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Other financial assets (including non-quasi equity loans to equity accounted units) - Summary of other financial assets including non-quasi equity loans to equity accounted units (Parenthetical) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Disclosure Of Other Assets [Abstract]
Highly liquid financial assets held in managed investment funds classified as held for trading	$ 958	$ 250

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- Definition

The amount of financial assets at fair value through profit or loss classified as held for trading. A financial asset is classified as held for trading if: (a) it is acquired principally for the purpose of selling it in the near term; (b) on initial recognition it is part of a portfolio of identified financial instruments that are managed together and for which there is evidence of a recent actual pattern of short-term profit-taking; or (c) it is a derivative (except for a derivative that is a financial guarantee contract or a designated and effective hedging instrument). [Refer: At fair value [member]; Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Note Expiry date 2018-01-01
-Name IFRS
-Number 7
-IssueDate 2016-01-13
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph a
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=7&date=2016-03-30&anchor=para_8_a&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2016-03-31

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Disclosure Of Other Assets [Abstract]

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rio_DisclosureOfOtherAssetsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	rio_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration