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Rio Tinto financial information by business unit - Schedule of financial information by business unit (Parenthetical) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions |  |  |  | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Aug. 05, 2016 | Mar. 01, 2016 | Feb. 03, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of capital expenditure in subsidiaries |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |
Loss on other restructuring costs |  |  |  | $ 177 |  |
Mount Pleasant Project [Member] | MACH Energy Australia Pty Ltd [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from disposal capital expenditure | $ 192 |  |  |  |  |
Ownership interest in cash generating units disposed | 100.00% |  |  |  |  |
Hope Downs Joint Venture [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of ownership interest exchanged in joint venture |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |
Robe river iron associates [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  | 65.00% |  |
Percentage of ownership interest exchanged in joint venture |  |  |  | 65.00% |  |
Proportion of net beneficial interest |  |  |  | 53.00% |  |
Non-controlling interest (%), Subsidiary |  |  |  | 12.00% |  |
Freeport-McMoRan Inc [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of material mined |  |  |  | 40.00% |  |
Diavik Joint Venture [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of ownership interest exchanged in joint venture |  |  |  | 60.00% |  |
Hunter valley operations [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of ownership interest exchanged in joint venture |  |  | 32.40% |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%), Subsidiary |  |  |  |  | 67.60% |
Mount thorley co venture [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%), Subsidiary |  |  |  |  | 80.00% |
Warkworth joint venture [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%), Subsidiary |  |  |  |  | 55.60% |
30 Percent [Member] | Robe river iron associates [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net beneficial interest held percentage |  |  |  | 30.00% |  |
Net beneficial interest held percentage as owned subsidiary |  |  |  | 60.00% |  |
35 Percent [Member] | Robe river iron associates [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net beneficial interest held percentage |  |  |  | 35.00% |  |
Net beneficial interest held percentage as owned subsidiary |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |
Hamersley Iron Pty Limited [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |
Oyu Tolgoi LLC [member] | Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
% of share class held by Group companies |  |  |  | 50.80% |  |
Oyu Tolgoi LLC [member] | Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd [member] | Oyo Tolgoi Copper-Gold Mine [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
% of share class held by Group companies |  |  |  | 66.00% |  |
Argyle Diamonds Limited [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |
Coal & Allied Industries Limited [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  | 100.00% |  | 100.00% | 80.00%
Coal & Allied Industries Limited [member] | Bengalla joint venture [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership interest in joint venture disposed |  | 40.00% |  |  |  |
Coal & Allied Industries Limited [member] | Mount Pleasant Project [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership interest in joint venture disposed | 100.00% |  |  |  |  |
Rio Tinto Fer et Titane Inc. [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |
QIT Madagascar Minerals SA [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  | 80.00% |  |
Richards Bay Minerals [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  | 74.00% |  |
Energy Resources of Australia Limited [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  | 68.40% |  |
Rossing Uranium Limited [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  | 68.60% |  |
Proportion of class held (%), Subsidiary |  |  |  | 35.57% |  |
Simfer Jersey Limited [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  | 53.00% |  |
Simfer S.A. [member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  | 85.00% |  |
Non-controlling interest (%), Subsidiary |  |  |  | 45.05% |  |
Gove Alumina Refinery and Rio Tinto Marine [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |

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