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Accounting Policies - Summary of Significant Assumptions Used in the Group's Impairment Assessments (FVLCOD calculations) (Detail) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2018 $ / oz $ / oz R / oz T | Dec. 31, 2017 $ / oz $ / oz R / oz Exchange_Rate T
Disclosure of changes in accounting estimates [line items] |  |
Nominal discount rate | 13.50% | 13.50%
South deep [member] |  |
Disclosure of changes in accounting estimates [line items] |  |
Life of mine | 75 years | 78 years
Tarkwa [member] |  |
Disclosure of changes in accounting estimates [line items] |  |
Life of mine | 14 years | 14 years
Damang [member] |  |
Disclosure of changes in accounting estimates [line items] |  |
Life of mine | 7 years | 8 years
Cerro Cerona [member] |  |
Disclosure of changes in accounting estimates [line items] |  |
Life of mine | 12 years | 13 years
St Ives [member] |  |
Disclosure of changes in accounting estimates [line items] |  |
Life of mine | 7 years | 5 years
Agnew Lawlers [member] |  |
Disclosure of changes in accounting estimates [line items] |  |
Life of mine | 4 years | 4 years
Granny Smith [member] |  |
Disclosure of changes in accounting estimates [line items] |  |
Life of mine | 12 years | 11 years
Gruyere [member] |  |
Disclosure of changes in accounting estimates [line items] |  |
Life of mine | 12 years | 13 years
Rand [member] |  |
Disclosure of changes in accounting estimates [line items] |  |
Resource value per ounce | 17 | 17
Nominal discount rate | 13.50% | 13.50%
Inflation rate | 5.50% | 5.50%
Australia, Dollars [member] |  |
Disclosure of changes in accounting estimates [line items] |  |
Resource value per ounce | 28 | 293
Real discount rates | 3.40% | 3.80%
Ghanaian cedi [Member] |  |
Disclosure of changes in accounting estimates [line items] |  |
Resource value per ounce | 44 | 41
Real discount rates | 9.50% | 9.70%
Peru, Nuevos Soles [Member] |  |
Disclosure of changes in accounting estimates [line items] |  |
Resource value per ounce | 70 | 41
Real discount rates | 4.90% | 4.80%
Year 1 [Member] | US Dollars [member] |  |
Disclosure of changes in accounting estimates [line items] |  |
Gold price | 1,200 | 1,200
Copper price per tonne | T | 5,951 | 5,512
Year 1 [Member] | Rand [member] |  |
Disclosure of changes in accounting estimates [line items] |  |
Gold price | R / oz | 525,000 | 525,000
Long-term exchange rates | 13.61 | 13.61
Year 1 [Member] | Australia, Dollars [member] |  |
Disclosure of changes in accounting estimates [line items] |  |
Gold price | 1,600 | 1,600
Long-term exchange rates | 0.75 | 0.75
Year 2 [Member] | US Dollars [member] |  |
Disclosure of changes in accounting estimates [line items] |  |
Gold price | 1,300 | 1,300
Copper price per tonne | T | 6,612 | 6,171
Year 2 [Member] | Rand [member] |  |
Disclosure of changes in accounting estimates [line items] |  |
Gold price | R / oz | 550,000 | 525,000
Long-term exchange rates | 13.16 | 13.16
Year 2 [Member] | Australia, Dollars [member] |  |
Disclosure of changes in accounting estimates [line items] |  |
Gold price | 1,700 | 1,700
Long-term exchange rates | 0.76 | 0.76

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