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Employee Benefit Plans - Additional Information (Detail)
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
 6 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 6 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2010
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
USD ($)
Year
Jun. 30, 2010
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2009
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
South Deep Gold Mine
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2010
South Deep Gold Mine
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
2005 Share Plan
Restricted Stock
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2010
2005 Share Plan
Restricted Stock
Jun. 30, 2010
2005 Share Plan
Restricted Stock
Jun. 30, 2009
2005 Share Plan
Restricted Stock
Jun. 30, 2008
2005 Share Plan
Restricted Stock
Dec. 31, 2011
2005 Share Plan
Stock Appreciation Rights
Dec. 31, 2010
2005 Share Plan
Stock Appreciation Rights
Jun. 30, 2010
2005 Share Plan
Stock Appreciation Rights
Jun. 30, 2009
2005 Share Plan
Stock Appreciation Rights
Jun. 30, 2008
2005 Share Plan
Stock Appreciation Rights
Dec. 31, 2011
2005 Share Plan
Stock Appreciation Rights
Minimum
Dec. 31, 2011
2005 Share Plan
Stock Appreciation Rights
Maximum
Dec. 31, 2011
2005 Share Plan
Stock Appreciation Rights
U.S. Dollar
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
2005 Share Plan
Stock Appreciation Rights
South Africa Rand
ZAR
Dec. 31, 2011
GF Management Incentive Scheme
ZAR
Jun. 30, 2001
GF Management Incentive Scheme
Dec. 31, 2010
GF Management Incentive Scheme
Jun. 30, 2010
GF Management Incentive Scheme
Jun. 30, 2009
GF Management Incentive Scheme
Jun. 30, 2008
GF Management Incentive Scheme
Dec. 31, 2011
GF Management Incentive Scheme
Minimum
Dec. 31, 2011
GF Management Incentive Scheme
Maximum
Jun. 30, 2008
Gold Fields Limited 2005 Non-Executive Director Share Plan
USD ($)
Nov. 04, 2009
Gold Fields Limited 2005 Non-Executive Director Share Plan
Dec. 31, 2011
Gold Fields Limited 2005 Non-Executive Director Share Plan
Restricted Stock
Dec. 31, 2010
Gold Fields Limited 2005 Non-Executive Director Share Plan
Restricted Stock
Jun. 30, 2010
Gold Fields Limited 2005 Non-Executive Director Share Plan
Restricted Stock
Jun. 30, 2009
Gold Fields Limited 2005 Non-Executive Director Share Plan
Restricted Stock
Jun. 30, 2008
Gold Fields Limited 2005 Non-Executive Director Share Plan
Restricted Stock
Dec. 31, 2010
Broad-based BEE consortium (BEECO)
Dec. 31, 2011
Broad-based BEE consortium (BEECO)
Dec. 31, 2010
Broad-based BEE consortium (BEECO)
South Deep Gold Mine
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Broad-based BEE consortium (BEECO)
South Deep Gold Mine
USD ($)
Dec. 23, 2010
Broad-based BEE consortium (BEECO)
GFI Mining South Africa (Proprietary) Limited
ZAR
Dec. 31, 2010
Broad-based BEE consortium (BEECO)
GFI Mining South Africa (Proprietary) Limited
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2010
Broad-based BEE consortium (BEECO)
GFI Mining South Africa (Proprietary) Limited Excluding South Deep
Dec. 31, 2010
Broad-based BEE consortium (BEECO)
Employee Stock Option
Person
Dec. 22, 2010
Broad-based BEE consortium (BEECO)
Employee Stock Option
ZAR
Dec. 31, 2010
Broad-based BEE consortium (BEECO)
Preferred Stock Dividends
South Deep Gold Mine
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2010
Broad-based BEE consortium (BEECO)
Equity Component Equivalent
South Deep Gold Mine
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2010
Broad-based BEE consortium (BEECO)
Common Class B
South Deep Gold Mine
ZAR
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]                                                                                              
Cost of providing retirement benefits for defined contribution plans $ 43.0 $ 87.8 $ 76.0 $ 57.0                                                                                      
Incremental fair value resulting from the modification amounts             17.1                                           0.5                                    
Options exercisable                       0                                                                      
Vesting period after grant date                                 3 years                                                            
Expiration period from grant date                                   6 years                                                          
SARS exercisable, average exercise price                                     $ 13.27 107.91                                                      
Options to purchase ordinary shares, outstanding             7,369,112 7,650,081 8,438,663 6,831,964 5,396,887 5,030,143 5,270,597 5,660,272 4,609,626 3,837,937         311,225   976,533 1,352,633 2,304,421 4,212,219         41,900 98,878 135,878 100,200 80,600                        
Options to purchase ordinary shares, outstanding in the period, exercise price range, lower limit                                         60.40                                                    
Options to purchase ordinary shares, outstanding in the period, exercise price range, upper limit                                         140.66                                                    
Option expiration date                                                     Jan. 03, 2012 Aug. 18, 2013                                      
Option exercising term                                         Each option may normally only be exercised by a participant on the following bases: (1) after two years have elapsed from the date on which the option was accepted by the participant, in respect of not more than one-third of the ordinary shares which are the subject of that option; (2) after three years have elapsed from the date on which the option was accepted by the participant, in respect of not more than a further one-third (representing two-thirds cumulatively) of the ordinary shares which are the subject of that option; and (3) after four years have elapsed from the date on which the option was accepted by the participant, in respect of all the ordinary shares which are the subject of that option, subject to revision by the Board of Directors.                                                    
Issued ordinary share capital reserved for issuance under all share schemes, percentage                                         5.00% 5.00%                                                  
Shares reserved for issuance                                         35,309,563 22,791,830               47,300                                  
Options to purchase ordinary shares, exercised in the period, market price range, lower limit                                         46.23                                                    
Options to purchase ordinary shares, exercised in the period, market price range, upper limit                                         125.37                                                    
Compensation cost related to awards not yet recognized under all four schemes   91.6                                                                                          
Compensation cost related to awards not yet recognized under all four schemes, period of recognition   3                                                                                          
Stock Ownership Per Regulatory Requirement, Percentage                                                                         26.00% 10.00%     10.75% 1.00%         10.00%
Equity Empowerment Transactions, Description                                                                       Gold Fields implemented three empowerment transactions which are aimed at complying with the 2014 BEE equity ownership targets.                      
South African Equity Empowerment Transactions 297.6                                                                                            
Share-based compensation costs, Stock Ownership Plan                                                                                 171.9            
Share-based compensation costs 27.0 66.4 53.9 33.7                                                                   115.5     10.2       21.2 94.3  
Employee stock ownership plan, shares issued                                                                               600,000 13,500,000            
Employee stock ownership plan, number of employees                                                                                     47,000        
Share-based compensation costs, closing price                                                                               118.51       122.79      
Employee stock ownership plan, market discount rate                                                                                     25.80%        
Employee stock ownership plan, minimum restriction period                                                                                     15 years        
Percent of ownership interest acquired                                                                                           100.00%  
Number of shares issued 720,796,887 723,735,186 705,903,511                                                                                       10,000,000
Ordinary dividend entitlement, per share                                                                                             2
Ordinary shares conversion basis                                                                                             The Class B ordinary shares will convert one-third after ten years and a third thereafter on each fifth year anniversary. For accounting purposes, the dividend represents a liability of Gold Fields to the Class B ordinary shareholders and qualifies as a share-based compensation.
Number Class B ordinary shares will be converted after ten years                                                                                             33.00%
Number Class B ordinary shares will be converted on each fifth year anniversary                                                                                             33.00%
Dividends payable $ 8.4 $ 3.0     $ 3.4 $ 2.7                                                               $ 2.7 $ 3.4                
Effective interest rate used to discount future dividend payments                                                                                             9.55%