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Principal subsidiaries Principal subsidiaries - Principal in subsidiaries (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions |  | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Aug. 01, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of net beneficial interest |  | 53.00% |  |
Goodwill |  | $ 922 | $ 912 | $ 1,037
Oyu Tolgoi Llc [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of indirect ownership interest in subsidiary |  | 33.50% |  |
Robe River [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 65.00% |  |
Non-controlling interest (%) |  | 12.00% |  |
Proportion of net beneficial interest |  | 53.00% |  |
Kestrel Underground Coal Mine [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of ownership interest in joint venture | 80.00% |  |  |
Consrcio De Alumnio Do Maranho [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of ownership interest in joint venture |  | 10.00% |  |
Diavik Joint Venture [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Group interest (%) |  |  | 60.00% |
Proportion of ownership interest in joint venture |  | 60.00% |  |
Proportion receivable or contingent asset percent |  | 40.00% |  |
Argyle Diamonds Limited [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Group interest (%) |  |  | 100.00% |
Argyle Diamonds Limited [Member] | Ordinary [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Dampier Salt Limited [Member] | Ordinary [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 68.36% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 68.36% |  |
Non-controlling interest (%) |  | 31.64% |  |
Energy Resources of Australia Ltd [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Group interest (%) |  |  | 68.40% |
Energy Resources of Australia Ltd [Member] | Ordinary [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 68.39% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 68.39% | 68.60% |
Non-controlling interest (%) |  | 31.61% |  |
Hamersley Iron Pty Limited [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Hamersley Iron Pty Limited [Member] | Ordinary [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
North Mining Limited [Member] | Robe River [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Non-controlling interest (%) |  | 35.00% |  |
North Mining Limited [Member] | Ordinary [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Rio Tinto Aluminium (Holdings) Limited [Member] | Ordinary [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Robe River Mining Co Pty Ltd [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 60.00% |  |
Robe River Mining Co Pty Ltd [Member] | Robe River [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Non-controlling interest (%) |  | 30.00% |  |
Robe River Mining Co Pty Ltd [Member] | Class A and Class B Shares [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 60.00% |  |
Non-controlling interest (%) |  | 40.00% |  |
Robe River Mining Co Pty Ltd [Member] | Class A [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 40.00% |  |
Robe River Mining Co Pty Ltd [Member] | Class B [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 76.36% |  |
Alcan Alumina Ltda. [Member] | Quota [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Iron Ore Company of Canada [Member] | Common [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 58.72% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 58.72% |  |
Non-controlling interest (%) |  | 41.28% |  |
Rio Tinto Fer et Titane Inc. [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Group interest (%) |  |  | 100.00% |
Rio Tinto Fer et Titane Inc. [Member] | Common [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Rio Tinto Fer et Titane Inc. [Member] | Class B preference [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Rio Tinto Fer et Titane Inc. [Member] | CAD 0.01 preferred [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Rio Tinto Alcan Inc. [Member] | Common [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Diavik Diamond Mines (2012) Inc. [Member] | Common [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Simfer Jersey Limited [Member] | Ordinary [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 53.00% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 53.00% | 53.00% |
Non-controlling interest (%) |  | 47.00% |  |
Simfer S.A. [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 85.00% | 85.00% |
Non-controlling interest (%) |  |  | 45.05% |
Proportion of indirect ownership interest in subsidiary |  | 45.05% |  |
QIT Madagascar Minerals SA [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Group interest (%) |  |  | 80.00% |
Portion of additional economic interest held through non voting investment |  | 5.00% |  |
Portion of economic interest held through non voting investment |  | 85.00% |  |
Proportion of voting rights held by non-controlling interests |  | 20.00% |  |
QIT Madagascar Minerals SA [Member] | Common [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 80.00% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 80.00% |  |
QIT Madagascar Minerals SA [Member] | Common Shares And Investment Certificates [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Non-controlling interest (%) |  | 15.00% |  |
QIT Madagascar Minerals SA [Member] | Investment certificates [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
QIT Madagascar Minerals SA [Member] | Voting certificates [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 80.00% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 80.00% |  |
Non-controlling interest (%) |  | 20.00% |  |
Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 50.79% |  |
Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd [Member] | Oyu Tolgoi Llc [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 66.00% |  |
Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd(including Oyu Tolgoi LLC) [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 51.00% |  |
Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd(including Oyu Tolgoi LLC) [Member] | Common [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 50.79% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 50.79% |  |
Non-controlling interest (%) |  | 49.21% |  |
Richards Bay Titanium (Proprietary) Limited [Member] | B Ordinary, B Preference, and Parent Preference [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 74.00% |  |
Non-controlling interest (%) |  | 26.00% |  |
Richards Bay Titanium (Proprietary) Limited [Member] | B Ordinary [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Richards Bay Titanium (Proprietary) Limited [Member] | B preference [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Richards Bay Titanium (Proprietary) Limited [Member] | Parent Preference [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Richards Bay Mining (Proprietary) Limited [Member] | B Ordinary, B Preference, and Parent Preference [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 74.00% |  |
Non-controlling interest (%) |  | 26.00% |  |
Richards Bay Mining (Proprietary) Limited [Member] | B Ordinary [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Richards Bay Mining (Proprietary) Limited [Member] | B preference [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Richards Bay Mining (Proprietary) Limited [Member] | Parent Preference [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Kennecott Holdings Corporation (including Kennecott Utah Copper and Kennecott Exploration) [Member] | Common [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
U.S. Borax Inc. [Member] | Common [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Proportion of class held (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Group interest (%) |  | 100.00% |  |
Robe River [Member] | North Mining Limited [Member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure of subsidiaries [line items] |  |  |  |
Goodwill |  | $ 349 | $ 351 |

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