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Subsequent Events - Additional Information (Detail) ZAR / shares in Units, $ / shares in Units, ZAR in Billions | Mar. 17, 2016 USD ($) shares | Mar. 17, 2016 ZAR ZAR / shares shares | Feb. 19, 2016 USD ($) | Feb. 16, 2016 ZAR / shares | Feb. 16, 2016 $ / shares | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
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Subsequent Event [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notes issue |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,000,000,000 |
$1,510 million term loan and revolving credit facility |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Subsequent Event [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term revolving credit facility |  |  |  |  |  | 1,510,000,000 | $ 1,510,000,000
$1 billion notes issue |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Subsequent Event [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notes issue |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,000,000,000 | $ 1,000,000,000
Subsequent Event |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Subsequent Event [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity raising by way of private placement | $ 150,000,000 | ZAR 2.3 |  |  |  |  |
Issuance due to oversubscription on private placement | shares | 38,857,913 | 38,857,913 |  |  |  |  |
Share price per share | ZAR / shares |  | ZAR 59.50 |  |  |  |  |
Discount rate on weighted average trading price | 6.00% | 6.00% |  |  |  |  |
Weighted average trading period | 30 days | 30 days |  |  |  |  |
Discount rate on moving average trading price | 0.70% | 0.70% |  |  |  |  |
Moving average trading period | 50 days | 50 days |  |  |  |  |
Fixed tax rate | 32.50% | 32.50% |  |  |  |  |
Compensation to be paid out of profits after tax, percentage | 5.00% | 5.00% |  |  |  |  |
Final dividend declared | (per share) |  |  |  | ZAR 0.21 | $ 0.01 |  |
Final dividend declaration date |  |  |  | Feb. 16, 2016 | Feb. 16, 2016 |  |
Subsequent Event | Gold Fields Australia (Proprietary) Limited | $1,510 million term loan and revolving credit facility |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Subsequent Event [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term revolving credit facility |  |  | $ 1,510,000,000 |  |  |  |
Subsequent Event | Gold Fields Australia (Proprietary) Limited | $1 billion notes issue |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Subsequent Event [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notes issue |  |  | 200,000,000 |  |  |  |
Aggregate principal amount of Notes |  |  | $ 147,600,000 |  |  |  |

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