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Share-based payments - Charge has been recognised in income statement for Rio Tinto's share-based incentive plans, and the related liability (for cash-settled plans) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
Disclosure Of Terms And Conditions Of Sharebased Payment Arrangement [Line Items] |  |  |
Liability at the end of the year | $ 15 | $ 1 |
Charge recognised for the year | 91 | 116 | $ 128
Equity-settled plans [member] |  |  |
Disclosure Of Terms And Conditions Of Sharebased Payment Arrangement [Line Items] |  |  |
Charge recognised for the year | 88 | 116 | $ 128
Cash-settled plans [member] |  |  |
Disclosure Of Terms And Conditions Of Sharebased Payment Arrangement [Line Items] |  |  |
Liability at the end of the year | 15 | $ 1 |
Charge recognised for the year | $ 3 |  |

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- Definition Line items represent concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes of the table. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The amount of expense arising from share-based payment transactions in which the goods or services received did not qualify for recognition as assets. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IFRS -Number 2 -IssueDate 2016-01-13 -Paragraph 51 -Subparagraph a -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=2&date=2016-03-30&anchor=para_51_a&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2016-03-31 + Details
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- Definition The amount of liabilities arising from share-based payment transactions. Share-based payment transactions are transactions in which the entity: (a) receives goods or services from the supplier of those goods or services (including an employee) in a share-based payment arrangement; or (b) incurs an obligation to settle the transaction with the supplier in a share-based payment arrangement when another group entity receives those goods or services. [Refer: Share-based payment arrangements [member]] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IFRS -Number 2 -IssueDate 2016-01-13 -Paragraph 51 -Subparagraph b -Clause i -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=2&date=2016-03-30&anchor=para_51_b_i&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2016-03-31 + Details
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- Details
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- Details
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Period Type: |