Post-retirement benefits - Additional information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Disclosure of defined benefit plans [Line Items]
Securities included in fair value of plan assets	$ 2	$ 2
Excess of service cost over cash paid to defined contribution plans	6
Estimated contributions to defined benefit pension plans for next annual reporting period	70
Asset ceiling loss	60	$ 1	$ 0
Loss for the change in currency exchange rate of asset ceiling loss	$ 5
Defined benefit obligation weighted average expected future life time	27 years	27 years
Defined benefit obligation weighted average expected future life time at man aged 60 in 2041	28 years	28 years
Present value of defined benefit obligation
Disclosure of defined benefit plans [Line Items]
Settlements	$ 4	$ 0
Healthcare plans
Disclosure of defined benefit plans [Line Items]
Discount rate	5.00%	5.40%
Medical trend rate (%)	8.30%	7.10%
Reduction in medical trend rate (%)	4.70%	4.80%
France \| Present value of defined benefit obligation
Disclosure of defined benefit plans [Line Items]
Settlements			$ 294

The discount rate used as the significant actuarial assumption to determine the present value of a defined benefit obligation. [Refer: Defined benefit obligation, at present value; Actuarial assumptions [member]]

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2023-01-01
-Paragraph 144
-URI https://taxonomy.ifrs.org/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2023-en-r&anchor=para_144&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2023-03-23

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ActuarialAssumptionOfDiscountRates
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Medical cost trend rate used as significant actuarial assumption to determine the present value of a defined benefit obligation. [Refer: Defined benefit obligation, at present value; Actuarial assumptions [member]]

+ References

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ActuarialAssumptionOfMedicalCostTrendRates
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fair value of the entity's own transferable financial instruments that are included in the fair value of defined benefit plan assets. [Refer: Plan assets, at fair value; Financial instruments, class [member]; Defined benefit plans [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2023-01-01
-Paragraph 143
-URI https://taxonomy.ifrs.org/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2023-en-r&anchor=para_143&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2023-03-23

+ Details

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

- Definition

Line items represent concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with members defined in one or many axes of the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DisclosureOfDefinedBenefitPlansLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The estimate of the expected contributions to be made to a defined benefit plan for the next annual reporting period. [Refer: Defined benefit plans [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2023-01-01
-Paragraph 147
-Subparagraph b
-URI https://taxonomy.ifrs.org/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2023-en-r&anchor=para_147_b&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2023-03-23

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2023-01-01
-Paragraph 148
-Subparagraph d
-Clause iii
-URI https://taxonomy.ifrs.org/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2023-en-r&anchor=para_148_d_iii&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2023-03-23

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_EstimateOfContributionsExpectedToBePaidToPlan
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The decrease (increase) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from the gain (loss) on changes in the effect of limiting a net defined benefit asset to the asset ceiling, excluding amounts included in interest income or expense. [Refer: Interest income (expense); Net defined benefit liability (asset); Increase (decrease) in net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from interest expense (income)]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2023-01-01
-Paragraph 141
-Subparagraph c
-Clause iv
-URI https://taxonomy.ifrs.org/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2023-en-r&anchor=para_141_c_iv&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2023-03-23

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GainLossOnChangesInEffectOfLimitingNetDefinedBenefitAssetToAssetCeiling
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The decrease (increase) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from settlements. Settlements are transactions that eliminate all further legal or constructive obligations for part or all of the benefits provided under a defined benefit plan, other than a payment of benefits to, or on behalf of, employees that is set out in the terms of the plan and included in the actuarial assumptions. [Refer: Net defined benefit liability (asset); Defined benefit plans [member]; Actuarial assumptions [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2023-01-01
-Paragraph 141
-Subparagraph d
-URI https://taxonomy.ifrs.org/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2023-en-r&anchor=para_141_d&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2023-03-23

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GainsLossesArisingFromSettlementsNetDefinedBenefitLiabilityAsset
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The reasonably possible percentage of the decrease in the actuarial assumption used to determine the present value of defined benefit obligation. [Refer: Actuarial assumptions [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2023-01-01
-Paragraph 145
-Subparagraph a
-URI https://taxonomy.ifrs.org/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2023-en-r&anchor=para_145_a&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2023-03-23

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_PercentageOfReasonablyPossibleDecreaseInActuarialAssumption
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Defined benefit obligation weighted average expected future life After Balance Sheet Date

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rio_DefinedBenefitObligationWeightedAverageExpectedFutureLifeAfterBalanceSheetDate
Namespace Prefix:	rio_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Defined benefit obligation weighted average expected future life time at balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rio_DefinedBenefitObligationWeightedAverageExpectedFutureLifeTimeAtBalanceSheetDate
Namespace Prefix:	rio_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Excess of service cost over cash paid to defined contribution plans

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rio_ExcessOfServiceCostOverCashPaidToDefinedContributionPlans
Namespace Prefix:	rio_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Increase (Decrease) In Net Defined Benefit Liability (Asset) Resulting From Changes In Foreign Exchange Rates To Asset Ceiling

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rio_IncreaseDecreaseInNetDefinedBenefitLiabilityAssetResultingFromChangesInForeignExchangeRatesToAssetCeiling
Namespace Prefix:	rio_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_NetDefinedBenefitLiabilityAssetAxis=ifrs-full_PresentValueOfDefinedBenefitObligationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DefinedBenefitPlansAxis=rio_HealthcarePlansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GeographicalAreasAxis=country_FR
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: