XML 258 R36.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.19.3.a.u2

Share capital - Rio Tinto plc | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2019
Disclosure of classes of share capital [abstract] |
Share capital - Rio Tinto plc | 27 Share capital – Rio Tinto plc
| 2019 Number (million) |  | 2018 Number (million) |  | 2017 Number (million) |  | 2019 US$m |  | 2018 US$m |  | 2017 US$m |
Issued and fully paid up share capital of 10p each |  |  |  |  |  |
At 1 January | 1,287.660 |  | 1,351.609 |  | 1,384.520 |  | 211 |  | 220 |  | 224 |
Ordinary shares issued(a)(c) | 0.041 |  | 0.035 |  | 0.026 |  | — |  | — |  | — |
Shares purchased and cancelled(b) | (28.356 | ) | (63.984 | ) | (32.937 | ) | (4 | ) | (9 | ) | (4 | )
At 31 December | 1,259.345 |  | 1,287.660 |  | 1,351.609 |  | 207 |  | 211 |  | 220 |
Shares held by public |  |  |  |  |  |
At 1 January | 1,278.215 |  | 1,342.058 |  | 1,374.822 |  |  |  |
Shares reissued from treasury(a) | 0.024 |  | 0.106 |  | 0.147 |  |  |  |
Ordinary shares issued(a)(c) | 0.041 |  | 0.035 |  | 0.026 |  |  |  |
Shares purchased and cancelled(b) | (28.356 | ) | (63.984 | ) | (32.937 | ) |  |  |
At 31 December | 1,249.924 |  | 1,278.215 |  | 1,342.058 |  |  |  |
Shares held in treasury | 9.421 |  | 9.445 |  | 9.551 |  |  |  |
Shares held by public | 1,249.924 |  | 1,278.215 |  | 1,342.058 |  |  |  |
Total share capital | 1,259.345 |  | 1,287.660 |  | 1,351.609 |  |  |  |
Other share classes |  |  |  |  |  |
Special Voting Share of 10p each(d) | 1 only |  | 1 only |  | 1 only |  |  |  |
DLC Dividend Share of 10p each(d) | 1 only |  | 1 only |  | 1 only |  |  |  |
Equalisation Share of 10p each(d) | 1 only |  | 1 only |  | 1 only |  |  |  |
(a) | 40,974 ordinary shares were issued in 2019 under the Global Employee Share Plan (GESP). 23,659 ordinary shares were reissued from treasury during the year resulting from the vesting of awards and the exercise of options under Rio Tinto plc employee share-based payment plans, with exercise prices and market values between £36.33 and £49.74 per share (2018: 35,380 ordinary shares were issued under the GESP and 106,045 ordinary shares were reissued from treasury with exercise prices and market values between £16.53 and £43.79 per share; 2017: 26,241 ordinary shares were issued under the GESP and 147,126 ordinary shares reissued from treasury with exercise prices and market values between £28.63 and £37.78 per share).
(b) | The authority for the company to buy back its ordinary shares was renewed at the 2019 annual general meeting. 28,356,034 shares were bought back and cancelled in 2019 under the on-market buy-back programme. 63,984,287 shares were bought back and cancelled in 2018 under the on-market buy-back programme. 32,937,109 shares were bought back in 2017 under the on-market buy-back programme.
(c) | The aggregate consideration for new shares issued under the GESP was US$1.1 million (2018: US$1.0 million; 2017: US$1.0 million). The difference between the nominal value and the issue price of the shares issued was credited to the share premium account. The aggregate consideration received for treasury shares reissued was US$1 million (2018: US$6 million; 2017: US$2 million). No new shares were issued as a result of the exercise of options under Rio Tinto plc employee share-based payment plans in 2019, 2018 and 2017.
(d) | The “Special Voting Share” was issued to facilitate the joint voting by shareholders of Rio Tinto plc and Rio Tinto Limited on Joint Decisions, following the DLC Merger. The “DLC Dividend Share” was issued to facilitate the efficient management of funds within the DLC structure. Directors have the ability to issue an Equalisation Share if that is required under the terms of the DLC Merger Sharing Agreement.
During 2019, US$43 million of shares and ADRs (2018: US$140 million; 2017: US$39 million) were purchased by employee share ownership trusts on behalf of Rio Tinto plc to satisfy future share options and awards as they vest. At 31 December 2019, 821,589 shares and 44,666 ADRs were held in the employee share ownership trusts on behalf of Rio Tinto plc. Information relating to share options and other share-based incentive schemes is given in note 43. Subsequent to 31 December 2019, 3,233,874 number of shares were bought back and cancelled under the on-market buy-back programme.

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ifrs-full_DisclosureOfClassesOfShareCapitalAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | ifrs-full_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for share capital, affiliate. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | rio_DisclosureOfShareCapitalAffiliateExplanatory
Namespace Prefix: | rio_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration