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Estimated Capital Allowances (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |
Tax losses, deductible amount |  | $ 187.8 | $ 211.1
Calculated tax losses |  | 652.3 | 739.1
Gold Fields Operations |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |
Tax losses, deductible amount | [1] | 65.8 | 84.9
Calculated tax losses | [1] | $ 219.2 | 283.0
Tax rate | [1] | 30.00% |
GFI Joint Venture Holdings |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |
Tax losses, deductible amount | [1] | $ 6.7 | 6.3
Calculated tax losses | [1] | $ 22.2 | 20.9
Tax rate | [1],[2] | 30.00% |
Gold Fields Group Services (Proprietary) Limited [Member] |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |
Tax losses, deductible amount | [1] |  | 0.2
Calculated tax losses | [1] |  | 0.8
Tax rate | [1] | 28.00% |
Abosso Goldfields Limited |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |
Tax losses, deductible amount | [3] | $ 23.0 | 16.3
Calculated tax losses | [3] | $ 65.7 | 46.5
Tax rate | [3] | 35.00% |
Exploration Entities |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |
Tax losses, deductible amount | [4] | $ 92.3 | 103.4
Calculated tax losses | [4] | $ 345.2 | $ 387.9
Tax rate |  | 35.00% |
Exploration Entities | Minimum |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |
Tax rate | [4] | 15.00% |
Exploration Entities | Maximum |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |
Tax rate | [4] | 35.00% |
[1] | These future deductions may be utilized against income generated by the individual tax entity concerned and do not expire unless the tax entity ceases to commercially operate for a period longer than one year. Under South African mining tax ring-fencing legislation, each tax entity is treated separately and as such these deductions can only be utilized by the tax entities in which the deductions have been generated.
[2] | During 2014, the South African Revenue Services ("SARS") issued a Finalisation of Audit Letter ("the Audit Letter") stating that SARS had disallowed $1,014.2 million of GFIJVH's recognised capital allowance of $1,586.0 million. The company has not received an assessment from SARS disallowing the $1 014.2 million and the company believes it is more likely than not it has a defendable position over this matter.
[3] | Tax losses may be carried forward for five years. These losses expire on a first-in-first-out basis.
[4] | The tax losses of $345.2 million (2014: $387.9 million) comprise $3.8 million (2014: $12.1 million) of tax losses that expire between one and two years, $62.9 million (2014: $67.1 million) of tax losses that expire between two and five years, $49.6 million (2014: $62.5 million) of tax losses that expire between five and ten years, $40.7 million (2014: $21.6 million) of tax losses that expire after 10 years and $188.2 million (2014: $224.6 million) of tax losses that have no expiry date.

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