Debt Instrument, Weighted Average Maturity Period

No definition available.

Name:	alb_DebtInstrumentWeightedAverageMaturityPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	alb_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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+ Details

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Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- 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_DebtInstrumentLineItems
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Difference between the fair value of payments made and the carrying amount of debt which is extinguished prior to maturity.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Weighted average interest rate of long-term debt outstanding calculated at point in time.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, after tax, of reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) of gain (loss) from increase (decrease) in fair value of net investment hedge.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_CommercialPaperMember
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Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=alb_OnePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=alb_OnePointOneTwoFivePercentNoteMember
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
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Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=alb_ThreePointFourFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
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Period Type:

Long-Term Debt - Additional Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	$ 0	$ (27,798)
Net investment hedge (losses) gains	$ 0	5,110
Interest Expense
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Loss on early extinguishment of debt		$ 27,800
Commercial paper notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Weighted Average Maturity Period	17 days
Weighted average interest rate	1.12%
1.875% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate	1.875%
Unsecured debt \| 1.125% Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate	1.125%		1.125%
Senior notes \| 3.45% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate	3.45%		3.45%