Share-Based Payments - Additional Information (Detail)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019 shares $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2018 shares	Dec. 31, 2017 shares
Disclosure of terms and conditions of share-based payment arrangement [line items]
Cost of performance shares granted \| $ / shares	$ 0
Holding period of restricted shares	Five years
Maximum number of matching shares	441,604	407,223	403,027
Maximum number of matching shares vesting period	Five years
Gold Fields Limited 2012 Share Plan [member]
Disclosure of terms and conditions of share-based payment arrangement [line items]
Number of share options	14,833,390

The number of share options outstanding in a share-based payment arrangement.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 2
-IssueDate 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 45
-Subparagraph d
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IFRS&num=2&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_45_d&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 2
-IssueDate 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 45
-Subparagraph b
-Clause i
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IFRS&num=2&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_45_b_i&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 2
-IssueDate 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 45
-Subparagraph b
-Clause vi
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IFRS&num=2&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_45_b_vi&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

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