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Income Taxes - Significant Differences Between U.S. Federal Statutory Rate and Effective Income Tax Rate Footnote (Detail) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended |
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Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2011
Schedule Of Effective Tax Rates Line Items |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Valuation Allowance | $ 30,768,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance |  | $ 33,757,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance |  | $ 49,562,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance |  | $ 36,419,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
Proceeds from various foreign subsidiaries and joint ventures related to repatriation of high taxed earnings | 12,600,000 alb_ProceedsFromVariousForeignSubsidiariesAndJointVenturesRelatedToRepatriationOfHighTaxedEarnings |  | 12,300,000 alb_ProceedsFromVariousForeignSubsidiariesAndJointVenturesRelatedToRepatriationOfHighTaxedEarnings |  | 56,900,000 alb_ProceedsFromVariousForeignSubsidiariesAndJointVenturesRelatedToRepatriationOfHighTaxedEarnings |  |
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Repatriation of Foreign Earnings, Amount | 2,800,000 us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationRepatriationOfForeignEarnings |  | 2,400,000 us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationRepatriationOfForeignEarnings |  | (1,800,000)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationRepatriationOfForeignEarnings |  |
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Foreign Income Tax Rate Differential, Percent | 23.60%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential | [1] | 10.30%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential | [1] | 6.30%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential | [1] |
Net benefit from release of tax reserves | 2,500,000 alb_TaxBenefitsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations |  |  |  | 5,200,000 alb_TaxBenefitsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations |  |
Recognized Tax Benefits Related To Tax Year 2010 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule Of Effective Tax Rates Line Items |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Recognized tax benefits related to deduction for qualified production activity |  |  |  |  | 1,500,000 alb_RecognizedTaxBenefitsRelatedToAmendmentOfDeductionForQualifiedProductionActivity / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = alb_RecognizedTaxBenefitsRelatedToTaxYearTwentyTenMember |  |
Recognized Tax Benefits Related To Tax Year 2011 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule Of Effective Tax Rates Line Items |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Recognized tax benefits related to deduction for qualified production activity |  |  |  |  | 3,000,000 alb_RecognizedTaxBenefitsRelatedToAmendmentOfDeductionForQualifiedProductionActivity / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = alb_RecognizedTaxBenefitsRelatedToTaxYearTwentyElevenMember |  |
Phosphorous Flame Retardant Business Exit |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule Of Effective Tax Rates Line Items |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impact on undistributed foreign subsidiaries earnings |  |  |  |  | 17,400,000 alb_ImpactOnUndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = alb_PhosphorousFlameRetardantBusinessExitMember |  |
Avonmouth, United Kingdom |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule Of Effective Tax Rates Line Items |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Valuation Allowance |  |  |  |  | $ 15,900,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance / dei_LegalEntityAxis = alb_AvonmouthUnitedKingdomMember |  |
Jordan Bromine Company Limited |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule Of Effective Tax Rates Line Items |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Foreign Income Tax Rate Differential, Percent | 12.40%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential / dei_LegalEntityAxis = alb_JordanBromineCompanyLimitedMember |  | 4.50%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential / dei_LegalEntityAxis = alb_JordanBromineCompanyLimitedMember |  | 5.80%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential / dei_LegalEntityAxis = alb_JordanBromineCompanyLimitedMember |  |
[1] | In prior years, we designated the undistributed earnings of substantially all of our foreign subsidiaries as indefinitely invested. The benefit of the lower tax rates in the jurisdictions for which we made this designation are reflected in our effective income tax rate. During 2014, 2013 and 2012, we received distributions of $12.6 million, $12.3 million and $56.9 million, respectively, from various foreign subsidiaries and joint ventures, and realized an expense (benefit), net of foreign tax credits, of $2.8 million, $2.4 million and $(1.8) million, respectively, related to the repatriation of these high taxed earnings. We have asserted, for all periods being reported, indefinite investment of our share of the income of JBC, a Free Zones company under the laws of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The applicable provisions of the Jordanian law, and applicable regulations thereunder, do not have a termination provision and the exemption is indefinite. As a Free Zones company, JBC is not subject to income taxes on the profits of products exported from Jordan, and currently, substantially all of the profits are from exports. This gave us a rate benefit of 12.4%, 4.5%, and 5.8% for 2014, 2013, and 2012, respectively. The rate has also benefited from rate differences in various countries including Belgium, and the Netherlands. In 2012, undistributed foreign subsidiary earnings were primarily impacted by a $17.4 million change related to the closure of our Avonmouth, United Kingdom site in connection with our exit of the phosphorus flame retardants business.

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