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Financial instruments and risk management - Capital and liquidity risk management - Additional information (Detail) $ in Millions | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Nov. 30, 2015 USD ($) CreditFacility | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Net debt |  | $ 3,845 | $ 9,587 | $ 13,783
Borrowings |  | 15,176 | 17,630 |
Level 1 [member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Borrowings |  | 9,600 | 11,900 |
Borrowings at fair value |  | 10,900 | 12,900 |
Level 3 [member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Borrowings |  | 4,100 | 4,100 |
Borrowings at fair value |  | $ 4,700 | 4,600 |
Percentage of change in London metal exchange |  | 10.00% |  |
Period of London metal exchange curve |  | Ten year |  |
Decrease in carrying value of forward contract due to long-term metal pricing assumptions |  | $ 41 | 38 |
Increase in carrying value of forward contract due to long-term metal pricing assumptions |  | 22 | 64 |
Oyu Tolgoi LLC [member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Borrowings |  | 4,300 | 4,300 |
Additional Borrowings |  | 9 |  |
Oyu Tolgoi LLC [member] | MIGA Insured Loan due 2027 [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Borrowings |  | $ 700 |  |
Pre-completion interest rate |  | 2.65% |  |
Post completion interest rate |  | 3.65% |  |
Borrowings, maturity |  | 2027 |  |
Oyu Tolgoi LLC [member] | Commercial Banks “B Loan” due 2027 [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Borrowings |  | $ 1,600 |  |
Pre-completion interest rate |  | 3.40% |  |
Post completion interest rate |  | 4.40% |  |
Borrowings, maturity |  | 2027 |  |
Oyu Tolgoi LLC [member] | Export Credit Agencies Loan due 2028 [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Borrowings |  | $ 300 |  |
Borrowings, maturity |  | 2028 |  |
Borrowings, interest rate |  | 2.30% |  |
Oyu Tolgoi LLC [member] | Export Credit Agencies Loan due 2029 [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Borrowings |  | $ 900 |  |
Pre-completion interest rate |  | 3.65% |  |
Post completion interest rate |  | 4.65% |  |
Borrowings, maturity |  | 2029 |  |
Oyu Tolgoi LLC [member] | International Financial Institutions “A Loan” due 2030 [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Borrowings |  | $ 900 |  |
Pre-completion interest rate |  | 3.78% |  |
Post completion interest rate |  | 4.78% |  |
Borrowings, maturity |  | 2030 |  |
Capital and liquidity risk management [member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Net debt |  | $ 3,845 | $ 9,587 |
Net debt to total capital percentage |  | 7.00% | 17.00% |
Description of interest coverage on debt |  | 14 times | seven times |
Description of rating agencies used |  | Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s investor services |  |
Capital and liquidity risk management [member] | Rio Tinto Finance Plc and Rio Tinto Finance Limited [member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Borrowings, maturity | A US$1.9 billion facility currently matures in November 2020 and a US$5.6 billion facility (including a US$ denominated same day access swing-line facility) matures in November 2022. |  |  |
Multi-currency revolving credit facilities | $ 7,500 |  |  |
Number of extension options in multi-currency revolving credit facilities | CreditFacility | 2 |  |  |
Multi-currency revolving credit facilities period | one-year |  |  |
Capital and liquidity risk management [member] | Rio Tinto Finance Plc and Rio Tinto Finance Limited [member] | November 2019 [member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Multi-currency revolving credit facilities | $ 1,900 |  |  |
Capital and liquidity risk management [member] | Rio Tinto Finance Plc and Rio Tinto Finance Limited [member] | November 2021 [member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Multi-currency revolving credit facilities | $ 5,600 |  |  |
Capital and liquidity risk management [member] | Rio Tinto Finance (USA) plc and Rio Tinto Finance (USA) Limited [member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Redemption of bonds |  | $ 2,500 | $ 7,500 |
Aggregate cash outflow before fees |  | $ 2,700 | 7,900 |
Bottom of range [Member] | Capital and liquidity risk management [member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Percentage of underlying earnings |  | 40.00% |  |
Top of range [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Maximum carrying value of borrowings repayable, after impact of swaps |  | $ 1,700 | $ 1,700 |
Top of range [Member] | Capital and liquidity risk management [member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Percentage of underlying earnings |  | 60.00% |  |

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