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Contingent Liabilities - Additional Information (Detail)
 0 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Oct. 17, 2013
Application
Dec. 31, 2014
South Deep Gold Mine
Dec. 31, 2014
Silicosis [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2014
Silicosis [Member]
ZAR
Dec. 31, 2013
Silicosis [Member]
Application
Dec. 31, 2012
Silicosis [Member]
Application
Aug. 21, 2008
Randgold and Exploration Summons
USD ($)
Aug. 21, 2008
Randgold and Exploration Summons
ZAR
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                
Randgold and Exploration summons, highest claims               12,000,000,000gfi_LossContingencyRangeOfPossibleHighestLossMaximum
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= gfi_RandgoldAndExplorationSummonsMember
Randgold and Exploration summons, lowest claims               11,000,000,000gfi_LossContingencyRangeOfPossibleHighestLossMinimum
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= gfi_RandgoldAndExplorationSummonsMember
Randgold and Exploration summons, claims             1,000,000,000gfi_LossContingencyPossibleHighestLoss
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= gfi_RandgoldAndExplorationSummonsMember		  
Randgold and Exploration summons, alternative claims             45,000,000us-gaap_LossContingencyEstimateOfPossibleLoss
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= gfi_RandgoldAndExplorationSummonsMember		 521,000,000us-gaap_LossContingencyEstimateOfPossibleLoss
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= gfi_RandgoldAndExplorationSummonsMember
Ownership Interests, percent   50.00%gfi_PercentageOfOwnershipInterests
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gfi_SouthDeepGoldMineMember		            
Number of court applications 2gfi_NumberOfCourtApplications       2gfi_NumberOfCourtApplications
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= gfi_SilicosisMember		 2gfi_NumberOfCourtApplications
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= gfi_SilicosisMember		    
Number of consolidated court applications 1gfi_NumberOfConsolidatedCourtApplications              
Plaintiffs claim amount     $ 2,200,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= gfi_SilicosisMember		 25,000,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= gfi_SilicosisMember		        
Interest rate     15.50%gfi_LossContingencyInterestRate
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= gfi_SilicosisMember		 15.50%gfi_LossContingencyInterestRate
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= gfi_SilicosisMember