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Property, Plant and Equipment - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment for continuing operations $ 677,300,000us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSoldDepreciationDepletionAndAmortization $ 568,500,000us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSoldDepreciationDepletionAndAmortization $ 425,800,000us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSoldDepreciationDepletionAndAmortization
Ghana      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Fleet assets pledged 176,600,000us-gaap_PledgedAssetsNotSeparatelyReportedOnStatementOfFinancialPosition
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_GH
   
Ghana | $70 million senior secured revolving credit facility      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Revolving credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity $ 70,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gfi_SeniorSecuredCreditFacilityMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_GH