XML 315 R112.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.10.0.1

Operating segments - additional information - Consolidated sales revenue by destination (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Disclosure Of Geographical Areas [Line Items]
Percentage of consolidated sales revenue	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%
Consolidated sales revenue	$ 40,522	$ 40,030	$ 33,781
China [Member]
Disclosure Of Geographical Areas [Line Items]
Percentage of consolidated sales revenue	44.60%	44.20%	43.60%
Consolidated sales revenue	$ 18,061	$ 17,706	$ 14,742
Asia (excluding China and Japan) [Member]
Disclosure Of Geographical Areas [Line Items]
Percentage of consolidated sales revenue	11.50%	12.80%	13.90%
Consolidated sales revenue	$ 4,665	$ 5,108	$ 4,692
United States [Member]
Disclosure Of Geographical Areas [Line Items]
Percentage of consolidated sales revenue	15.50%	14.30%	13.90%
Consolidated sales revenue	$ 6,278	$ 5,716	$ 4,709
Japan [Member]
Disclosure Of Geographical Areas [Line Items]
Percentage of consolidated sales revenue	9.60%	11.70%	11.30%
Consolidated sales revenue	$ 3,873	$ 4,701	$ 3,809
Europe (excluding UK) [Member]
Disclosure Of Geographical Areas [Line Items]
Percentage of consolidated sales revenue	9.10%	7.50%	7.60%
Consolidated sales revenue	$ 3,706	$ 3,015	$ 2,579
Canada [Member]
Disclosure Of Geographical Areas [Line Items]
Percentage of consolidated sales revenue	3.20%	2.80%	3.00%
Consolidated sales revenue	$ 1,340	$ 1,111	$ 1,024
Australia [Member]
Disclosure Of Geographical Areas [Line Items]
Percentage of consolidated sales revenue	1.80%	1.80%	2.00%
Consolidated sales revenue	$ 720	$ 710	$ 675
United Kingdom [Member]
Disclosure Of Geographical Areas [Line Items]
Percentage of consolidated sales revenue	1.00%	1.10%	1.20%
Consolidated sales revenue	$ 386	$ 449	$ 391
Other countries [Member]
Disclosure Of Geographical Areas [Line Items]
Percentage of consolidated sales revenue	3.70%	3.80%	3.50%
Consolidated sales revenue	$ 1,493	$ 1,514	$ 1,160

X

- Definition

Line items represent concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes of the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DisclosureOfGeographicalAreasLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The percentage of the entity's revenue. [Refer: Revenue]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 8
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 34
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=8&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_34&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_PercentageOfEntitysRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The income arising in the course of an entity's ordinary activities. Income is increases in economic benefits during the accounting period in the form of inflows or enhancements of assets or decreases of liabilities that result in an increase in equity, other than those relating to contributions from equity participants.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 8
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph a
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=8&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_28_a&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 8
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 23
-Subparagraph a
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=8&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_23_a&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 8
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 32
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=8&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_32&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 8
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 33
-Subparagraph a
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=8&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_33_a&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 8
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 34
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=8&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_34&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 82
-Subparagraph a
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_82_a&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 103
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_103&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Note Expiry date 2018-01-01
-Name IAS
-Number 18
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 35
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=18&date=2017-03-02&anchor=para_35_b&doctype=Standard&book=B
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 102
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_102&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 12
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph B12
-Subparagraph b
-Clause v
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=12&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_B12_b_v&doctype=Appendix&seq=2
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 11: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 12
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph B10
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=12&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_B10_b&doctype=Appendix&seq=2
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_Revenue
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GeographicalAreasAxis=country_CN
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GeographicalAreasAxis=rio_AsiaExcludingChinaAndJapanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GeographicalAreasAxis=country_US
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GeographicalAreasAxis=country_JP
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GeographicalAreasAxis=rio_EuropeExcludingUkMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GeographicalAreasAxis=country_CA
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GeographicalAreasAxis=country_AU
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GeographicalAreasAxis=country_GB
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GeographicalAreasAxis=rio_OtherCountriesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: