XML 138 R59.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.0.6

Major Items Causing Income Tax Provision to Differ from South African Mining Statutory Rate (Parenthetical) (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 6 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2010 | Dec. 31, 2011
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |
Non taxable income/non deductible expenditure, share-based-compensation | $ 11.6 | $ 24.5
Non taxable income/non deductible expenditure, exploration, feasibility and evaluation costs | 25.9 | 92.8
Non taxable income/non deductible expenditure, national stabilization | 12.6 | 35.9
Impact of royalty expense on product sales, predetermined percentage | 5.00% |
Broad-based BEE consortium (BEECO) |  |
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |
Non taxable income/non deductible expenditure, share-based-compensation | $ 128.0 |

X
- Definition Predetermined percentage to be applied in calculating royalties. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | gfi_ImpactOfRoyaltyExpenseOnProductSalesPercentage
Namespace Prefix: | gfi_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | gfi_IncomeTaxesLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | gfi_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Non-deductible National Stabilization Levy in Ghana + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | gfi_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseNationalStabilizationLevy
Namespace Prefix: | gfi_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Total non-deductible costs incurred for purposes of upgrading resources from one category to another or for purposes of upgrading resources to proven and probable reserves, even when in close proximity to the company's development and production stage properties, as well as non-deductible feasibility and evaluation cost + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | gfi_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExplorationFeasibilityAndEvaluationCost
Namespace Prefix: | gfi_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The portion of the difference between total income tax expense or benefit as reported in the Income Statement for the period and the expected income tax expense or benefit computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations attributable to differences in the deductibility of incentive stock options and other equity-based compensation costs in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and enacted tax laws. + References Reference 1: 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 2: 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_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseShareBasedCompensationCost
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration