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Cash and cash equivalents - Additional information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Disclosure of cash and cash equivalents [Line Items]
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	$ 315	$ 186
Repayment of third party borrowings	245	142
Subsidiaries [Member]
Disclosure of cash and cash equivalents [Line Items]
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	1,644	1,090
Repayment of third party borrowings	$ 1,442	$ 864

X

- Definition

The amount of cash and cash equivalents whose use or withdrawal is restricted. [Refer: Cash and cash equivalents]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 55
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=1&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_55&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Disclosure of cash and cash equivalents [Line Items]

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rio_DisclosureOfCashAndCashEquivalentsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	rio_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Restricted cash and cash equivalent available to repay borrowings.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rio_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentAvailableToRepayBorrowings
Namespace Prefix:	rio_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=ifrs-full_SubsidiariesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: