XML 120 R113.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.8.0.1

Share-Based Payments - Summary of Fair Value of Equity Instruments Granted (Detail) (Detail) - Performance Shares [Member] - Gold Fields Limited 2012 Share Plan Amended [Member]	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Monte Carlo simulation
Weighted average historical volatility (based on a statistical analysis of the share price on a weighted moving average basis for the expected term of the option)	64.30%	58.10%
Expected term (years)	3 years	3 years
Dividend yield
Weighted average three-year risk free interest rate (based on US interest rates)	1.60%	0.50%
Weighted average fair value (United States dollars)	4.2	2.6

X

- Definition

Expected term in months share options granted.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gfi_ExpectedTermInMonthsShareOptionsGranted
Namespace Prefix:	gfi_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The implied yield currently available on zero-coupon government issues of the country in whose currency the exercise price for share options granted is expressed, with a remaining term equal to the expected term of the option being valued (based on the option's remaining contractual life and taking into account the effects of expected early exercise).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gfi_RiskFreeInterestRateShareOptionsGranted
Namespace Prefix:	gfi_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Share based compensation arrangement by share based payment award fair value of equity instruments methodology.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gfi_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueOfEquityInstrumentsMethodologyAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	gfi_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Share based compensation arrangement by share based payment award fair value of equity instruments weighted average fair value.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gfi_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueOfEquityInstrumentsWeightedAverageFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	gfi_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The expected volatility of the share price used to calculate the fair value of the share options granted. Expected volatility is a measure of the amount by which a price is expected to fluctuate during a period. The measure of volatility used in option pricing models is the annualised standard deviation of the continuously compounded rates of return on the share over a period of time.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 2
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 47
-Subparagraph a
-Clause i
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=2&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_47_a_i&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DescriptionOfExpectedVolatilityShareOptionsGranted
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The percentage of an expected dividend used to calculate the fair value of share options granted.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 2
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 47
-Subparagraph a
-Clause i
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=2&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_47_a_i&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ExpectedDividendAsPercentageShareOptionsGranted
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_TypesOfSharebasedPaymentArrangementsAxis=gfi_PerformanceShares1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	gfi_PlanName1Axis=gfi_GoldFieldsLimited2012SharePlanAmendedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: