Consolidated Statements of Income (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 641,625	$ 711,704
Cost of goods sold	442,035	460,724
Gross profit	199,590	250,980
Selling, general and administrative expenses	64,750	74,004
Research and development expenses	19,953	19,049
Operating profit	114,887	157,927
Interest and financing expenses	(5,231)	(8,734)
Other expenses, net	(4,209)	(118)
Income before income taxes and equity in net income of unconsolidated investments	105,447	149,075
Income tax expense	26,192	39,028
Income before equity in net income of unconsolidated investments	79,255	110,047
Equity in net income of unconsolidated investments (net of tax)	10,261	8,586
Net income	89,516	118,633
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(5,529)	(4,371)
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation	83,987	114,262
Basic earnings per share	$ 0.95	$ 1.28
Diluted earnings per share	$ 0.94	$ 1.27
Weighted-average common shares outstanding - basic	88,719	88,997
Weighted-average common shares outstanding - diluted	89,236	89,947
Cash dividends declared per share of common stock	$ 0.24	$ 0.20
As Previously Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Net sales		711,704
Cost of goods sold		463,817
Gross profit		247,887
Selling, general and administrative expenses		80,692
Research and development expenses		19,049
Operating profit		148,146
Interest and financing expenses		(8,734)
Other expenses, net		(118)
Income before income taxes and equity in net income of unconsolidated investments		139,294
Income tax expense		35,466
Income before equity in net income of unconsolidated investments		103,828
Equity in net income of unconsolidated investments (net of tax)		8,586
Net income		112,414
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		(4,371)
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		108,043
Basic earnings per share		$ 1.21
Diluted earnings per share		$ 1.20
Weighted-average common shares outstanding - basic		88,997
Weighted-average common shares outstanding - diluted		89,947
Cash dividends declared per share of common stock		$ 0.20
Effect of Accounting Change
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cost of goods sold		(3,093)
Gross profit		3,093
Selling, general and administrative expenses		(6,688)
Operating profit		9,781
Income before income taxes and equity in net income of unconsolidated investments		9,781
Income tax expense		3,562
Income before equity in net income of unconsolidated investments		6,219
Net income		6,219
Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation		$ 6,219
Basic earnings per share		$ 0.07
Diluted earnings per share		$ 0.07