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Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of Nominal Amount of Bond (Detail) € in Millions, £ in Millions, $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended |  |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2019 GBP (£) | Dec. 31, 2019 EUR (€) | Dec. 31, 2018 EUR (€)
Disclosure of detailed information about financial instruments [line items] |  |  |  |  |
Notional amount | $ 1,656 | $ 1,786 |  |  |
Rio Tinto Finance plc Sterling Bonds 4.0% due 2029 [Member] | Interest rate swaps [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about financial instruments [line items] |  |  |  |  |
Notional amount | $ 807 |  | £ 500 |  |
Effective exchange rate | 161.32% |  | 161.32% | 161.32% |
US Dollar Fixed Rate Borrowings [Member] | Interest rate swaps [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about financial instruments [line items] |  |  |  |  |
Notional amount | $ 4,500 | 4,300 |  | € 818 | € 818
Effective exchange rate | 131.05% |  | 131.05% | 131.05% |
Change in fair value of the hedging instrument | $ (24) | (25) |  |  |
Change in fair value of the hedged item | $ 24 | $ 25 |  |  |

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- Definition The gains (losses) on hedged items in fair value hedges, which are attributable to the hedged risk. [Refer: Fair value hedges [member]] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Note Expiry date 2021-01-01 -Name IFRS -Number 7 -IssueDate 2019-01-01 -Paragraph 24 -Subparagraph a -Clause ii -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IFRS&num=7&code=ifrs-tx-2017-en-b&anchor=para_24_a_ii&doctype=Standard&book=b -URIDate 2019-03-27 + Details
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