2.2.0.7 false Impairment of Assets 00940 - Disclosure - Impairment of Assets true false false false 1 USD false false Monetary Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 EarninsPerShareUSD Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 $ 2 Tangible Asset Impairment Charges Abstract 0 us-gaap_TangibleAssetImpairmentChargesAbstract us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false true false false false false false false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:stringItemType string No definition available. false 3 Asset Impairment Charges Text Block 1 au_AssetImpairmentChargesTextBlock au false na duration The charge against earnings resulting from the aggregate write down of all assets from their carrying value to their fair... false false false false false false false false false false false false 1 false false false false 0 0 Impairments are made up as follows:<div><table style="border-collapse:collapse;margin-top:20px;"><tr style="height: 15px"><td style="width: 38px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:38px;"> </td><td colspan="2" style="width: 459px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:459px;"> </td><td colspan="2" style="width: 224px; text-align:right;border-color:#000000;min-width:224px;">Six months ended June 30,</td></tr><tr style="height: 15px"><td style="width: 38px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:38px;"> </td><td colspan="2" style="width: 459px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:459px;"> </td><td style="width: 112px; text-align:right;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;">2010</td><td style="width: 112px; text-align:right;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;">2009</td></tr><tr style="height: 15px"><td style="width: 38px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:38px;"> </td><td colspan="2" style="width: 459px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:459px;"> </td><td style="width: 112px; text-align:right;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;">(unaudited)</td><td style="width: 112px; text-align:right;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;">(unaudited)</td></tr><tr style="height: 15px"><td style="width: 38px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:38px;"> </td><td colspan="2" style="width: 459px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:459px;"> </td><td colspan="2" style="width: 224px; text-align:center;border-color:#000000;min-width:224px;"> (in US Dollars, millions) </td></tr><tr style="height: 7px"><td style="width: 38px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:38px;"> </td><td colspan="2" style="width: 459px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:459px;"> </td><td style="width: 112px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> </td><td style="width: 112px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> </td></tr><tr style="height: 15px"><td style="width: 38px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:38px;"> </td><td colspan="2" style="width: 459px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:459px;">South Africa</td><td style="width: 112px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> </td><td style="width: 112px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> </td></tr><tr style="height: 2px"><td style="width: 38px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:38px;"> </td><td colspan="2" style="width: 459px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:459px;"> </td><td style="width: 112px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> </td><td style="width: 112px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> </td></tr><tr style="height: 15px"><td style="width: 38px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:38px;"> </td><td colspan="2" style="width: 459px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:459px;">Impairment of Tau Lekoa (held for sale)</td><td style="width: 112px; border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> 8</td><td style="width: 112px; border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> -</td></tr><tr style="height: 5px"><td style="width: 38px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:38px;"> </td><td style="width: 20px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:20px;"> </td><td style="width: 439px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:439px;"> </td><td style="width: 112px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> </td><td style="width: 112px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> </td></tr><tr style="height: 15px"><td style="width: 38px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:38px;"> </td><td colspan="2" style="width: 459px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:459px;">Continental Africa</td><td style="width: 112px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> </td><td style="width: 112px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> </td></tr><tr style="height: 2px"><td style="width: 38px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:38px;"> </td><td style="width: 20px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:20px;"> </td><td style="width: 439px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:439px;"> </td><td style="width: 112px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> </td><td style="width: 112px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> </td></tr><tr style="height: 15px"><td style="width: 38px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:38px;"> </td><td colspan="2" style="width: 459px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:459px;">Write-off of tailings storage facility at Iduapriem</td><td style="width: 112px; border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> 8</td><td style="width: 112px; border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> -</td></tr><tr style="height: 15px"><td style="width: 38px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:38px;"> </td><td colspan="2" style="width: 459px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:459px;">Write-off of vehicles and heavy mining equipment at Geita </td><td style="width: 112px; border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> 3</td><td style="width: 112px; border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> -</td></tr><tr style="height: 15px"><td style="width: 38px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:38px;"> </td><td colspan="2" style="width: 459px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:459px;"> </td><td style="width: 112px; border-top-style:solid;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-style:solid;border-bottom-width:2px;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> 19</td><td style="width: 112px; border-top-style:solid;border-top-width:1px;border-bottom-style:solid;border-bottom-width:2px;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> -</td></tr><tr style="height: 13px"><td style="width: 38px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:38px;"> </td><td style="width: 20px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:20px;"> </td><td style="width: 439px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:439px;"> </td><td style="width: 112px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> </td><td style="width: 112px; text-align:left;border-color:#000000;min-width:112px;"> </td></tr></table></div> Impairments are made up as follows:  Six months ended June 30,  20102009  (unaudited)(unaudited)   (in US false false false us-types:textBlockItemType textblock The charge against earnings resulting from the aggregate write down of all assets from their carrying value to their fair value. No authoritative reference available. false 1 2 false UnKnown UnKnown UnKnown false true