Operating segments - additional information (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Disclosure Of Operating Segments [Abstract]

Summary of geographical location sales revenue and non-current assets other than excluded items

		2018		2017		2016		2018		2017		2016
Consolidated sales revenue by destination^(a)	%		%		%		US$m		US$m		US$m
China		44.6		44.2		43.6		18,061		17,706		14,742
Asia (excluding China and Japan)		11.5		12.8		13.9		4,665		5,108		4,692
United States of America		15.5		14.3		13.9		6,278		5,716		4,709
Japan		9.6		11.7		11.3		3,873		4,701		3,809
Europe (excluding UK)		9.1		7.5		7.6		3,706		3,015		2,579
Canada		3.2		2.8		3.0		1,340		1,111		1,024
Australia		1.8		1.8		2.0		720		710		675
UK		1.0		1.1		1.2		386		449		391
Other countries		3.7		3.8		3.5		1,493		1,514		1,160
Consolidated sales revenue		100.0		100.0		100.0		40,522		40,030		33,781

(a)

Consolidated sales revenue by geographical destination is based on the ultimate country of destination of the product, if known. If the eventual destination of the product sold through traders is not known then revenue is allocated to the location of the product at the time when control is transferred. Rio Tinto is domiciled in both the UK and Australia.

Non-current assets other than excluded items ^(a)

The total of non-current assets other than items excluded is shown by location below. This is allocated based on the location of the business units holding the assets.

			Adjusted ^(b)
		2018		2017
	US$m		US$m
Australia		28,592		32,890
Canada		13,775		14,822
Mongolia		9,912		8,582
United States of America		4,815		4,812
Africa		3,476		3,781
South America		3,047		3,304
Indonesia		-		1,458
Europe (excluding France and the UK)		50		362
UK		59		66
France		79		94
Other countries		850		892
		64,655		71,063

Non-current assets excluded from analysis above:
Deferred tax assets		3,137		3,395
Other financial assets (including loans to equity accounted units)		814		510
Quasi equity loans to equity accounted units^(c)		129		159
Tax recoverable		8		30
Trade and other receivables		1,304		1,397
Total non-current assets per balance sheet		70,047		76,554

(a)

Allocation of non-current assets by country is based on the location of the business units holding the assets. It includes investments in equity accounted units totalling US$4,170 million (2017: US$4,327 million) which represents the Group’s share of net assets excluding quasi equity loans shown separately within “Loans to equity accounted units” above.

(b)

The 2017 comparatives above have been amended to correct the allocation of non-current assets other than excluded items by location. The impact is an increase in the amounts allocated to Canada and a decrease to the amounts allocated to France of US$182 million. There is no impact on the total non-current assets.

(c)

Loans to equity accounted units comprise quasi equity loans of US$129 million (2017: US$159 million) included in “Investments in equity accounted units” on the face of the balance sheet and non-current non-quasi equity loans of US$38 million (2017: US$39 million) shown within “Other financial assets”.

Consolidated sales revenue by product

Consolidated sales revenues of the Group are derived from the following products sold to external customers:

	Revenue from contracts with customers		Other revenue ^(a)			Consolidated sales revenue		Consolidated sales revenue		Consolidated sales revenue
		2018		2018			2018		2017		2016
	US$m		US$m			US$m		US$m		US$m
Iron ore		19,888		(21	)		19,867		20,010		15,855
Aluminium		12,041		(22	)		12,019		10,864		9,342
Copper		2,420		(32	)		2,388		1,760		1,609
Coal		986		3			989		2,822		2,567
Industrial minerals		2,093		-			2,093		2,060		1,954
Gold		869		-			869		378		608
Diamonds		695		-			695		706		613
Other		1,602		-			1,602		1,430		1,233
Consolidated sales revenue		40,594		(72	)		40,522		40,030		33,781
Share of equity accounted unit sales and intra-subsidiary/equity accounted unit sales							2,313		1,837		1,555
Gross sales revenue							42,835		41,867		35,336

(a)

Certain of the Group’s products may be provisionally priced at the date revenue is recognised. The change in value of the provisionally priced receivables is based on relevant forward market prices and is included in “Other revenue” above. In prior periods there was no equivalent requirement under IAS 18 to separate out such provisional price movements and therefore this was not separately disclosed.