The amount of an entity’s obligation to transfer goods or services to a customer for which the entity has received consideration (or the amount is due) from the customer.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 15
-IssueDate 2021-01-01
-Paragraph 105
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IFRS&num=15&code=ifrs-tx-2021-en-r&anchor=para_105&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2021-03-24

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 15
-IssueDate 2021-01-01
-Paragraph 116
-Subparagraph a
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IFRS&num=15&code=ifrs-tx-2021-en-r&anchor=para_116_a&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2021-03-24

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ContractLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with members defined in one or many axes of the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DisclosureOfDisaggregationOfRevenueFromContractsWithCustomersLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage of additional rights to gold extracts.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vale_AdditionalRightsToGoldExtracted
Namespace Prefix:	vale_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of agreements the entity entered into.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vale_NumberOfAgreementsEnteredInto
Namespace Prefix:	vale_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of identifiable components in a transaction.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vale_NumberOfComponentsOfTransaction
Namespace Prefix:	vale_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The percentage of additional payment to be received on each pound of finished cobalt delivered.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vale_PercentageOfAdditionalPaymentToBeReceivedOnAchievementOfSalesMilestone
Namespace Prefix:	vale_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The percentage of cobalt extracted as mining by-product sold in an agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vale_PercentageOfCobaltExtractsSold
Namespace Prefix:	vale_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of right on production of cobalt

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vale_PercentageOfRightOnProductionOfCobalt
Namespace Prefix:	vale_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage of rights to future gold extracts held by another.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vale_RightsToFutureGoldExtractHeldByAnotherParty
Namespace Prefix:	vale_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the upfront payment allocated to contract liability.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vale_UpfrontPaymentAllocatedToContractLiability
Namespace Prefix:	vale_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the upfront payment allocated to property, plant and equipment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vale_UpfrontPaymentAllocatedToPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Namespace Prefix:	vale_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow from the upfront payments of agreement to sell by-products.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vale_UpfrontReceiptsOfAgreementToSellByProducts
Namespace Prefix:	vale_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ClassesOfPropertyPlantAndEquipmentAxis=vale_VoiseySBayMinePropertyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=vale_WheatonPreciousMetalsCorpMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ClassesOfPropertyPlantAndEquipmentAxis=vale_SaloboCopperMinePropertyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ClassesOfPropertyPlantAndEquipmentAxis=vale_SudburyNickelMinePropertyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=vale_AngloPacificGroupMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Streaming transactions (Details) $ in Millions		1 Months Ended
Streaming transactions (Details) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($) agreement	Aug. 31, 2016 USD ($) installment	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)
Deferred revenue-Streaming transactions
Number of agreements entered into \| agreement		2
Proceeds from streaming transactions			$ 3,600
Upfront payment allocated to property, plant and equipment		$ 130
Upfront payment allocated to contract liability		$ 560
Additional payment to be received on each pound of finished cobalt delivered (as a percent)	20.00%	20.00%
Outstanding contract liability balance				$ 1,274	$ 1,315
Additional rights to gold extracted (as a percent)	25.00%	25.00%
Number of identifiable components in gold transaction \| installment			2
Voisey's Bay mine
Deferred revenue-Streaming transactions
Right to cobalt extracted (as a percent)	75.00%
Proceeds from streaming transactions		$ 690
Wheaton
Deferred revenue-Streaming transactions
Percentage of right on production of cobalt		42.40%
Wheaton \| Salobo copper mine
Deferred revenue-Streaming transactions
Rights to gold extracts held by WPM (as a percent)			75.00%
Wheaton \| Sudbury nickel mine
Deferred revenue-Streaming transactions
Rights to gold extracts held by WPM (as a percent)			70.00%
APG
Deferred revenue-Streaming transactions
Percentage of right on production of cobalt		32.60%
Outstanding contract liability balance				$ 505	$ 690