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Rio Tinto financial information by business unit - Schedule of financial information by business unit (Parenthetical) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions |  |  |  |  | 1 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Mar. 27, 2018 | Mar. 22, 2018 | Mar. 20, 2018 | Sep. 01, 2017 | May 31, 2017 | Jun. 30, 2018 | Jun. 30, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2017
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss on other restructuring costs |  |  |  |  |  | $ 68 |  |
Information System & Technology spend |  |  |  |  |  | $ 49 |  |
Percentage of capital expenditure in subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |
Reportable segments [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating assets |  |  |  |  |  | $ 47,562 |  | $ 48,556
Reportable segments [Member] | Energy & Minerals [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating assets |  |  |  |  |  | $ 3,848 |  | 6,313
Hope Downs Joint Venture [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion of ownership interest in joint venture |  |  |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |
Robe river iron associates [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion of ownership interest in joint venture |  |  |  |  |  | 65.00% |  |
Proportion of net beneficial interest |  |  |  |  |  | 53.00% |  |
Freeport Mc Mo Ran Inc [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of material mined |  |  |  |  |  | 40.00% |  |
Diavik joint venture [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion of ownership interest in joint venture |  |  |  |  |  | 60.00% |  |
Hail Creek Coal Mine [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion of ownership interest in joint venture |  |  |  |  |  | 82.00% |  |
Hail Creek Coal Mine [Member] | 2018 Disposals [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership interest in joint venture disposed |  |  | 82.00% |  |  |  |  |
Kestrel Underground Coal Mine [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion of ownership interest in joint venture |  |  |  |  |  | 80.00% |  |
Kestrel Underground Coal Mine [Member] | 2018 Disposals [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion of ownership interest in joint venture | 80.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Receipts from non-refundable deposits |  |  |  |  |  | $ 338 |  |
Hail Creek Coal Mine [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership interest in joint venture disposed |  |  | 82.00% |  |  |  |  |
Valeria | Australia [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership interest in joint venture disposed |  |  | 71.20% |  |  |  |  |
Proportion of ownership amount in joint venture disposed |  |  | $ 1,700 |  |  |  |  |
Winchester South Member |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership interest in joint venture disposed |  | 75.00% |  |  |  |  |  |
Winchester South Member | Australia [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion of ownership amount in joint venture disposed |  | $ 200 |  |  |  |  |  |
Kestrel [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership interest in joint venture disposed | 80.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Kestrel [Member] | Australia [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion of ownership amount in joint venture disposed | $ 2,250 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Hunter valley operations [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion Of Voting Power Held In Subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  |  | 67.60% |
Mount thorley co venture [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion Of Voting Power Held In Subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  |  | 80.00% |
Warkworth joint venture [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion Of Voting Power Held In 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] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of share class held in subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  | 50.80% |  |
Oyu Tolgoi LLC [member] | Turquoise hill resources Ltd [member] | Oyo Tolgoi Copper-Gold Mine [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of share class held in subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  | 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% |
Proportion of ownership interest in subsidiaries disposed |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |  |  |
Rio Tinto Coal Australia [Member] | Reportable segments [Member] | Energy & Minerals [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating assets |  |  |  |  |  | $ (1,225) |  | $ 1,040
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% |  |
Simfer Jersey Limited [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  | 53.00% | 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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