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Share capital - Rio Tinto plc - Summary of share capital (Detail)
$ in Millions
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
USD ($)
shares
Dec. 31, 2021
£ / shares
shares
Dec. 31, 2020
USD ($)
shares
Dec. 31, 2020
£ / shares
shares
Dec. 31, 2019
USD ($)
shares
Dec. 31, 2019
£ / shares
shares
Disclosure of classes of share capital [line items]            
Ordinary shares issued | $ $ 0.0   $ 0.0   $ 0.0  
Number of shares held (in shares) 0 0 0 0 0 0
Rio Tinto plc            
Disclosure of classes of share capital [line items]            
Number of issued and fully paid up share capital beginning balance (in shares) 1,255,756,000   1,259,345,000   1,287,660,000  
Issued and fully paid up share capital beginning balance | $ $ 207.0   $ 207.0   $ 211.0  
Ordinary shares issued (in shares) 39,000.000   39,000.000   41,000.000  
Shares purchased and cancelled (in shares) 0   (3,627,568)   (28,356,034)  
Shares purchased and cancelled | $ $ 0.0   $ 0.0   $ (4.0)  
Number of shares held by public at beginning balance 1,255,756,000   1,259,345,000      
Issued and fully paid up share capital ending balance | $ $ 207.0   $ 207.0   $ 207.0  
Number of issued and fully paid up share capital ending balance (in shares) 1,255,795,000   1,255,756,000   1,259,345,000  
Number of shares held by public at ending balance 1,255,795,000   1,255,756,000   1,259,345,000  
Ordinary shares issued (in shares)     39,273 39,273 40,974 40,974
Treasury stock reissued | $ $ 0.2   $ 1.0   $ 1.0  
Rio Tinto plc | Global employee share plan            
Disclosure of classes of share capital [line items]            
Issued and fully paid up share capital beginning balance | $ 1.3   1.1      
Issued and fully paid up share capital ending balance | $ $ 1.8   $ 1.3   $ 1.1  
Ordinary shares issued (in shares) 38,581 38,581        
Rio Tinto plc | Rio Tinto Plc employee share based payment plans            
Disclosure of classes of share capital [line items]            
Exercise prices per share | £ / shares   £ 44.61   £ 32.74   £ 36.33
Market value per share | £ / shares   £ 64.80   £ 56.32   £ 49.74
Rio Tinto plc | Rio Tinto Plc employee share based payment plans | Treasury shares            
Disclosure of classes of share capital [line items]            
Shares reissued from treasury 1,197,858   568,863   23,659  
Rio Tinto plc | Shares held by public            
Disclosure of classes of share capital [line items]            
Ordinary shares issued (in shares) 39,000.000   39,000.000   41,000.000  
Shares purchased and cancelled (in shares) 0   3,628,000   28,356,000  
Number of shares held by public at beginning balance 1,246,904,000   1,249,924,000   1,278,215,000  
Shares reissued from treasury 1,198,000   569,000   24,000.000  
Number of shares held (in shares) 7,654,000 7,654,000 8,852,000 8,852,000 9,421,000 9,421,000
Number of shares held by public at ending balance 1,248,141,000   1,246,904,000   1,249,924,000  
Rio Tinto plc | Special voting share            
Disclosure of classes of share capital [line items]            
Other share classes 1 only   1 only   1 only  
Rio Tinto plc | DLC dividend share            
Disclosure of classes of share capital [line items]            
Other share classes 1 only   1 only   1 only