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Acquisition and Disposal of Businesses - Additional Information (Detail)
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
0 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Oct. 01, 2013
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2013
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2014
Yanfolila
USD ($)
Aug. 19, 2014
Chucupaca
Canteras Del Hallazgo
USD ($)
Jul. 02, 2014
Hummingbird
Yanfolila
USD ($)
Jul. 02, 2014
Hummingbird
Yanfolila
USD ($)
Jul. 02, 2014
Hummingbird
Mali
Yanfolila
Aug. 19, 2014
Compania De Minas Buenaventura S.A.A.
Chucupaca
Canteras Del Hallazgo
Aug. 19, 2014
Compania De Minas Buenaventura S.A.A.
Chucupaca
Canteras Del Hallazgo
Oct. 01, 2013
Yilgarn South
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2013
Yilgarn South
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2014
Yilgarn South
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2013
Yilgarn South
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Yilgarn South
USD ($)
Oct. 01, 2013
Yilgarn South
USD ($)
Oct. 01, 2013
Yilgarn South
ZAR
Oct. 01, 2013
Yilgarn South
ADR's
Feb. 18, 2013
Sibanye Gold [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]                                        
Description of spin-off Distribution ratio                                       The Spin-off was achieved by way of Gold Fields making a distribution on a pro rata basis of one Sibanye Gold ordinary share for every one Gold Fields share (whether held in the form of shares, American depositary receipts, or ADRs, or international depositary receipts) to Gold Fields shareholders, registered as such in Gold Fields' register at close of business on February 15, 2013, in terms of section 46 of the South African Companies Act and section 46 of the South African Income Tax Act.
Total net consideration $ 262.3us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferred1                     $ 262.3us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferred1
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= gfi_YilgarnSouthMember
               
Business acquisition common shares issuable 28,700,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesAcquisitions                     28,700,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesAcquisitions
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= gfi_YilgarnSouthMember
               
Business acquisition cash paid 135.0us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesGross                     135.0us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesGross
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= gfi_YilgarnSouthMember
  0us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesGross
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= gfi_YilgarnSouthMember
135.0us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesGross
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= gfi_YilgarnSouthMember
0us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesGross
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= gfi_YilgarnSouthMember
       
Business acquisition deposit paid                                 30.0gfi_BusinessAcquisitionCostOfAcquiredEntityDepositPaid
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= gfi_YilgarnSouthMember
     
Volume-weighted average price trading time horizon on NYSE                                     5 days  
Business combination reason for business combination                           Taking control of the acquired mines enabled the Group to increase its production profile in Australia and to obtain cost efficiencies through the integration of the Lawlers and the existing Agnew gold mines.            
Contributed revenue                         151.3gfi_BusinessAcquisitionRevenueReportedByAcquiredEntity
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= gfi_YilgarnSouthMember
             
Loss after tax                         4.1gfi_BusinessAcquisitionLossAfterTaxReportedByAcquiredEntityFromDateOfControl
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= gfi_YilgarnSouthMember
             
Transaction costs                                 27.4us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionCostOfAcquiredEntityTransactionCosts
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= gfi_YilgarnSouthMember
     
Acquisition agreement date                           Oct. 01, 2013            
Shares issued price per share                                   44.8gfi_ListedSharePrice
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= gfi_YilgarnSouthMember
   
Percentage of sale interest project         85.00%gfi_PercentageOfOwnershipInterestSold
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= gfi_YanfolilaMember
      85.00%gfi_PercentageOfOwnershipInterestSold
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gfi_HummingbirdMember
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= gfi_YanfolilaMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_ML
51.00%gfi_PercentageOfOwnershipInterestSold
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gfi_CompaniaDeMinasBuenaventuraSaaMember
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= gfi_ChucupacaMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= gfi_CanterasDelHallazgoMember
                   
Equity acquisition, amount         21.1us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationConsideration
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= gfi_YanfolilaMember
    21.1us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationConsideration
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gfi_HummingbirdMember
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= gfi_YanfolilaMember
                       
Equity acquisition, shares             21,258,503gfi_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationNumberOfShares
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gfi_HummingbirdMember
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= gfi_YanfolilaMember
                         
Profit on disposal of investments and subsidiaries   78.0us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOtherInvestments 17.8us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOtherInvestments 27.6us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOtherInvestments   72.8us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOtherInvestments
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= gfi_ChucupacaMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= gfi_CanterasDelHallazgoMember
5.1us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOtherInvestments
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gfi_HummingbirdMember
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= gfi_YanfolilaMember
                         
Equity ownership percentage                     49.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= gfi_CompaniaDeMinasBuenaventuraSaaMember
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= gfi_ChucupacaMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= gfi_CanterasDelHallazgoMember
                 
Equity sale price           $ 81.0us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfEquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= gfi_ChucupacaMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= gfi_CanterasDelHallazgoMember
                           
Percentage of smelter royalty receivable on future sales           1.50%gfi_PercentageOfRoyaltyReceivableOnFutureSales
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= gfi_ChucupacaMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= gfi_CanterasDelHallazgoMember