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Stock-based Compensation Expense - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Apr. 20, 2010 | May 07, 2013
Share Based Compensation [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Stock options granted during the period (in shares) | 222,939 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriod | 297,924 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriod | 263,200 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriod |  |
Common stock (in shares) | 150,000,000 us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized | 150,000,000 us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized |  |  |
Stock-based compensation | $ 14,267,000 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation | $ 10,164,000 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation | $ 15,211,000 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation |  |
Tax benefits recognized related to stock based compensation | 5,200,000 us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense | 3,700,000 us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense | 5,600,000 us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense |  |
Intrinsic value of stock options exercised | 2,400,000 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodTotalIntrinsicValue | 7,000,000 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodTotalIntrinsicValue | 37,400,000 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodTotalIntrinsicValue |  |
Proceeds from stock option exercised | 2,713,000 us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised | 5,553,000 us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised | 21,148,000 us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised |  |
Tax benefit from stock option exercised | 800,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxExpenseFromStockOptionsExercised |  |  |  |
Minimum |  |  |  |  |
Share Based Compensation [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Share-based awards vesting period | 1 year |  |  |  |
Maximum |  |  |  |  |
Share Based Compensation [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Share-based awards vesting period | 5 years |  |  |  |
Stock options, term | 10 years |  |  |  |
Albemarle Corporation 2008 Incentive Plan |  |  |  |  |
Share Based Compensation [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Increase in number of shares available for issuance under incentive plan (in shares) |  |  |  | 4,470,000 alb_IncreaseInNumberOfSharesAvailableForIssuanceUnderIncentivePlan / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = alb_StockIncentivePlanTwentyZeroEightMember |
Reduced incentive plan awards number of shares for each share (in shares) |  |  |  | 1.6 alb_ReducedIncentivePlanAwardsNumberOfShares / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = alb_StockIncentivePlanTwentyZeroEightMember |
Shares available for grant (in shares) | 3,032,741 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = alb_StockIncentivePlanTwentyZeroEightMember |  |  |  |
Albemarle Corporation 2008 Incentive Plan | Maximum |  |  |  |  |
Share Based Compensation [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Number of shares available for issuance under incentive plan (in shares) |  |  |  | 7,470,000 alb_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardSharesAvailableForIssuanceUnderCurrentPlan / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = alb_StockIncentivePlanTwentyZeroEightMember / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember |
Non Employee Directors, Plan |  |  |  |  |
Share Based Compensation [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Common stock (in shares) |  |  |  |  | 500,000 us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = alb_NonEmployeeDirectorsPlanMember
Shares available for grant (in shares) | 473,000 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = alb_NonEmployeeDirectorsPlanMember |  |  |  |
Non Employee Directors, Plan | Maximum |  |  |  |  |
Share Based Compensation [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Fair market value of shares issued per director per year | 150,000 alb_FairMarketValueOfSharesIssuedPerDirectorPerYear / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = alb_NonEmployeeDirectorsPlanMember / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember |  |  |  |
Stock Options |  |  |  |  |
Share Based Compensation [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Share-based awards vesting period | 3 years |  |  |  |
Performance Unit Awards |  |  |  |  |
Share Based Compensation [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Performance unit award payout percentage |  | 200.00%alb_PercentageEarnedOfTotalAward / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_PerformanceUnitAwardsMember | 200.00%alb_PercentageEarnedOfTotalAward / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_PerformanceUnitAwardsMember |  |
Compensation cost not yet recognized for nonvested share | 13,400,000 us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_PerformanceUnitAwardsMember |  |  |  |
Remaining weighted average period for recognition of compensation cost years | 1 year 6 months |  |  |  |
Fair value vested, total | 7,400,000 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_PerformanceUnitAwardsMember | 14,500,000 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_PerformanceUnitAwardsMember | 18,300,000 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_PerformanceUnitAwardsMember |  |
Granted (in dollars per share) | 20,100,000 alb_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherthanOptionsGrantsinPeriodGrantDateFairValue / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_PerformanceUnitAwardsMember | 16,900,000 alb_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherthanOptionsGrantsinPeriodGrantDateFairValue / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_PerformanceUnitAwardsMember | 19,700,000 alb_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherthanOptionsGrantsinPeriodGrantDateFairValue / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_PerformanceUnitAwardsMember |  |
Fair value of performance units earned in current year, related to awards granted in prior years |  | 6,300,000 alb_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherthanOptionsGrantsinPeriodGrantDateFairValueRelatedtoPriorYear / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_PerformanceUnitAwardsMember | 8,900,000 alb_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherthanOptionsGrantsinPeriodGrantDateFairValueRelatedtoPriorYear / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_PerformanceUnitAwardsMember |  |
Number of common stock share for each performance unit (in shares) | 1 alb_NumberOfCommonStockShares / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_PerformanceUnitAwardsMember |  |  |  |
Performance Unit Awards | Minimum |  |  |  |  |
Share Based Compensation [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Performance unit award payout percentage | 0.00%alb_PercentageEarnedOfTotalAward / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_PerformanceUnitAwardsMember / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MinimumMember |  |  |  |
Specific performance criteria period | 1 year |  |  |  |
Performance Unit Awards | Maximum |  |  |  |  |
Share Based Compensation [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Performance unit award payout percentage | 200.00%alb_PercentageEarnedOfTotalAward / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_PerformanceUnitAwardsMember / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember |  |  |  |
Specific performance criteria period | 3 years |  |  |  |
Stock Options |  |  |  |  |
Share Based Compensation [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Compensation cost not yet recognized for nonvested share | 6,800,000 us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = us-gaap_StockOptionMember |  |  |  |
Remaining weighted average period for recognition of compensation cost years | 2 years 4 months 24 days |  |  |  |
Restricted Stock And Restricted Stock Units |  |  |  |  |
Share Based Compensation [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Compensation cost not yet recognized for nonvested share | 3,200,000 us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_RestrictedStockAndRestrictedStockUnitsMember |  |  |  |
Remaining weighted average period for recognition of compensation cost years | 2 years |  |  |  |
Fair value vested, total | 2,100,000 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_RestrictedStockAndRestrictedStockUnitsMember | 3,200,000 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_RestrictedStockAndRestrictedStockUnitsMember | 7,400,000 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_RestrictedStockAndRestrictedStockUnitsMember |  |
Granted (in dollars per share) | $ 2,700,000 alb_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherthanOptionsGrantsinPeriodGrantDateFairValue / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_RestrictedStockAndRestrictedStockUnitsMember | $ 3,400,000 alb_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherthanOptionsGrantsinPeriodGrantDateFairValue / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_RestrictedStockAndRestrictedStockUnitsMember | $ 2,900,000 alb_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherthanOptionsGrantsinPeriodGrantDateFairValue / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = alb_RestrictedStockAndRestrictedStockUnitsMember |  |
Restricted Stock And Restricted Stock Units | Minimum |  |  |  |  |
Share Based Compensation [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Share-based awards vesting period | 1 year |  |  |  |
Restricted Stock And Restricted Stock Units | Maximum |  |  |  |  |
Share Based Compensation [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Share-based awards vesting period | 5 years |  |  |  |
Two Year Measurement Period |  |  |  |  |
Share Based Compensation [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of award distributed | 50.00%alb_PercentageOfAwardDistributed / us-gaap_VestingAxis = alb_FirstDistributionAfterAwardMeasurementPeriodMember |  |  |  |
One Year Vesting Period Thereafter |  |  |  |  |
Share Based Compensation [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of award distributed | 50.00%alb_PercentageOfAwardDistributed / us-gaap_VestingAxis = alb_SecondDistributionAfterAwardMeasurementPeriodMember |  |  |  |

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- Definition Fair value of share-based awards for which the grantee gained the right by satisfying service and performance requirements, to receive or retain shares or units, other instruments, or cash. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (d)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
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- Definition The difference between the maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) authorized for issuance under the plan (including the effects of amendments and adjustments), and the sum of: 1) the number of shares (or other type of equity) already issued upon exercise of options or other equity-based awards under the plan; and 2) shares (or other type of equity) reserved for issuance on granting of outstanding awards, net of cancellations and forfeitures, if applicable. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
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