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Goodwill and Other Intangibles - Changes in Goodwill by Operating Segment Footnote (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |
Goodwill, Written off Related to Sale of Business Unit | $ 15,088 us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit | [1]
Antioxidant, Ibuprofen and Propofol Assets - Discontinued Operations |  |
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |
Goodwill, Written off Related to Sale of Business Unit | $ 15,088 us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis = alb_AntioxidantIbuprofenandPropofolAssetsMember |
[1] | In 2014 we reduced Catalyst Solutions segment goodwill by $15.1 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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- Definition Amount of divestiture of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267 + Details
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