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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 6 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2010
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2010
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
South Deep Gold Mine
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
South Deep Gold Mine
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Performance Shares
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Stock Appreciation Rights
ZAR
Dec. 31, 2010
Stock Appreciation Rights
ZAR
Jun. 30, 2010
Stock Appreciation Rights
ZAR
Dec. 31, 2012
Gold Fields Limited 2012 Share Plan
Performance Shares
Dec. 31, 2012
Gold Fields Limited 2012 Share Plan
Bonus Share
Maximum
Dec. 31, 2012
Gold Fields Limited 2012 Share Plan
Bonus Share
Minimum
Dec. 31, 2012
2005 Share Plan
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
2005 Share Plan
ZAR
Dec. 31, 2011
2005 Share Plan
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
2005 Share Plan
ZAR
Dec. 31, 2010
2005 Share Plan
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2010
2005 Share Plan
ZAR
Jun. 30, 2010
2005 Share Plan
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2010
2005 Share Plan
ZAR
Jun. 30, 2009
2005 Share Plan
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2009
2005 Share Plan
ZAR
Dec. 31, 2012
2005 Share Plan
Stock Appreciation Rights
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
2005 Share Plan
Stock Appreciation Rights
ZAR
Dec. 31, 2012
2005 Share Plan
Stock Appreciation Rights
Maximum
Dec. 31, 2012
2005 Share Plan
Restricted Stock
Dec. 31, 2012
GF Management Incentive Scheme
ZAR
Dec. 31, 2012
GF Management Incentive Scheme
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
GF Management Incentive Scheme
Maximum
ZAR
Dec. 31, 2012
GF Management Incentive Scheme
Minimum
ZAR
Dec. 31, 2010
Broad-based BEE consortium (BEECO)
Dec. 31, 2012
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. 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
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. 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 ($)
Dec. 31, 2010
Broad-based BEE consortium (BEECO)
GFI Mining South Africa (Proprietary) Limited Excluding South Deep
Jun. 30, 2008
Gold Fields Limited 2005 Non-Executive Director Share Plan
USD ($)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]                                                                                        
Cost of providing retirement benefits for defined contribution plans $ 43.0 $ 92.8 $ 87.8 $ 76.0                                                                                
Share-based compensation allocation expense 27.0 77.7 66.4 53.9     0                                                     115.5   21.2 94.3         10.2    
Share vesting period             3 years                                 3 years 3 years   3 years                                  
Internal target performance percentage                     85.00%                                                                  
Performance shares settlement increased percentage                     200.00%                                                                  
Bonus share settlement period                       18 months 9 months                                                              
Options exercisable                                               0 0                                      
Expiration period from grant date                                                   6 years       7 years                            
Options outstanding, average exercise price               119.17 93.89 90.84       $ 12.53 107.37 $ 13.27 107.91 $ 15.63 105.53 $ 14.00 106.00 $ 13.83 111.50 $ 12.53 107.48     86.51 $ 10.09                              
Options to purchase ordinary shares, outstanding                                                         75,500                              
Options, exercise prise range, lower limit                                                       63.65                                
Options, exercise prise range, upper limit                                                       140.66                                
Option expiration date                                                           Jul. 02, 2013 Dec. 21, 2012                          
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%                                
Shares reserved for issuance                                                         35,309,563                              
Options, exercise prise range                                                           127.80 97.00                          
Incremental fair value resulting from the modification amounts                                                                                       0.5
Compensation cost related to awards not yet recognized under all four schemes   96.7                                                                                    
Compensation cost related to awards not yet recognized under all four schemes, period of recognition   3 years                                                                                    
Stock Ownership Per Regulatory Requirement, percentage                                                                 26.00% 10.00%       10.00%       10.75% 1.00%  
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    
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                                                                               122.79 118.51      
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   729,536,813 723,735,186                                                                     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     $ 3.0   $ 2.3 $ 3.4                                                       $ 2.3 $ 3.4                  
Effective interest rate used to discount future dividend payments                                                                           9.55%