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Investments - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | Mar. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
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Talison Lithium variable interest entity |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage | 49.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = alb_JointVentureTalisonLithiumMember |
Carrying value of unconsolidated investment | $ 444.8us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = alb_JointVentureTalisonLithiumMember |
Other variable interest entities |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |
Carrying value of unconsolidated investment | $ 32.9us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = alb_OtherVariableInterestEntitiesExcludingTalisonLithiumMember | $ 6.2us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = alb_OtherVariableInterestEntitiesExcludingTalisonLithiumMember

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- Definition The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6382943&loc=d3e33918-111571 + Details
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- Definition This item represents the carrying amount on the entity's balance sheet of its investment in common stock of an equity method investee. This is not an indicator of the fair value of the investment, rather it is the initial cost adjusted for the entity's share of earnings and losses of the investee, adjusted for any distributions (dividends) and other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses recognized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35755396&loc=d3e33749-111570 + Details
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- Details
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- Details
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