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Income Taxes - Significant Differences Between U.S. Federal Statutory Rate and Effective Income Tax Rate (Detail) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |
Federal statutory rate | 35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate |  | 35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate |  | 35.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate |
State taxes, net of federal tax benefit | 0.20%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes |  | 0.70%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes |  | 1.40%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes |
Change in valuation allowance | 1.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance |  | (2.20%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance | [1] | 3.40%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance | [1]
Impact of foreign earnings, net | (23.60%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential | [2] | (10.30%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential | [2] | (6.30%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential | [2]
Depletion | (2.40%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseDepletion |  | (0.90%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseDepletion |  | (1.30%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseDepletion |
Revaluation of unrecognized tax benefits/reserve requirements | (0.60%)alb_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationRevaluationOfUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReserveRequirements | [3] | (0.10%)alb_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationRevaluationOfUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReserveRequirements |  | (1.70%)alb_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationRevaluationOfUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReserveRequirements | [3]
Domestic Manufacturing tax deduction | (2.20%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationDeductionsQualifiedProductionActivities |  | (0.90%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationDeductionsQualifiedProductionActivities |  | (3.80%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationDeductionsQualifiedProductionActivities | [4]
Undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries | (0.30%)alb_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationUndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries | [2] | 2.90%alb_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationUndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries | [2] | (4.90%)alb_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationUndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries | [2]
Other items, net | 1.60%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOtherAdjustments |  | 0.80%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOtherAdjustments |  | 0.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOtherAdjustments |
Effective income tax rate | 8.70%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations |  | 25.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations |  | 21.80%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations |
[1] | During 2013, the Avonmouth, United Kingdom legal entity was dissolved, therefore the corresponding valuation allowance and deferred tax assets were written off. During 2012, a valuation allowance was established for $15.9 million as a result of the planned shut-down of our Avonmouth, United Kingdom legal entity in connection with our exit of the phosphorus flame retardants business. See Note 20, “Restructuring and Other.”
[2] | 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.
[3] | During 2014, we released various tax reserves primarily related to the expiration of the applicable U.S. federal statute of limitations for 2009 through 2010 which provided a net benefit of approximately $2.5 million. During 2012, we released various tax reserves primarily related to the expiration of the applicable U.S. federal statute of limitations for 2008 which provided a net benefit of $5.2 million.
[4] | During 2012, we amended the calculation of the domestic manufacturing tax deduction for the year 2010 and filed the 2011 tax return. As a result, in 2012 we recognized tax benefits of $1.5 million and $3.0 million related to the 2010 and 2011 tax years, respectively.

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