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Long-Term Debt Interest Rates (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 08, 2014 | Nov. 24, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 10, 2010 | Jan. 20, 2005
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1.875% Senior Notes |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Unamortized discount | $ 6,605 us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_OnePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesMember |  |  |  |  |
Debt instrument, interest rate | 1.875%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_OnePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesMember | 1.875%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_OnePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesMember |  |  |  |
3.00% Senior Notes |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Unamortized discount | 306 us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_ThreePointZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember |  |  |  |  |
Debt instrument, interest rate | 3.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_ThreePointZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember |  | 3.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_ThreePointZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember |  |  |
4.15% Senior Notes |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Unamortized discount | 1,439 us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FourPointOneFivePercentSeniorNotesMember |  |  |  |  |
Debt instrument, interest rate | 4.15%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FourPointOneFivePercentSeniorNotesMember |  | 4.15%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FourPointOneFivePercentSeniorNotesMember |  |  |
4.50% Senior Notes |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Unamortized discount | 1,871 us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FourPointFiveZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember |  |  | 2,186 us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FourPointFiveZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember |  |
Debt instrument, interest rate | 4.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FourPointFiveZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember |  |  | 4.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FourPointFiveZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember | 4.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FourPointFiveZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember |
5.10% Senior Notes |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Unamortized discount | 3 us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FivePointOneZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember |  |  | 36 us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FivePointOneZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember |  |
Debt instrument, interest rate | 5.10%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FivePointOneZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember |  |  | 5.10%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FivePointOneZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember |  | 5.10%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FivePointOneZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember
5.45% Senior Notes |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Unamortized discount | $ 1,029 us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FivePointFourFivePercentSeniorNotesMember |  |  |  |  |
Debt instrument, interest rate | 5.45%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FivePointFourFivePercentSeniorNotesMember |  | 5.45%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FivePointFourFivePercentSeniorNotesMember |  |  |

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- Definition Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
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- Definition The amount of debt discount that was originally recognized at the issuance of the instrument that has yet to be amortized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 835 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1A -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28541-108399 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 835 -SubTopic 30 -Section 55 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34725769&loc=d3e28878-108400 + Details
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