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Income Taxes Changes in Balance of Deferred Tax Asset Valuation Allowance (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Deferred Tax Asset Valuation Allowance [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	$ (69,900)	$ (84,137)	$ (30,768)
Additions	(408,252)	(20,568)	(59,889)
Deductions	19,864	34,805	6,520
Ending Balance	$ (458,288)	$ (69,900)	$ (84,137)

X

- Definition

Deferred Tax Asset Valuation Allowance [Roll Forward]

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	alb_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance, Decrease

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	alb_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowanceDecrease
Namespace Prefix:	alb_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance, Increase

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	alb_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowanceIncrease
Namespace Prefix:	alb_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not that a tax benefit will not be realized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32537-109319

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant