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Income Taxes - Changes in Balance of Deferred Tax Asset Valuation Allowance (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Deferred Tax Asset Valuation Allowance [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Beginning Balance | $ (33,757)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance | $ (49,562)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance | $ (36,419)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
Additions | (1,895)alb_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowanceIncrease | (4,359)alb_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowanceIncrease | (20,182)alb_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowanceIncrease
Deductions | 4,884 alb_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowanceDecrease | 20,164 alb_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowanceDecrease | 7,039 alb_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowanceDecrease
Ending Balance | $ (30,768)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance | $ (33,757)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance | $ (49,562)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance

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- Definition Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance, Decrease + References No definition available. + Details
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Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance, Increase + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | alb_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: | alb_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Amount of deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not that a tax benefit will not be realized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32537-109319 + Details
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