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Related Party Transactions - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) | 1 Months Ended |  | 6 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Oct. 14, 2011 | Apr. 21, 2009 Gold Fields Operations | Dec. 31, 2010 Rand Refinery Limited | Dec. 31, 2011 Rand Refinery Limited | Jun. 30, 2010 Rand Refinery Limited | Nov. 21, 2010 Rand Refinery Limited | Dec. 31, 2011 Peotona Gold (Proprietary) Limited | Apr. 21, 2009 Peotona Gold (Proprietary) Limited | Apr. 21, 2009 Peotona Gold (Proprietary) Limited Gold Fields Operations | Oct. 14, 2011 Western Areas Prospecting
Related Party Transaction [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership Interests, percent |  |  |  | 34.90% |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00%
Refining fees |  |  | $ 1,400,000 | $ 1,700,000 | $ 1,200,000 |  |  |  |  |
Agreement with GFL Mining Services Limited regarding Gold Fields' South African gold production, maximum percentage allowed to sell |  |  |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |  |  |
Cheryl A. Carolus, a non-executive director of Gold Fields, economic interest |  |  |  |  |  |  | 25.00% |  |  |
Cheryl A. Carolus, a non-executive director of Gold Fields, voting interest |  |  |  |  |  |  | 51.00% |  |  |
Ownership interest in Western Areas Prospecting (Proprietary) Limited |  | 74.00% |  |  |  |  |  | 26.00% |  |
Option to acquire Peotona Gold interest in Western Areas Prospecting (Proprietary) Limited |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 26.00% |
Percentage of ownership interest acquired from Peotona Gold | 0.26 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Amount of cash paid to acquire Peotona Gold | $ 6,300,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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- Definition Represents the purchase by the parent of an additional equity interest in a subsidiary during the period, thereby effecting a change in total (consolidated) equity attributable to the parent. The purchase of the additional equity interest represented by this element increases the parent's controlling interest in the subsidiary. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB) -Number 51 -Paragraph A7 -Appendix A Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 4M -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6922042&loc=SL4591554-111686 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6959260&loc=d3e187085-122770 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB) -Number 51 -Paragraph 38 -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. + Details
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