,471,000		977,059,000		745,922,000		483,862,000
Restructuring and other charges								6,958,000	[2]			6,958,000	[3]	11,643,000	[3]
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	99,443,000	116,098,000	114,159,000	106,580,000	84,972,000	93,689,000	81,751,000	63,308,000		436,280,000		323,720,000		178,368,000
Basic earnings per share	$ 1.12	$ 1.29	$ 1.24	$ 1.16	$ 0.93	$ 1.03	$ 0.90	$ 0.69		$ 4.82		$ 3.54		$ 1.95
Shares used to compute basic earnings per share	88,805	89,935	91,713	91,633	91,567	91,312	91,308	91,386		90,522		91,393		91,512
Diluted earnings per share	$ 1.11	$ 1.28	$ 1.23	$ 1.15	$ 0.92	$ 1.02	$ 0.89	$ 0.69		$ 4.77		$ 3.51		$ 1.94
Shares used to compute diluted earnings per share	89,819	90,958	92,795	92,517	92,350	92,082	92,111	92,193		91,522		92,184		92,046
Pre-tax restructuring and other related charges								6,958,000	[2]			6,958,000	[3]	11,643,000	[3]
Restructuring and other related charges after tax								$ 4,600,000

[1] No sales in a foreign country exceed 10% of total net sales. Also, net sales are attributed to countries based upon shipments to final destination.

[2] First quarter of 2010 results include $7.0 million in pre-tax charges ($4.6 million after income taxes) that related principally to reductions in force at our Bergheim, Germany site.

[3] The year ended December 31, 2010 included charges amounting to $7.0 million ($4.6 million after income taxes) that related principally to reductions in force at our Bergheim, Germany site. The year ended December 31, 2009 results included $11.6 million in pre-tax charges ($7.6 million after income taxes) for restructuring and other costs, related principally to reductions in force and the write-off of assets at our Arkansas facility.