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Principal subsidiaries - Summary of subsidiaries financial information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Jan. 01, 2018
Disclosure Of Significant Investments In Subsidiaries [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue |  | $ 40,522 | $ 40,030 | $ 33,781 |
Profit after tax for the year |  | 13,925 | 8,851 | 4,776 |
– attributable to non-controlling interests |  | 287 | 89 | 159 |
– attributable to owners of Rio Tinto (net earnings) |  | 13,638 | 8,762 | 4,617 |
Other comprehensive (loss)/income |  | (3,139) | 3,088 | (63) |
Total comprehensive income for the year | [1] | 10,786 | 11,939 | 4,713 |
– Non-current assets |  | 70,047 | 76,554 |  |
– Current assets |  | 20,168 | 18,678 |  |
– Non-current liabilities |  | (30,261) | (33,262) |  |
Net assets/(liabilities) |  | 49,823 | 51,115 |  |
Attributable to non-controlling interests |  | 6,137 | 6,404 |  |
Equity attributable to owners of Rio Tinto (see Group balance sheet) |  | 43,686 | 44,711 | 39,290 | $ 44,542
Cash flow from operations |  | 11,821 | 13,884 | 8,465 |
Dividends paid to holders of non-controlling interests in subsidiaries |  | (420) | (399) | $ (341) |
Iron Ore Company of Canada [member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Significant Investments In Subsidiaries [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue |  | 1,561 | 1,867 |  |
Profit after tax for the year |  | 298 | 377 |  |
– attributable to non-controlling interests |  | 122 | 156 |  |
– attributable to owners of Rio Tinto (net earnings) |  | 176 | 221 |  |
Other comprehensive (loss)/income |  | (136) | 144 |  |
Total comprehensive income for the year |  | 162 | 521 |  |
– Non-current assets |  | 2,376 | 2,535 |  |
– Current assets |  | 459 | 714 |  |
– Current liabilities |  | (351) | (449) |  |
– Non-current liabilities |  | (791) | (838) |  |
Net assets/(liabilities) |  | 1,693 | 1,962 |  |
Attributable to non-controlling interests |  | 699 | 809 |  |
Equity attributable to owners of Rio Tinto (see Group balance sheet) |  | 994 | 1,153 |  |
Cash flow from operations |  | 553 | 840 |  |
Dividends paid to holders of non-controlling interests in subsidiaries |  | (178) | (162) |  |
Energy Resources of Australia Limited [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Significant Investments In Subsidiaries [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue |  | 151 | 157 |  |
Profit after tax for the year |  | (241) | (29) |  |
– attributable to non-controlling interests |  | 1 | (9) |  |
– attributable to owners of Rio Tinto (net earnings) |  | (242) | (20) |  |
Other comprehensive (loss)/income |  | 2 |  |  |
Total comprehensive income for the year |  | (239) | (29) |  |
– Non-current assets |  | 74 | 57 |  |
– Current assets |  | 311 | 406 |  |
– Current liabilities |  | (123) | (128) |  |
– Non-current liabilities |  | (522) | (356) |  |
Net assets/(liabilities) |  | (260) | (21) |  |
Attributable to non-controlling interests |  | (6) | (7) |  |
Equity attributable to owners of Rio Tinto (see Group balance sheet) |  | (254) | (14) |  |
Cash flow from operations |  | (64) | (2) |  |
Turquoise Hill [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Significant Investments In Subsidiaries [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue |  | 1,180 | 940 |  |
Profit after tax for the year |  | 139 | 22 |  |
– attributable to non-controlling interests |  | 14 | (49) |  |
– attributable to owners of Rio Tinto (net earnings) |  | 125 | 71 |  |
Other comprehensive (loss)/income |  | (4) | 4 |  |
Total comprehensive income for the year |  | 135 | 26 |  |
– Non-current assets |  | 10,375 | 9,008 |  |
– Current assets |  | 3,813 | 4,953 |  |
– Current liabilities |  | (540) | (504) |  |
– Non-current liabilities |  | (4,367) | (4,311) |  |
Net assets/(liabilities) |  | 9,281 | 9,146 |  |
Attributable to non-controlling interests |  | 3,936 | 3,982 |  |
Equity attributable to owners of Rio Tinto (see Group balance sheet) |  | 5,345 | 5,164 |  |
Cash flow from operations |  | 357 | 295 |  |
Robe River Mining Co Pty Ltd [member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Significant Investments In Subsidiaries [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue |  | 1,082 | 1,164 |  |
Profit after tax for the year |  | 561 | 617 |  |
– attributable to non-controlling interests |  | 218 | 242 |  |
– attributable to owners of Rio Tinto (net earnings) |  | 343 | 375 |  |
Other comprehensive (loss)/income |  | (313) | 238 |  |
Total comprehensive income for the year |  | 248 | 855 |  |
– Non-current assets |  | 2,610 | 2,927 |  |
– Current assets |  | 710 | 875 |  |
– Current liabilities |  | (111) | (186) |  |
– Non-current liabilities |  | (117) | (174) |  |
Net assets/(liabilities) |  | 3,092 | 3,442 |  |
Attributable to non-controlling interests |  | 1,237 | 1,375 |  |
Equity attributable to owners of Rio Tinto (see Group balance sheet) |  | 1,855 | 2,067 |  |
Cash flow from operations |  | 933 | 1,048 |  |
Dividends paid to holders of non-controlling interests in subsidiaries |  | (224) | (230) |  |
Other companies and eliminations [member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Significant Investments In Subsidiaries [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue |  | 1,262 | 1,351 |  |
Profit after tax for the year |  | 543 | 637 |  |
– attributable to owners of Rio Tinto (net earnings) |  | 543 | 637 |  |
Other comprehensive (loss)/income |  | (203) | 158 |  |
Total comprehensive income for the year |  | 340 | 795 |  |
– Non-current assets |  | 3,739 | 4,187 |  |
– Current assets |  | 2,368 | 1,149 |  |
– Current liabilities |  | (235) | (1,357) |  |
– Non-current liabilities |  | (3,977) | (2,244) |  |
Net assets/(liabilities) |  | 1,895 | 1,735 |  |
Equity attributable to owners of Rio Tinto (see Group balance sheet) |  | 1,895 | 1,735 |  |
Cash flow from operations |  | 1,151 | 1,207 |  |
Robe River [member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Significant Investments In Subsidiaries [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue |  | 2,344 | 2,515 |  |
Profit after tax for the year |  | 1,104 | 1,254 |  |
– attributable to non-controlling interests |  | 218 | 242 |  |
– attributable to owners of Rio Tinto (net earnings) |  | 886 | 1,012 |  |
Other comprehensive (loss)/income |  | (516) | 396 |  |
Total comprehensive income for the year |  | 588 | 1,650 |  |
– Non-current assets |  | 6,349 | 7,114 |  |
– Current assets |  | 3,078 | 2,024 |  |
– Current liabilities |  | (346) | (1,543) |  |
– Non-current liabilities |  | (4,094) | (2,418) |  |
Net assets/(liabilities) |  | 4,987 | 5,177 |  |
Attributable to non-controlling interests |  | 1,237 | 1,375 |  |
Equity attributable to owners of Rio Tinto (see Group balance sheet) |  | 3,750 | 3,802 |  |
Cash flow from operations |  | 2,084 | 2,255 |  |
Dividends paid to holders of non-controlling interests in subsidiaries |  | $ (224) | $ (230) |  |
[1] | Refer to Group statement of comprehensive income for further details. Adjustments to other reserves include currency translation attributable to owners of Rio Tinto, other than that arising on Rio Tinto Limited’s share capital.

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