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Dividends - Summary of dividends paid (Detail) - USD ($)
$ / shares in Units, $ in Millions
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Dec. 31, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
Disclosure of Dividends [Line Items]      
Dividends paid during the year $ 10,334 $ 5,356 $ 4,250
Dividends per share: paid during the year $ 6.35 $ 3.07 $ 2.35
Final Dividends [Member]      
Disclosure of Dividends [Line Items]      
Dividends per share: proposed in the announcement of the results for the year 2.310 1.800 1.800
Special Dividends [Member]      
Disclosure of Dividends [Line Items]      
Dividends per share: proposed in the announcement of the results for the year $ 0.000 $ 2.430 $ 0.000
Rio Tinto plc [Member] | Final Dividends [Member]      
Disclosure of Dividends [Line Items]      
Previous year final dividend paid $ 2,245 $ 2,446 $ 1,725
Interim dividend paid 1,930 1,666 1,530
Rio Tinto plc [Member] | Special Dividends [Member]      
Disclosure of Dividends [Line Items]      
Previous year final dividend paid 3,032 0 0
Interim dividend paid 780 0 0
Rio Tinto Limited [Member] | Final Dividends [Member]      
Disclosure of Dividends [Line Items]      
Previous year final dividend paid 666 731 523
Interim dividend paid 556 513 472
Rio Tinto Limited [Member] | Special Dividends [Member]      
Disclosure of Dividends [Line Items]      
Previous year final dividend paid 900 0 0
Interim dividend paid $ 225 $ 0 $ 0