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Rio Tinto financial information by business unit - Schedule of financial information by business unit (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 6 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Jun. 30, 2020 | Jun. 30, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2019
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | $ 19,362 | $ 20,722 |
EBITDA | 5,929 | 5,484 |
Depreciation and amortisation in subsidiaries excluding capitalised depreciation | (1,974) | (2,059) |
Impairment charges | (1,163) | (2,349) |
Net earnings | 3,316 | 4,130 |
Capital expenditure | 2,665 | 2,374 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 2,092 | 2,096 |
Operating Assets | 44,050 |  | $ 44,183
Gains on disposals of property, plant and equipment | 28 | 17 |
Capital expenditure | 2,693 | 2,391 |
Less: Net debt | (4,826) |  | (3,651)
Equity attributable to owners of Rio Tinto | 39,224 |  | 40,532
Reportable segments |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Capital expenditure | 2,802 | 2,572 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 2,367 | 2,359 |
Operating Assets | 46,198 |  | 46,632
Reportable segments | Iron Ore |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 11,465 | 11,208 |
EBITDA | 7,698 | 7,552 |
Net earnings | 4,563 | 4,506 |
Capital expenditure | 1,185 | 669 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 840 | 826 |
Operating Assets | 14,693 |  | 14,019
Reportable segments | Aluminium |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 4,487 | 5,100 |
EBITDA | 925 | 1,127 |
Net earnings | 193 | 315 |
Capital expenditure | 482 | 711 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 594 | 597 |
Operating Assets | 14,370 |  | 16,030
Reportable segments | Copper & Diamonds |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 2,124 | 2,959 |
EBITDA | 670 | 1,213 |
Net earnings | 68 | 348 |
Capital expenditure | 1,009 | 1,002 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 626 | 642 |
Operating Assets | 12,872 |  | 12,010
Reportable segments | Energy & Minerals |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 2,331 | 2,539 |
EBITDA | 739 | 954 |
Net earnings | 232 | 341 |
Capital expenditure | 125 | 188 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 208 | 214 |
Operating Assets | 4,448 |  | 4,529
Reportable segments | Other operations |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 8 | 10 |
EBITDA | (10) | (88) |
Net earnings | (28) | (80) |
Capital expenditure | 1 | 2 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 99 | 80 |
Operating Assets | (288) |  | (83)
Inter-segment transactions |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | (82) | (7) |
EBITDA | (18) | 0 |
Net earnings | (6) | 0 |
Operating Assets | 103 |  | 127
Product Group |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 20,333 | 21,809 |
EBITDA | 10,004 | 10,758 |
Net earnings | 5,022 | 5,430 |
Central pension costs, share-based payments and insurance |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
EBITDA | 102 | 77 |
Net earnings | 97 | 77 |
Restructuring, project and one-off costs |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
EBITDA | (72) | (175) |
Net earnings | (53) | (119) |
Central costs |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
EBITDA | (273) | (272) |
Net earnings | (233) | (258) |
Central exploration and evaluation |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
EBITDA | (121) | (138) |
Net earnings | (97) | (109) |
Other items |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Capital expenditure | 22 | 25 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 39 | 36 |
Operating Assets | (2,148) |  | (2,449)
Net interest |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Net earnings | 14 | (89) |
Underlying EBITDA/earnings |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
EBITDA | 9,640 | 10,250 |
Net earnings | 4,750 | 4,932 |
Items excluded from underlying EBITDA/earnings |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
EBITDA | (119) | 117 |
Net earnings | (1,434) | (802) |
EBITDA/net earnings |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
EBITDA | 9,521 | 10,367 |
Net earnings | 3,316 | 4,130 |
Share of equity accounted unit sales and intra-subsidiary/equity accounted unit sales |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Adjustment for equity accounted units revenue | (971) | (1,087) |
Depreciation and amortisation in equity accounted units | (314) | (299) |
Taxation and finance items in equity accounted units | (141) | (176) |
Capital expenditure | (159) | (223) |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | (314) | (299) |
Pilbara | Reportable segments | Iron Ore |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 11,246 | 11,039 |
EBITDA | 7,702 | 7,528 |
Net earnings | 4,628 | 4,548 |
Capital expenditure | 1,179 | 663 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 831 | 817 |
Operating Assets | $ 14,430 |  | 13,865
Dampier Salt | Reportable segments | Iron Ore |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Rio Tinto interest (as a percent) | 6840.00% |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | $ 112 | 128 |
EBITDA | 25 | 38 |
Net earnings | 8 | 14 |
Capital expenditure | 6 | 6 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 9 | 9 |
Operating Assets | $ 158 |  | 152
Rio Tinto Kennecott | Reportable segments | Copper & Diamonds |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Rio Tinto interest (as a percent) | 10000.00% |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | $ 635 | 892 |
EBITDA | 193 | 425 |
Net earnings | (12) | 171 |
Capital expenditure | 320 | 179 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 223 | 216 |
Operating Assets | $ 2,249 |  | 2,012
Escondida | Reportable segments | Copper & Diamonds |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Rio Tinto interest (as a percent) | 3000.00% |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | $ 941 | 1,061 |
EBITDA | 564 | 568 |
Net earnings | 204 | 213 |
Capital expenditure | 118 | 147 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 239 | 237 |
Operating Assets | 2,869 |  | 2,871
Iron Ore Company of Canada |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 1,011 | 1,027 |
Net earnings | 151 | 152 |
Equity attributable to owners of Rio Tinto | $ 1,110 |  | 1,018
Iron Ore Company of Canada | Reportable segments | Energy & Minerals |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Rio Tinto interest (as a percent) | 5870.00% |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | $ 1,086 | 1,075 |
EBITDA | 473 | 526 |
Net earnings | 156 | 171 |
Capital expenditure | 51 | 73 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 88 | 84 |
Operating Assets | 715 |  | 803
Rio Tinto Iron & Titanium | Reportable segments | Energy & Minerals |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 773 | 983 |
EBITDA | 222 | 339 |
Net earnings | 80 | 144 |
Capital expenditure | 60 | 95 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 95 | 99 |
Operating Assets | $ 3,168 |  | 3,507
Rio Tinto Borates | Reportable segments | Energy & Minerals |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Rio Tinto interest (as a percent) | 10000.00% |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | $ 293 | 304 |
EBITDA | 83 | 98 |
Net earnings | 47 | 54 |
Capital expenditure | 16 | 17 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 25 | 30 |
Operating Assets | 511 |  | 525
Simandou iron ore project | Reportable segments | Energy & Minerals |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 0 | 0 |
EBITDA | (2) | (6) |
Net earnings | (1) | (3) |
Capital expenditure | (2) | 0 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 0 | 0 |
Operating Assets | 22 |  | 20
Oyu Tolgoi and Turquoise Hill | Reportable segments | Copper & Diamonds |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 409 | 735 |
EBITDA | 89 | 306 |
Net earnings | 11 | 52 |
Capital expenditure | 548 | 651 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 104 | 109 |
Operating Assets | 7,569 |  | 6,780
Evaluation projects/other | Reportable segments | Iron Ore |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 252 | 41 |
EBITDA | (37) | (14) |
Net earnings | (77) | (56) |
Capital expenditure | 0 | 0 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 0 | 0 |
Operating Assets | 163 |  | 2
Evaluation projects/other | Reportable segments | Aluminium |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 0 | 0 |
EBITDA | (29) | (36) |
Net earnings | (14) | (24) |
Capital expenditure | 0 | 0 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 0 | 0 |
Operating Assets | 0 |  | 0
Evaluation projects/other | Reportable segments | Copper & Diamonds |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | (2) | 0 |
EBITDA | (164) | (155) |
Net earnings | (95) | (83) |
Capital expenditure | 3 | 2 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 2 | 3 |
Operating Assets | 161 |  | 152
Evaluation projects/other | Reportable segments | Energy & Minerals |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 29 | 31 |
EBITDA | (48) | (42) |
Net earnings | (49) | (38) |
Capital expenditure | 0 | 0 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 0 | 0 |
Operating Assets | 37 |  | 37
Bauxite | Reportable segments | Aluminium |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 1,170 | 1,197 |
EBITDA | 514 | 503 |
Net earnings | 257 | 252 |
Capital expenditure | 53 | 242 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 139 | 112 |
Operating Assets | 2,406 |  | 2,597
Alumina | Reportable segments | Aluminium |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 1,096 | 1,485 |
EBITDA | 115 | 370 |
Net earnings | 38 | 169 |
Capital expenditure | 74 | 114 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 59 | 96 |
Operating Assets | 1,885 |  | 2,009
Primary Metal | Reportable segments | Aluminium |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 2,111 | 2,490 |
EBITDA | 284 | 306 |
Net earnings | (59) | (14) |
Capital expenditure | 303 | 303 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 325 | 312 |
Operating Assets | 8,905 |  | 9,674
Pacific Aluminium | Reportable segments | Aluminium |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 965 | 1,112 |
EBITDA | 5 | (54) |
Net earnings | (50) | (96) |
Capital expenditure | 54 | 52 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 71 | 77 |
Operating Assets | 357 |  | 970
Integrated operations | Reportable segments | Aluminium |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 4,080 | 4,598 |
EBITDA | 951 | 1,152 |
Net earnings | 210 | 331 |
Other product group Items | Reportable segments | Aluminium |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 407 | 502 |
EBITDA | 3 | 11 |
Net earnings | (3) | 8 |
Product group operations | Reportable segments | Aluminium |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 4,487 | 5,100 |
EBITDA | 954 | 1,163 |
Net earnings | 207 | 339 |
Capital expenditure | 482 | 711 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 594 | 597 |
Operating Assets | 14,370 |  | 16,030
Product group operations | Reportable segments | Copper & Diamonds |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 2,126 | 2,959 |
EBITDA | 834 | 1,368 |
Net earnings | 163 | 431 |
Capital expenditure | 1,006 | 1,000 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 624 | 639 |
Operating Assets | 12,711 |  | 11,858
Product group operations | Reportable segments | Energy & Minerals |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 2,302 | 2,508 |
EBITDA | 789 | 1,002 |
Net earnings | 282 | 382 |
Capital expenditure | 127 | 188 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 208 | 214 |
Operating Assets | 4,389 |  | 4,472
Diamonds |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 141 | 271 |
Diamonds | Reportable segments | Copper & Diamonds |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 141 | 271 |
EBITDA | (12) | 69 |
Net earnings | (40) | (5) |
Capital expenditure | 20 | 23 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 58 | 77 |
Operating Assets | 24 |  | 195
Uranium |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 149 | 147 |
Uranium | Reportable segments | Energy & Minerals |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | 150 | 146 |
EBITDA | 11 | 39 |
Net earnings | (1) | 13 |
Capital expenditure | 0 | 3 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 0 | 1 |
Operating Assets | (5) |  | (363)
Intra-segment and other | Reportable segments | Iron Ore |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | (145) | 0 |
EBITDA | 8 | 0 |
Net earnings | 4 | 0 |
Capital expenditure | 0 | 0 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 0 | 0 |
Operating Assets | (58) |  | 0
Intra-segment and other | Reportable segments | Aluminium |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Consolidated sales revenue | (1,262) | (1,686) |
EBITDA | 33 | 27 |
Net earnings | 24 | 20 |
Capital expenditure | (2) | 0 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 0 | 0 |
Operating Assets | 817 |  | 780
Integrated operations | Reportable segments | Aluminium |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Capital expenditure | 482 | 711 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 594 | 597 |
Operating Assets | 14,370 |  | 16,030
Other product group Items | Reportable segments | Aluminium |  |  |
Disclosure of operating segments [line items] |  |  |
Capital expenditure | 0 | 0 |
Depreciation and amortisation expense | 0 | $ 0 |
Operating Assets | $ 0 |  | $ 0

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