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Acquisitions (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 0 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Jan. 12, 2015 | Mar. 31, 2015 | Mar. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2014
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Goodwill |  | $ 2,709,670us-gaap_Goodwill |  | $ 243,262us-gaap_Goodwill
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Cash paid | 3,606,784us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesGross / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |  |  |
Appraisal shares | 74,934alb_PurchasePriceAllocatedforAppraisalShares / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |  |  |
Total purchase price | 5,718,268us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferred1 / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |  |  |
Cash and cash equivalents | 1,555,139us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCashAndEquivalents / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |  |  |
Trade and other accounts receivable | 266,363us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCurrentAssetsReceivables / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |  |  |
Inventories | 292,435us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedInventory / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |  |  |
Other current assets | 86,275us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCurrentAssetsOther / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |  |  |
Property, plant and equipment | 1,429,024us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedPropertyPlantAndEquipment / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |  |  |
Investments | 549,263alb_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredGoodwillAndLiabilitiesAssumedLongTermInvestments / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |  |  |
Other assets | 28,243us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedOtherNoncurrentAssets / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |  |  |
Indefinite-lived intangible assets | 27,130us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssets / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |  |  |
Current liabilities | (414,342)us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCurrentLiabilities / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |  |  |
Long-term debt | (1,319,132)us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedNoncurrentLiabilitiesLongTermDebt / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |  |  |
Pension benefits | (316,835)alb_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredGoodwillAndLiabilitiesAssumedPensionBenefits / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |  |  |
Other noncurrent liabilities | (166,167)us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedNoncurrentLiabilitiesOther / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |  |  |
Deferred income taxes | (853,634)us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedDeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |  |  |
Total identifiable net assets | 3,093,392us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedNet / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |  |  |
Goodwill | 2,624,876us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |  |  |
Total net assets acquired | 5,718,268us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredGoodwillAndLiabilitiesAssumedNet / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |  |  |
Pro forma Net sales |  | 917,734us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionsProFormaRevenue / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member | 954,340us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionsProFormaRevenue / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |
Pro forma Net income from continuing operations |  | 122,145us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionsProFormaIncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeChangesInAccountingAndExtraordinaryItemsNetOfTax / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member | 60,730us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionsProFormaIncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeChangesInAccountingAndExtraordinaryItemsNetOfTax / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member |
Common Stock | Rockwood Holdings, Inc. |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Shares issued | 2,036,550us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferredEquityInterestsIssuedAndIssuable / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member / us-gaap_EquityInterestIssuedOrIssuableByTypeAxis = us-gaap_CommonStockMember |  |  |
Patents and technology | Rockwood Holdings, Inc. |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Definite-lived intangible assets: | 226,650us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = alb_PatentsAndTechnologyMember |  |  |
Trade names and trademarks | Rockwood Holdings, Inc. |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Definite-lived intangible assets: | 363,120us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_TradeNamesMember |  |  |
Customer lists and relationships | Rockwood Holdings, Inc. |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Definite-lived intangible assets: | $ 1,339,860us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = alb_CustomerListsAndRelationshipsMember |  |  |

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