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Dividends - Summary of dividends paid (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
Disclosure of Dividends [Line Items] |  |  |
Dividends paid during the year | $ 5,356 | $ 4,250 | $ 2,725
Dividends per share: paid during the year | $ 3.07 | $ 2.35 | $ 1.525
Final Dividends [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of Dividends [Line Items] |  |  |
Dividends per share: proposed in the announcement of the results for the year | 1.80 | $ 1.80 | $ 1.25
Special Dividends [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of Dividends [Line Items] |  |  |
Dividends per share: proposed in the announcement of the results for the year | $ 2.43 |  |
Rio Tinto plc [member] |  |  |
Disclosure of Dividends [Line Items] |  |  |
Previous year final dividend paid | $ 2,446 | $ 1,725 | $ 1,443
Interim dividend paid | 1,666 | 1,530 | 604
Rio Tinto Limited [member] |  |  |
Disclosure of Dividends [Line Items] |  |  |
Previous year final dividend paid | 731 | 523 | 473
Interim dividend paid | $ 513 | $ 472 | $ 205

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- Definition The amount, per share, of dividends proposed or declared before financial statements were authorised for issue but not recognised as distribution to owners. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 1 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph 137 -Subparagraph a -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_137_a&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2017-03-09 + Details
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- Definition The amount of dividends recognised as distributions to owners of the parent. [Refer: Parent [member]] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Name IAS -Number 1 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph 106 -Subparagraph d -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_106_d&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2017-03-09 + Details
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- Definition The amount of dividends relating to the current year, recognised as distributions to owners of the parent. [Refer: Parent [member]] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Name IAS -Number 1 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph 106 -Subparagraph d -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_106_d&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2017-03-09 + Details
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- Definition The amount of dividends relating to prior years, recognised as distributions to owners of the parent. [Refer: Parent [member]] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Name IAS -Number 1 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph 106 -Subparagraph d -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_106_d&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2017-03-09 + Details
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- Definition The amount, per share, of dividends recognised as distributions to owners. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 1 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph 107 -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_107&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2017-03-09 + Details
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