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Trade and other payables - Additional information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
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Disclosure Of Trade And Other Payables [Line Items] |  |
Trade and other payables | $ 7,917 | $ 7,150
Rio Tinto plc [member] | LIBOR [Member] |  |
Disclosure Of Trade And Other Payables [Line Items] |  |
Trade and other payables | $ 12,265 | $ 12,079

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- Definition The amount of trade payables and other payables. [Refer: Trade payables; Other payables] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 1 -IssueDate 2016-01-13 -Paragraph 54 -Subparagraph k -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2016-03-30&anchor=para_54_k&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2016-03-31 + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | ifrs-full_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition Disclosure of trade and other payables. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_TypesOfInterestRatesAxis=rio_LondonInterbankOfferedRateMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |