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Dividends - Summary of dividends per share (Detail) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017 $ / shares | Dec. 31, 2017 £ / shares | Dec. 31, 2017 $ / shares | Dec. 31, 2016 $ / shares | Dec. 31, 2016 £ / shares | Dec. 31, 2016 $ / shares | Dec. 31, 2015 $ / shares | Dec. 31, 2015 £ / shares | Dec. 31, 2015 $ / shares | Dec. 31, 2014 $ / shares
Disclosure of Dividends [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Previous year final dividend per share |  |  |  | $ 1.25 |  |  | $ 1.075 |  |  | $ 1.19
Interim dividend per share | $ 1.10 |  |  | $ 0.45 |  |  | $ 1.075 |  |  |
Rio Tinto plc [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of Dividends [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Previous year final dividend per share | £ / shares |  | £ 1.0056 |  |  | £ 0.7421 |  |  | £ 0.7798 |  |
Interim dividend per share | £ / shares |  | £ 0.8313 |  |  | £ 0.3380 |  |  | £ 0.6892 |  |
Rio Tinto Limited [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of Dividends [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Previous year final dividend per share |  |  | $ 1.6362 |  |  | $ 1.5189 |  |  | $ 1.5298 |
Interim dividend per share |  |  | $ 1.3772 |  |  | $ 0.5913 |  |  | $ 1.4491 |

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- Definition The amount of dividendsper share relating to the current year, recognised as distributions to owners of the parent. + References No definition available. + Details
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