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v2.4.1.9

Long-Term Debt - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) | 3 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 0 Months Ended |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Mar. 31, 2015 | Mar. 31, 2014 | Jan. 31, 2015 | Feb. 01, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Jan. 12, 2015 | Jan. 20, 2005
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt | $ 1,000,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt | $ 0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt |  |  |  |  |
Repayments of long-term debt | 1,326,263,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt | 101,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt |  |  |  |  |
Commercial paper notes | 461,717,000us-gaap_CommercialPaper |  |  |  | 367,178,000us-gaap_CommercialPaper |  |
Weighted average interest rate | 0.87%us-gaap_LongtermDebtWeightedAverageInterestRate |  |  |  |  |  |
Weighted average maturity period | 21 days |  |  |  |  |  |
Net investment hedge, gain (loss) | 54,046,000us-gaap_TranslationAdjustmentForNetInvestmentHedgeIncreaseDecreaseNetOfTax | 0us-gaap_TranslationAdjustmentForNetInvestmentHedgeIncreaseDecreaseNetOfTax |  |  |  |  |
Debt financing costs | 1,164,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfFinancingCosts | 1,370,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfFinancingCosts |  |  |  |  |
Revolving Credit Facility |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt |  |  | 250,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt / us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis = us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember |  |  |  |
Repayments of long-term debt | 250,000,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt / us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis = us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember |  |  |  |  |  |
Bridge Loan |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Related Commitment Fees and Debt Issuance Costs | 2,300,000us-gaap_DebtRelatedCommitmentFeesAndDebtIssuanceCosts / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = us-gaap_BridgeLoanMember |  |  |  |  |  |
4.625% Senior Notes |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt instrument, face amount |  |  |  |  |  | 1,250,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FourPointSixTwoFivePercentSeniorNotesMember |
Debt instrument, interest rate | 4.625%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FourPointSixTwoFivePercentSeniorNotesMember |  |  |  |  | 4.625%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FourPointSixTwoFivePercentSeniorNotesMember |
Unamortized Premium | 42,102,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedPremium / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FourPointSixTwoFivePercentSeniorNotesMember |  |  |  |  | 43,700,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedPremium / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FourPointSixTwoFivePercentSeniorNotesMember |
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage |  |  |  |  |  | 3.95%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FourPointSixTwoFivePercentSeniorNotesMember |
5.10% Senior Notes |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt instrument, interest rate |  |  |  |  | 5.10%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FivePointOneZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember |  | 5.10%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FivePointOneZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember
Repayments of long-term debt |  |  |  | 325,000,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_FivePointOneZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember |  |  |
1.875% Senior Notes |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt instrument, interest rate | 1.875%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_OnePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesMember |  |  |  | 1.875%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_OnePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesMember |  |
Short-term Debt | Term Loan |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt |  |  | 1,000,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_TermLoanMember / us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_ShortTermDebtMember |  |  |  |
Repayments of long-term debt | 1,000,000,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = alb_TermLoanMember / us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_ShortTermDebtMember |  |  |  |  |  |
Senior Unsecured Cash Bridge Facility | Bridge Loan |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt |  |  | 800,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = us-gaap_BridgeLoanMember / us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis = alb_SeniorUnsecuredCashBridgeFacilityMember |  |  |  |
Repayments of long-term debt | $ 800,000,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = us-gaap_BridgeLoanMember / us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis = alb_SeniorUnsecuredCashBridgeFacilityMember |  |  |  |  |  |

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- Definition Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of short-term borrowings using unsecured obligations issued by banks, corporations and other borrowers to investors. The maturities of these money market securities generally do not exceed 270 days. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 7 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 210.5-02.19(a)(3)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.13(2)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 + Details
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- Definition Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 835 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399 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 premium 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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