Stock-based Compensation Expense - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended					1 Months Ended					1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 Minimum	Dec. 31, 2012 Maximum	Apr. 20, 2010 Albemarle Corporation 2008 Incentive Plan	Dec. 31, 2012 Albemarle Corporation 2008 Incentive Plan	Apr. 20, 2010 Albemarle Corporation 2008 Incentive Plan Maximum	Dec. 31, 2012 Non Employee Directors, Plan	Apr. 20, 2010 Non Employee Directors, Plan	Apr. 20, 2010 Non Employee Directors, Plan Maximum	Dec. 31, 2012 Stock Options	Dec. 31, 2012 Restricted Stock	Dec. 31, 2012 Restricted Stock Minimum	Dec. 31, 2012 Restricted Stock Maximum	Dec. 31, 2012 Performance Unit Awards	Dec. 31, 2012 Performance Unit Awards Minimum	Dec. 31, 2012 Performance Unit Awards Maximum	Dec. 31, 2012 Stock Options	Dec. 31, 2012 Two-Year Measurement Period	Dec. 31, 2012 One-Year Vesting Period Thereafter
Share Based Compensation [Line Items]
Share-based awards vesting period				1 year	5 years							3 years		1 year	5 years				3 years
Stock options, term					10 years
Percentage of earnings																	0.00%	200.00%
Specific performance criteria period																	1 year	2 years
Percentage of earning distributed																				50.00%	50.00%
Stock options granted during the period	263,200	401,500	389,000
Increase in number of shares available for issuance under incentive plan						4,470,000
Number of shares available for issuance under incentive plan								7,470,000
Reduced incentive plan awards number of shares for each share						1.6
Fair market value of shares to be issued to each participant											$ 100,000
Common stock, shares authorized	150,000,000	150,000,000								100,000
Shares available for grant							4,207,621		39,725
Stock-based compensation	15,211,000	27,069,000	15,694,000
Tax benefits recognized related to stock based compensation	5,600,000	10,000,000	5,800,000
Intrinsic value of stock options exercised	37,400,000	7,900,000	15,100,000
Compensation cost not yet recognized for nonvested share													3,900,000			4,000,000			5,100,000
Remaining weighted average period for recognition of compensation cost years												1 year 3 months 18 days	1 year 10 months 24 days			1 year			1 year 3 months 18 days
Proceeds from stock option exercised	21,148,000	2,230,000	7,135,000
Tax benefit from stock option exercised	$ 13,600,000
Number of common stock share for each performance unit																1
Maximum aggregate number of common stock authorized for issuance to non-employee directors	200,000