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New Standards and Interpretations Adopted in the Current Year - Schedule of impact on equity attributable to owners of Rio Tinto due to adoption of IFRS 9 and IFRS 15 (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | Dec. 31, 2018 | Jan. 01, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
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Disclosure of initial application of standards or interpretations [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Equity attributable to owners of Rio Tinto (see Group balance sheet) | $ 43,686 | $ 44,542 | $ 44,711 | $ 39,290
Previously Stated [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of initial application of standards or interpretations [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Equity attributable to owners of Rio Tinto (see Group balance sheet) |  | 44,711 |  |
Increase (decrease) due to changes in accounting policy required by IFRSs [Member] | IFRS 9 [member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of initial application of standards or interpretations [Line Items] |  |  |  |
IFRS 9 Impairment provision resulting from application of the Expected Credit Loss (ECL) model and revaluations |  | (5) |  |
Increase (decrease) due to changes in accounting policy required by IFRSs [Member] | IFRS 15 [member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of initial application of standards or interpretations [Line Items] |  |  |  |
IFRS 15 De-recognition of receivable arising from uplift transaction |  | $ (164) |  |

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- Definition The amount of equity attributable to the owners of the parent. This specifically excludes non-controlling interest. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 1 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph 54 -Subparagraph r -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_54_r&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2017-03-09 + Details
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- Definition The transition adjustment relates to an ‘uplift’ arrangement with a partner in a joint operation whereby sales revenue was recognised under IAS 18 when the Group sold product from other operations to its partner to allow it to meet its contractual obligations when insufficient product was available in the jointly owned operation. The Group recognised an asset for product which will be receivable from the partner out of the partner’s share of future production of the joint operation. Under IFRS 15, such transactions with partners in joint operations cannot be recognised as sales revenue. + References No definition available. + Details
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