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Goodwill and Other Intangibles - Other Intangibles Footnotes (Detail) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |
Divestitures | $ 68,540,000 us-gaap_ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsFinitelived | [1]
Intangible assets, accumulated amortization, reduction | 27,584,000 alb_RemovalofAccumulatedAmortizationofIntangibleAssetsFromImpairment | [1]
Trade Names |  |
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |
Indefinite-lived intangible asset, gross carrying amount | 9,200,000 alb_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGrossCarryingAmount / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_TradeNamesMember |
Antioxidant, Ibuprofen and Propofol Assets - Discontinued Operations |  |
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |
Divestitures | 68,540,000 us-gaap_ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsFinitelived / us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis = alb_AntioxidantIbuprofenandPropofolAssetsMember |
Intangible assets, accumulated amortization, reduction | $ 27,584,000 alb_RemovalofAccumulatedAmortizationofIntangibleAssetsFromImpairment / us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis = alb_AntioxidantIbuprofenandPropofolAssetsMember |
[1] | In 2014 we reduced intangible assets by $68.5 million and related accumulated amortization by $27.6 million in connection with the sale of our antioxidant, ibuprofen and propofol businesses and assets which closed on September 1, 2014. See Note 2 “Discontinued Operations” for additional information about this transaction.

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