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Employee benefits - Assets of pension plans (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019
--- | --- | ---
Brazil | Portfolio of Vale's stock |  |
Assets of pension plans |  |
Plan assets | $ 20 | $ 27
Brazil | Brazilian Federal Government securities |  |
Assets of pension plans |  |
Plan assets | 3,612 | 4,523
Foreign | Canadian Government securities |  |
Assets of pension plans |  |
Plan assets | $ 688 | $ 633

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- Definition The fair value of defined benefit plan assets. Plan assets comprise assets held by a long-term employee benefit fund and qualifying insurance policies. [Refer: At fair value [member]] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Name IAS -Number 19 -IssueDate 2020-01-01 -Paragraph 57 -Subparagraph a -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2020-en-r&anchor=para_57_a&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2020-01-01 + Details
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