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Rio Tinto financial information by business unit - Schedule of financial information by business unit (Parenthetical) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions |  |  |  |  |  | 5 Months Ended | 7 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Aug. 01, 2018 | Jun. 01, 2018 | Sep. 01, 2017 | Sep. 01, 2017 | Aug. 05, 2016 | Feb. 03, 2016 | Jun. 01, 2018 | Aug. 01, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from sale of surplus land |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 508 |  |
Proceeds from issue of equity to non-controlling interests |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 85 | $ 170 | $ 101
Operating assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 43,431 | 48,556 | 48,877
Capital expenditure percentage of subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |
Reportable segments [Member] | Energy & Minerals [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 3,861 | 6,313 | $ 7,049
Australia [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from disposal of ownership in joint venture | $ 1,700 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Mount Pleasant Thermal Coal Project [Member] | MACH Energy Australia Pty Ltd [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from disposal capital expenditure |  |  |  |  | $ 192 |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership interest in cash generating units disposed |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |  |  |  |  |
Hope Downs Joint Venture [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of ownership interest exchanged in joint venture |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |
Robe river iron associates [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 65.00% |  |
Percentage of ownership interest exchanged in joint venture |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 65.00% |  |
Proportion of net beneficial interest |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 53.00% |  |
Non-controlling interest (%), Subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 12.00% |  |
Freeport-McMoRan Inc [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of material mined |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 40.00% |  |
Diavik Joint Venture [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of ownership interest exchanged in joint venture |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 60.00% |  |
Hail Creek [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of ownership interest exchanged in joint venture |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 82.00% |  |  |
Hail Creek [Member] | Australia [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] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of ownership interest exchanged in joint venture |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 80.00% |  |  |
Winchester South [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of ownership interest exchanged in joint venture |  |  |  |  |  |  | 80.00% |  |  |  |
Winchester South [Member] | Australia [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership interest in joint venture disposed |  | 75.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from disposal of ownership in joint venture |  | $ 200 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Valeria Development Projects [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of ownership interest exchanged in joint venture |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 80.00% |  |  |
Valeria Development Projects [Member] | Australia [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership interest in joint venture disposed | 71.20% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Kestrel Underground Coal Mine [Member] | Australia [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership interest in joint venture disposed | 80.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from disposal of ownership in joint venture | $ 2,250 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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% |  |
Hamersley Iron Pty Limited [member] | Ordinary shares [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% |  |
Argyle Diamonds Limited [member] | Ordinary shares [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% |  |  |  |  | 80.00%
Ownership interest in joint venture disposed |  |  | 100.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion Of Ownership Interest In Subsidiary Disposed |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from issue of equity to non-controlling interests |  |  |  | $ 2,690 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Rio Tinto Coal Australia | Reportable segments [Member] | Energy & Minerals [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (837) | $ 1,040 | $ 1,807
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% |  |
Energy Resources of Australia Limited [Member] | Ordinary shares [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 68.39% |  |
Non-controlling interest (%), Subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 31.61% |  |
Rossing Uranium [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 68.60% |  |
China national uranium corporation limited [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 68.60% |  |
Simfer Jersey Limited [member] | Ordinary shares [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 53.00% |  |
Non-controlling interest (%), Subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 47.00% |  |
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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