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Rio Tinto financial information by business unit Rio Tinto financial information by business unit - Schedule of financial information by business unit (Parenthetical) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions |  |  |  |  | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Jul. 16, 2019 | Aug. 01, 2018 | Jun. 01, 2018 | Sep. 01, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion of net beneficial interest |  |  |  |  | 53.00% |  |
Net beneficial interest held percentage |  |  |  |  | 35.00% |  |
Net beneficial interest held percentage as owned subsidiary |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |
Proceeds from sale of surplus land |  |  |  |  |  | $ 508 |
Proceeds from issue of equity to non-controlling interests |  |  |  |  | $ 101 | 85 | $ 170
Operating assets |  |  |  |  | 44,183 | $ 43,431 | 48,556
Capital expenditure percentage of subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |
Reportable segments [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating assets |  |  |  |  | 46,505 | $ 45,742 | 50,611
Reportable segments [Member] | Energy & Minerals [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating assets |  |  |  |  | $ 4,529 | $ 3,696 | 6,163
Hope Downs Joint Venture [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion of ownership interest in joint venture |  |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |
Robe River [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  | 65.00% |  |
Proportion of net beneficial interest |  |  |  |  | 53.00% |  |
Non-controlling interest (%) |  |  |  |  | 12.00% |  |
Freeport-McMoRan Inc [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of material mined |  |  |  |  |  | 40.00% |
Diavik Joint Venture [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  | 60.00% |
Proportion of ownership interest in joint venture |  |  |  |  | 60.00% |  |
Hail Creek [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership interest in joint venture disposed |  | 82.00% |  |  |  |  |
Hail Creek [Member] | Australia [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from disposal of ownership in joint venture |  | $ 1,700 |  |  |  |  |
Kestrel Underground Coal Mine [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion of ownership interest in joint venture |  | 80.00% |  |  |  |  |
Kestrel Underground Coal Mine [Member] | Australia [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from disposal of ownership in joint venture |  | $ 2,250 |  |  |  |  |
Winchester South [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion of ownership interest in joint venture |  |  | 75.00% |  |  |  |
Proceeds from disposal of ownership in joint venture |  |  | $ 200 |  |  |  |
Valeria [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership interest in joint venture disposed |  | 71.20% |  |  |  |  |
30 Percent [Member] | Robe River [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net beneficial interest held percentage |  |  |  |  | 30.00% |  |
35 Percent [Member] | Robe River [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net beneficial interest held percentage as owned subsidiary |  |  |  |  | 60.00% |  |
Hamersley Iron Pty Limited [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |
Hamersley Iron Pty Limited [Member] | Ordinary [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |
Oyu Tolgoi Llc [Member] | Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of share class held in subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  | 50.80% |
Oyu Tolgoi Llc [Member] | Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd [Member] | Oyo Tolgoi Copper-Gold Mine [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of share class held in subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  | 66.00% |
Argyle Diamonds Limited [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |
Argyle Diamonds Limited [Member] | Ordinary [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |
Coal & Allied Industries Limited [member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proportion Of Ownership Interest In Subsidiary Disposed |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |  |
Proceeds from issue of equity to non-controlling interests |  |  |  | $ 2,690 |  |  |
Rio Tinto Coal Australia [Member] | Reportable segments [Member] | Energy & Minerals [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating assets |  |  |  |  | $ 0 | $ (837) | $ 1,040
Rio Tinto Fer et Titane Inc. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |
QIT Madagascar Minerals SA [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  | 80.00% |
Richards Bay Minerals [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  | 74.00% |
Energy Resources of Australia Ltd [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  | 68.40% |
Energy Resources of Australia Ltd [Member] | Ordinary [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  | 68.39% | 68.60% |
Non-controlling interest (%) |  |  |  |  | 31.61% |  |
Rossing Uranium Limited [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary | 68.62% |  |  |  |  |  |
Simfer Jersey Limited [Member] | Ordinary [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  | 53.00% | 53.00% |
Non-controlling interest (%) |  |  |  |  | 47.00% |  |
Simfer S.A. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  | 85.00% | 85.00% |
Non-controlling interest (%) |  |  |  |  |  | 45.05% |
Gove Alumina Refinery and Rio Tinto Marine [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |

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