Benchmark price per barrel.

No definition available.

Name:	gfi_BenchmarkPricePerBarrel
Namespace Prefix:	gfi_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represents information about financial risk management.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Swap price per barrel hedged.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gfi_SwapPricePerBarrelHedged
Namespace Prefix:	gfi_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Swap price per metric tonne hedged.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gfi_SwapPricePerMetricTonneHedged
Namespace Prefix:	gfi_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Volume of diesel hedged.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gfi_VolumeOfDieselHedged
Namespace Prefix:	gfi_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The gains (losses) on the ineffective portion of hedges of net investments in foreign operations recognised in profit or loss. [Refer: Hedges of net investment in foreign operations [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Note Expiry date 2021-01-01
-Name IFRS
-Number 7
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 24
-Subparagraph c
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=7&date=2017-03-02&anchor=para_24_c&doctype=Standard&book=b
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GainsLossesOnIneffectivenessOfHedgesOfNetInvestmentsInForeignOperations
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of a hedging instrument, recognised as a liability. [Refer: Hedging instruments [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 7
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 24A
-Subparagraph a
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=7&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_24A_a&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_HedgingInstrumentLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The nominal amount of a hedging instrument. [Refer: Hedging instruments [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 7
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 23B
-Subparagraph a
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=7&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_23B_a&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 7
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 24A
-Subparagraph d
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=7&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_24A_d&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_NominalAmountOfHedgingInstrument
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GeographicalAreasAxis=country_AU
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_TypesOfHedgesAxis=ifrs-full_FairValueHedgesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_HedgingInstrumentsAxis=gfi_CashSettledSwapTransactionContractsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_TypesOfRisksAxis=ifrs-full_CommodityPriceRiskMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ExternalCreditGradesAxis=gfi_BrentCrudeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GeographicalAreasAxis=country_GH
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Risk Management Activities - Market Risk - Commodity Price - Oil - Additional Information (Detail) l in Millions, $ in Millions, $ in Millions	1 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018 AUD ($)	Feb. 28, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 $ / Barrel ppm l	May 31, 2017 $ / Barrel ppm l	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Australia [member]
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management [line items]
Total realized gain	$ 8.4	$ 8.4
Australia [member] \| Fair value hedges [member] \| Cash settled swap transaction contracts [member]
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management [line items]
Marked-to-market value of the hedge					$ 1.7
Total realized gain					4.6
Australia [member] \| Commodity price risk [member] \| Fair value hedges [member] \| Cash settled swap transaction contracts [member]
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management [line items]
Risk hedging number \| ppm			10	10
Volume of diesel hedged \| l			77.5	77.5
Average swap price \| $ / Barrel			61.15	61.15
Australia [member] \| Commodity price risk [member] \| Fair value hedges [member] \| Cash settled swap transaction contracts [member] \| Brent crude [member]
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management [line items]
Benchmark price per barrel at time transaction \| $ / Barrel			49.92	49.92
Ghana [member] \| Fair value hedges [member] \| Cash settled swap transaction contracts [member]
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management [line items]
Marked-to-market value of the hedge					3.0
Total realized gain					7.5
Ghana [member] \| Commodity price risk [member] \| Fair value hedges [member]
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management [line items]
Marked-to-market value of the hedge					2.4
Total realized gain					$ 19.6
Ghana [member] \| Commodity price risk [member] \| Fair value hedges [member] \| Cash settled swap transaction contracts [member]
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management [line items]
Volume of diesel hedged \| l			125.8	125.8
Average swap price \| $ / Barrel			61.4	61.4
Average swap price			457.2	457.2
Ghana [member] \| Commodity price risk [member] \| Fair value hedges [member] \| Cash settled swap transaction contracts [member] \| Brent crude [member]
Disclosure Of Financial Risk Management [line items]
Benchmark price per barrel at time transaction \| $ / Barrel			49.8	49.8