XML 74 R55.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.10.0.1

Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Jun. 30, 2018 | Mar. 31, 2018 | Jun. 30, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Environmental remediation liabilities - discounted | $ 42,800 |  | $ 42,800 | $ 28,100
Accrual for environmental loss contingencies - weighted-average discount rate | 3.70% |  | 3.70% | 3.60%
Environmental remediation liabilities - undiscounted | $ 84,700 |  | $ 84,700 | $ 68,200
Legal accrual | 10,416 | $ 17,600 | 28,044 |
Tax indemnification liability | $ 25,100 |  | 25,100 | $ 42,700
Minimum |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Potential revision on future environmental remediation costs before tax |  |  | 10,000 |
Maximum |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Potential revision on future environmental remediation costs before tax |  |  | $ 25,000 |

X
- Definition Accrual For Environmental Loss Contingencies Undiscounted For Accruals Qualifying For Discounting + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | alb_AccrualForEnvironmentalLossContingenciesUndiscountedForAccrualsQualifyingForDiscounting
Namespace Prefix: | alb_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies Discounted Present Value + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | alb_AccrualforEnvironmentalLossContingenciesDiscountedPresentValue
Namespace Prefix: | alb_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Legal accrual + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | alb_Legalaccrual
Namespace Prefix: | alb_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Potential future environmental remediation costs in excess of amounts already recorded. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | alb_PotentialEnvironmentalRemediationCostIncreaseDecreaseDueToRevisionInEstimates
Namespace Prefix: | alb_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tax Indemnification Liability, Noncurrent + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | alb_TaxIndemnificationLiabilityNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix: | alb_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Rate applied to the undiscounted amount of environmental loss contingencies to arrive at the present value recorded as of the balance sheet date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 7 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6393242&loc=d3e13207-110859 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SAB Topic 5.Y.Q1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27011672&loc=d3e149879-122751 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccrualForEnvironmentalLossContingenciesDiscountRate
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |