XML 204 R126.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.0.6

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified |  | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  | 12 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Jun. 22, 2011 GHANA | Mar. 09, 2012 Change in Income Tax Rate GHANA | Dec. 31, 2011 Change in Income Tax Rate GHANA | Mar. 09, 2012 Before Amendment GHANA | Mar. 09, 2012 Before Amendment GHANA First year | Mar. 09, 2012 Before Amendment GHANA Annually thereafter | Mar. 09, 2012 After Amendment GHANA | Dec. 31, 2011 Jan 1, 2012 After Amendment SOUTH AFRICA | Dec. 31, 2011 Jan 1, 2012 Before Amendment SOUTH AFRICA | Sep. 30, 2010 Far Southeast (FSE) Deposit The Philippines Exploration Project or Asset | Sep. 30, 2011 Far Southeast (FSE) Deposit The Philippines Liberty Express Assets Exploration Project or Asset | Sep. 30, 2010 Far Southeast (FSE) Deposit The Philippines Liberty Express Assets Exploration Project or Asset | Dec. 31, 2011 Far Southeast (FSE) Deposit The Philippines Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company Exploration Project or Asset | Mar. 22, 2012 Far Southeast (FSE) Deposit Acquisition The Philippines Exploration Project or Asset
Subsequent Event [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statutory income tax rate |  | 35.00% | 25.00% |  |  |  |  | 34.00% | 43.00% |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of capital allowances on mining assets |  |  |  |  | 80.00% | 20.00% | 20.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of capital allowances on mining assets to be written down annually |  |  |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Upliftment allowance expired |  |  |  | 5.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Expiration of National Fiscal Stabilisation Levy, percentage |  |  |  | 5.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Windfall profit tax |  | 10.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of options in gold-copper Far Southeast (FSE) exercised |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 40.00%
Cash paid to acquire ownership interest through exercise of options | $ 667 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 110
Pre-agreed acquisition price for a 60% interest in FSE, initial non-refundable down payment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 44 |  |
Pre-agreed acquisition price for a 60% interest in FSE, non-refundable down payment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 66 |  |  |
Pre-agreed acquisition price for a 60% interest in FSE |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 220 |  |  |
Pre-agreed acquisition price for interest in FSE |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 340 |  |  | $ 110 |
Percentage to acquire undeveloped gold-copper Far Southeast (FSE) deposit under option agreement with Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company and Liberty Express Assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 60.00% |  | 40.00% | 20.00% |

X
- Definition Business Acquisition Agreement Amount + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | gfi_BusinessAcquisitionAgreementAmount
Namespace Prefix: | gfi_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Final Payment for Interest Acquired + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | gfi_FinalPaymentForInterestAcquired
Namespace Prefix: | gfi_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Initial non-refundable down payment for interest in exploration project/asset upon signing of the option agreement. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | gfi_InitialNonRefundableDownPayment
Namespace Prefix: | gfi_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition National Fiscal Stabilisation Levy Expired, Percent + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | gfi_NationalFiscalStabilisationLevyExpiredPercent
Namespace Prefix: | gfi_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Second non-refundable down payment for interest in exploration project/asset payable 12 months after signing of the option agreement. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | gfi_NonRefundableDownPayment
Namespace Prefix: | gfi_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Percentage of Capital Allowance + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | gfi_PercentageOfCapitalAllowance
Namespace Prefix: | gfi_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Percentage of Capital Allowance to be Written Down Annually + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | gfi_PercentageOfCapitalAllowanceToBeWrittenDownAnnually
Namespace Prefix: | gfi_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Percentage of Options Exercised + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | gfi_PercentageOfOptionsExercised
Namespace Prefix: | gfi_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Percentage stake in exploration project/asset. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | gfi_PercentageOfOwnershipInterests
Namespace Prefix: | gfi_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Proposed Windfall Profit Tax Rate + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | gfi_ProposedWindfallProfitTaxRate
Namespace Prefix: | gfi_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Upliftment Allowance Expired + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | gfi_UpliftmentAllowanceExpired
Namespace Prefix: | gfi_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of cash paid to acquire the entity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 141 -Paragraph 51 -Subparagraph d -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 141R -Paragraph 68 -Subparagraph f(1) -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionCostOfAcquiredEntityCashPaid
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The domestic federal statutory tax rate applicable under enacted tax laws to the Company's pretax income from continuing operations for the period. The "statutory" tax rate is the regular tax rate if there are alternative tax systems. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 6.I) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6889476&loc=d3e330036-122817 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 109 -Paragraph 47 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32698-109319 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32687-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_SubsequentEventLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration