3.19.3.a.u2 html 1675 1147 1 true 439 0 false 19 false false R1.htm 0002000 - Document - Cover Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/Cover Cover Cover 1 false false R2.htm 1001000 - Statement - Group income statement Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/GroupIncomeStatement Group income statement Statements 2 false false R3.htm 1002000 - Statement - Group statement of comprehensive income Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/GroupStatementOfComprehensiveIncome Group statement of comprehensive income Statements 3 false false R4.htm 1002501 - Statement - Group statement of comprehensive income (Parenthetical) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/GroupStatementOfComprehensiveIncomeParenthetical Group statement of comprehensive income (Parenthetical) Statements 4 false false R5.htm 1003000 - Statement - Group cash flow statement Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/GroupCashFlowStatement Group cash flow statement Statements 5 false false R6.htm 1003501 - Statement - Group cash flow statement (Parenthetical) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/GroupCashFlowStatementParenthetical Group cash flow statement (Parenthetical) Statements 6 false false R7.htm 1004000 - Statement - Group balance sheet Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/GroupBalanceSheet Group balance sheet Statements 7 false false R8.htm 1005000 - Statement - Group statement of changes in equity Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/GroupStatementOfChangesInEquity Group statement of changes in equity Statements 8 false false R9.htm 1005501 - Statement - Group statement of changes in equity (Parenthetical) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/GroupStatementOfChangesInEquityParenthetical Group statement of changes in equity (Parenthetical) Statements 9 false false R10.htm 2101100 - Disclosure - Principal accounting policies Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalAccountingPolicies Principal accounting policies Notes 10 false false R11.htm 2102100 - Disclosure - Operating segments Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OperatingSegments Operating segments Notes 11 false false R12.htm 2103100 - Disclosure - Operating segments - additional information Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OperatingSegmentsAdditionalInformation Operating segments - additional information Notes 12 false false R13.htm 2104100 - Disclosure - Net operating costs (excluding items shown separately) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/NetOperatingCostsExcludingItemsShownSeparately Net operating costs (excluding items shown separately) Notes 13 false false R14.htm 2105100 - Disclosure - Employment costs Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/EmploymentCosts Employment costs Notes 14 false false R15.htm 2106100 - Disclosure - Impairment charges Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ImpairmentCharges Impairment charges Notes 15 false false R16.htm 2108100 - Disclosure - Share of profit after tax of equity accounted units Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareOfProfitAfterTaxOfEquityAccountedUnits Share of profit after tax of equity accounted units Notes 16 false false R17.htm 2109100 - Disclosure - Finance income and finance costs Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinanceIncomeAndFinanceCosts Finance income and finance costs Notes 17 false false R18.htm 2109100 - Disclosure - Taxation Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/Taxation Taxation Notes 18 false false R19.htm 2110100 - Disclosure - Earnings per ordinary share Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/EarningsPerOrdinaryShare Earnings per ordinary share Notes 19 false false R20.htm 2111100 - Disclosure - Dividends Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/Dividends Dividends Notes 20 false false R21.htm 2112100 - Disclosure - Goodwill Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/Goodwill Goodwill Notes 21 false false R22.htm 2113100 - Disclosure - Intangible assets Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/IntangibleAssets Intangible assets Notes 22 false false R23.htm 2114100 - Disclosure - Property, plant and equipment Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PropertyPlantAndEquipment Property, plant and equipment Notes 23 false false R24.htm 2115100 - Disclosure - Investments in equity accounted units Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/InvestmentsInEquityAccountedUnits Investments in equity accounted units Notes 24 false false R25.htm 2116100 - Disclosure - Inventories Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/Inventories Inventories Notes 25 false false R26.htm 2117100 - Disclosure - Deferred taxation Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/DeferredTaxation Deferred taxation Notes 26 false false R27.htm 2118100 - Disclosure - Trade and other receivables Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/TradeAndOtherReceivables Trade and other receivables Notes 27 false false R28.htm 2119100 - Disclosure - Assets and liabilities held for sale Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/AssetsAndLiabilitiesHeldForSale Assets and liabilities held for sale Notes 28 false false R29.htm 2120100 - Disclosure - Other financial assets Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OtherFinancialAssets Other financial assets Notes 29 false false R30.htm 2121100 - Disclosure - Cash and cash equivalents Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/CashAndCashEquivalents Cash and cash equivalents Notes 30 false false R31.htm 2122100 - Disclosure - Borrowings and other financial liabilities Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/BorrowingsAndOtherFinancialLiabilities Borrowings and other financial liabilities Notes 31 false false R32.htm 2123100 - Disclosure - Leases Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/Leases Leases Notes 32 false false R33.htm 2124100 - Disclosure - Consolidated net cash/(debt) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ConsolidatedNetCashDebt Consolidated net cash/(debt) Notes 33 false false R34.htm 2125100 - Disclosure - Trade and other payables Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/TradeAndOtherPayables Trade and other payables Notes 34 false false R35.htm 2126100 - Disclosure - Provisions (including post-retirement benefits) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ProvisionsIncludingPostRetirementBenefits Provisions (including post-retirement benefits) Notes 35 false false R36.htm 2128100 - Disclosure - Share capital - Rio Tinto plc Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareCapitalRioTintoPlc Share capital - Rio Tinto plc Notes 36 false false R37.htm 2129100 - Disclosure - Share Capital - Rio Tinto Limited Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareCapitalRioTintoLimited Share Capital - Rio Tinto Limited Notes 37 false false R38.htm 2130100 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagement Financial instruments and risk management Notes 38 false false R39.htm 2130100 - Disclosure - Other reserves and retained earnings Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OtherReservesAndRetainedEarnings Other reserves and retained earnings Notes 39 false false R40.htm 2131100 - Disclosure - Contingencies and commitments Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ContingenciesAndCommitments Contingencies and commitments Notes 40 false false R41.htm 2132100 - Disclosure - Average number of employees Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/AverageNumberOfEmployees Average number of employees Notes 41 false false R42.htm 2133100 - Disclosure - Principal subsidiaries Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalSubsidiaries Principal subsidiaries Notes 42 false false R43.htm 2134100 - Disclosure - Principal joint operations Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalJointOperations Principal joint operations Notes 43 false false R44.htm 2135100 - Disclosure - Principal joint ventures Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalJointVentures Principal joint ventures Notes 44 false false R45.htm 2136100 - Disclosure - Principal associates Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalAssociates Principal associates Notes 45 false false R46.htm 2137100 - Disclosure - Purchases and sales of subsidiaries, joint ventures, associates and other interests in businesses Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PurchasesAndSalesOfSubsidiariesJointVenturesAssociatesAndOtherInterestsInBusinesses Purchases and sales of subsidiaries, joint ventures, associates and other interests in businesses Notes 46 false false R47.htm 2139100 - Disclosure - Directors' and key management remuneration Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/DirectorsAndKeyManagementRemuneration Directors' and key management remuneration Notes 47 false false R48.htm 2140100 - Disclosure - Auditors' remuneration Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/AuditorsRemuneration Auditors' remuneration Notes 48 false false R49.htm 2141100 - Disclosure - Related-party transactions Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactions Related-party transactions Notes 49 false false R50.htm 2142100 - Disclosure - Exchange rates in US$ Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ExchangeRatesInUs Exchange rates in US$ Notes 50 false false R51.htm 2143100 - Disclosure - Events after the balance sheet date Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/EventsAfterBalanceSheetDate Events after the balance sheet date Notes 51 false false R52.htm 2144100 - Disclosure - Share-based payments Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareBasedPayments Share-based payments Notes 52 false false R53.htm 2145100 - Disclosure - Post-retirement benefits Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PostRetirementBenefits Post-retirement benefits Notes 53 false false R54.htm 2147100 - Disclosure - New standards and interpretations adopted in the current year Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/NewStandardsAndInterpretationsAdoptedInCurrentYear New standards and interpretations adopted in the current year Notes 54 false false R55.htm 2198100 - Disclosure - Rio Tinto financial information by business unit Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/RioTintoFinancialInformationByBusinessUnit Rio Tinto financial information by business unit Notes 55 false false R56.htm 2201201 - Disclosure - Principal accounting policies (Policies) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalAccountingPoliciesPolicies Principal accounting policies (Policies) Policies 56 false false R57.htm 2302301 - Disclosure - Operating segments (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OperatingSegmentsTables Operating segments (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/OperatingSegments 57 false false R58.htm 2303301 - Disclosure - Operating segments - additional information (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OperatingSegmentsAdditionalInformationTables Operating segments - additional information (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/OperatingSegmentsAdditionalInformation 58 false false R59.htm 2304301 - Disclosure - Net operating costs (excluding items shown separately) (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/NetOperatingCostsExcludingItemsShownSeparatelyTables Net operating costs (excluding items shown separately) (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/NetOperatingCostsExcludingItemsShownSeparately 59 false false R60.htm 2305301 - Disclosure - Employment costs (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/EmploymentCostsTables Employment costs (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/EmploymentCosts 60 false false R61.htm 2306301 - Disclosure - Impairment charges - (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ImpairmentChargesTables Impairment charges - (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/ImpairmentCharges 61 false false R62.htm 2308301 - Disclosure - Share of profit after tax of equity accounted units (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareOfProfitAfterTaxOfEquityAccountedUnitsTables Share of profit after tax of equity accounted units (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareOfProfitAfterTaxOfEquityAccountedUnits 62 false false R63.htm 2309301 - Disclosure - Finance income and finance costs (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinanceIncomeAndFinanceCostsTables Finance income and finance costs (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinanceIncomeAndFinanceCosts 63 false false R64.htm 2309301 - Disclosure - Taxation (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/TaxationTables Taxation (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/Taxation 64 false false R65.htm 2310301 - Disclosure - Earnings per ordinary share (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/EarningsPerOrdinaryShareTables Earnings per ordinary share (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/EarningsPerOrdinaryShare 65 false false R66.htm 2311301 - Disclosure - Dividends (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/DividendsTables Dividends (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/Dividends 66 false false R67.htm 2312301 - Disclosure - Goodwill (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/GoodwillTables Goodwill (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/Goodwill 67 false false R68.htm 2313301 - Disclosure - Intangible assets (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/IntangibleAssetsTables Intangible assets (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/IntangibleAssets 68 false false R69.htm 2314301 - Disclosure - Property, plant and equipment (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PropertyPlantAndEquipmentTables Property, plant and equipment (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/PropertyPlantAndEquipment 69 false false R70.htm 2315301 - Disclosure - Investments in equity accounted units (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/InvestmentsInEquityAccountedUnitsTables Investments in equity accounted units (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/InvestmentsInEquityAccountedUnits 70 false false R71.htm 2316301 - Disclosure - Inventories (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/InventoriesTables Inventories (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/Inventories 71 false false R72.htm 2317301 - Disclosure - Deferred taxation (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/DeferredTaxationTables Deferred taxation (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/DeferredTaxation 72 false false R73.htm 2318301 - Disclosure - Trade and other receivables (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/TradeAndOtherReceivablesTables Trade and other receivables (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/TradeAndOtherReceivables 73 false false R74.htm 2319301 - Disclosure - Assets and liabilities held for sale (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/AssetsAndLiabilitiesHeldForSaleTables Assets and liabilities held for sale (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/AssetsAndLiabilitiesHeldForSale 74 false false R75.htm 2320301 - Disclosure - Other financial assets (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OtherFinancialAssetsTables Other financial assets (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/OtherFinancialAssets 75 false false R76.htm 2321301 - Disclosure - Cash and cash equivalents (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/CashAndCashEquivalentsTables Cash and cash equivalents (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/CashAndCashEquivalents 76 false false R77.htm 2322301 - Disclosure - Borrowings and other financial liabilities (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/BorrowingsAndOtherFinancialLiabilitiesTables Borrowings and other financial liabilities (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/BorrowingsAndOtherFinancialLiabilities 77 false false R78.htm 2323301 - Disclosure - Leases (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/LeasesTables Leases (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/Leases 78 false false R79.htm 2324301 - Disclosure - Consolidated net cash/(debt) (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ConsolidatedNetCashDebtTables Consolidated net cash/(debt) (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/ConsolidatedNetCashDebt 79 false false R80.htm 2325301 - Disclosure - Trade and other payables (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/TradeAndOtherPayablesTables Trade and other payables (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/TradeAndOtherPayables 80 false false R81.htm 2326301 - Disclosure - Provisions (including post-retirement benefits) (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ProvisionsIncludingPostRetirementBenefitsTables Provisions (including post-retirement benefits) (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/ProvisionsIncludingPostRetirementBenefits 81 false false R82.htm 2328301 - Disclosure - Share capital - Rio Tinto plc (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareCapitalRioTintoPlcTables Share capital - Rio Tinto plc (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareCapitalRioTintoPlc 82 false false R83.htm 2329301 - Disclosure - Share capital - Rio Tinto Limited (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareCapitalRioTintoLimitedTables Share capital - Rio Tinto Limited (Tables) Tables 83 false false R84.htm 2330301 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementTables Financial instruments and risk management (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagement 84 false false R85.htm 2330301 - Disclosure - Other reserves and retained earnings (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OtherReservesAndRetainedEarningsTables Other reserves and retained earnings (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/OtherReservesAndRetainedEarnings 85 false false R86.htm 2331301 - Disclosure - Contingencies and commitments (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ContingenciesAndCommitmentsTables Contingencies and commitments (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/ContingenciesAndCommitments 86 false false R87.htm 2332301 - Disclosure - Average number of employees (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/AverageNumberOfEmployeesTables Average number of employees (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/AverageNumberOfEmployees 87 false false R88.htm 2333301 - Disclosure - Principal subsidiaries Principal subsidiaries - (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalSubsidiariesPrincipalSubsidiariesTables Principal subsidiaries Principal subsidiaries - (Tables) Tables 88 false false R89.htm 2334301 - Disclosure - Principal joint operations (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalJointOperationsTables Principal joint operations (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalJointOperations 89 false false R90.htm 2335301 - Disclosure - Principal joint ventures (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalJointVenturesTables Principal joint ventures (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalJointVentures 90 false false R91.htm 2336301 - Disclosure - Principal associates (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalAssociatesTables Principal associates (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalAssociates 91 false false R92.htm 2339301 - Disclosure - Directors' and key management remuneration (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/DirectorsAndKeyManagementRemunerationTables Directors' and key management remuneration (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/DirectorsAndKeyManagementRemuneration 92 false false R93.htm 2340301 - Disclosure - Auditors' remuneration (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/AuditorsRemunerationTables Auditors' remuneration (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/AuditorsRemuneration 93 false false R94.htm 2341301 - Disclosure - Related-party transactions (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactionsTables Related-party transactions (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactions 94 false false R95.htm 2342301 - Disclosure - Exchange rates in US$ (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ExchangeRatesInUsTables Exchange rates in US$ (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/ExchangeRatesInUs 95 false false R96.htm 2344301 - Disclosure - Share-based payments (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareBasedPaymentsTables Share-based payments (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareBasedPayments 96 false false R97.htm 2345301 - Disclosure - Post-retirement benefits (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PostRetirementBenefitsTables Post-retirement benefits (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/PostRetirementBenefits 97 false false R98.htm 2347301 - Disclosure - New Standards and Interpretations Adopted in the Current Year (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/NewStandardsAndInterpretationsAdoptedInCurrentYearTables New Standards and Interpretations Adopted in the Current Year (Tables) Tables 98 false false R99.htm 2398301 - Disclosure - Rio Tinto financial information by business unit (Tables) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/RioTintoFinancialInformationByBusinessUnitTables Rio Tinto financial information by business unit (Tables) Tables http://www.riotinto.com/role/RioTintoFinancialInformationByBusinessUnit 99 false false R100.htm 2401402 - Disclosure - Principal accounting policies - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalAccountingPoliciesAdditionalInformationDetail Principal accounting policies - Additional information (Detail) Details 100 false false R101.htm 2402402 - Disclosure - Operating segments - Summary of gross sales revenue within the reportable segments (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OperatingSegmentsSummaryOfGrossSalesRevenueWithinReportableSegmentsDetail Operating segments - Summary of gross sales revenue within the reportable segments (Detail) Details 101 false false R102.htm 2402403 - Disclosure - Operating segments - Summary of capital expenditure within the reportable segments (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OperatingSegmentsSummaryOfCapitalExpenditureWithinReportableSegmentsDetail Operating segments - Summary of capital expenditure within the reportable segments (Detail) Details 102 false false R103.htm 2402404 - Disclosure - Operating segments - Summary of depreciation and amortisation within the reportable segments (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OperatingSegmentsSummaryOfDepreciationAndAmortisationWithinReportableSegmentsDetail Operating segments - Summary of depreciation and amortisation within the reportable segments (Detail) Details 103 false false R104.htm 2402405 - Disclosure - Operating segments - Summary of tax charge within the reportable segments (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OperatingSegmentsSummaryOfTaxChargeWithinReportableSegmentsDetail Operating segments - Summary of tax charge within the reportable segments (Detail) Details 104 false false R105.htm 2402406 - Disclosure - Operating segments - Summary of Underlying EBITDA (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OperatingSegmentsSummaryOfUnderlyingEbitdaDetail Operating segments - Summary of Underlying EBITDA (Detail) Details 105 false false R106.htm 2402407 - Disclosure - Operating segments - Summary of underlying earnings within the reportable segments (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OperatingSegmentsSummaryOfUnderlyingEarningsWithinReportableSegmentsDetail Operating segments - Summary of underlying earnings within the reportable segments (Detail) Details 106 false false R107.htm 2402408 - Disclosure - Operating segments - Reconciliation of net earnings/(losses) to underlying earnings (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OperatingSegmentsReconciliationOfNetEarningsLossesToUnderlyingEarningsDetail Operating segments - Reconciliation of net earnings/(losses) to underlying earnings (Detail) Details 107 false false R108.htm 2402409 - Disclosure - Operating segments - Reconciliation of net earnings/(losses) to underlying earnings (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OperatingSegmentsReconciliationOfNetEarningsLossesToUnderlyingEarningsParentheticalDetail Operating segments - Reconciliation of net earnings/(losses) to underlying earnings (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 108 false false R109.htm 2402410 - Disclosure - Operating segments - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OperatingSegmentsAdditionalInformationDetail Operating segments - Additional information (Detail) Details 109 false false R110.htm 2403402 - Disclosure - Operating segments - additional information - Consolidated sales revenue by destination (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OperatingSegmentsAdditionalInformationConsolidatedSalesRevenueByDestinationDetail Operating segments - additional information - Consolidated sales revenue by destination (Detail) Details 110 false false R111.htm 2403403 - Disclosure - Operating segments - additional information - Consolidated sales revenue by product (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OperatingSegmentsAdditionalInformationConsolidatedSalesRevenueByProductDetail Operating segments - additional information - Consolidated sales revenue by product (Detail) Details 111 false false R112.htm 2403404 - Disclosure - Operating segments - additional information - Summary of non-current assets other than excluded items (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OperatingSegmentsAdditionalInformationSummaryOfNonCurrentAssetsOtherThanExcludedItemsDetail Operating segments - additional information - Summary of non-current assets other than excluded items (Detail) Details 112 false false R113.htm 2404402 - Disclosure - Net operating costs (excluding items shown separately) - Summary of net operating costs (excluding items shown separately) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/NetOperatingCostsExcludingItemsShownSeparatelySummaryOfNetOperatingCostsExcludingItemsShownSeparatelyDetail Net operating costs (excluding items shown separately) - Summary of net operating costs (excluding items shown separately) (Detail) Details http://www.riotinto.com/role/NetOperatingCostsExcludingItemsShownSeparatelyTables 113 false false R114.htm 2404403 - Disclosure - Net operating costs (excluding items shown separately) - Summary of net operating costs (excluding items shown separately) (Footnotes (Detail) Notes http://www.riotinto.com/role/NetOperatingCostsExcludingItemsShownSeparatelySummaryOfNetOperatingCostsExcludingItemsShownSeparatelyFootnotesDetail Net operating costs (excluding items shown separately) - Summary of net operating costs (excluding items shown separately) (Footnotes (Detail) Details http://www.riotinto.com/role/NetOperatingCostsExcludingItemsShownSeparatelyTables 114 false false R115.htm 2405402 - Disclosure - Employment costs - Summary of employment costs (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/EmploymentCostsSummaryOfEmploymentCostsDetail Employment costs - Summary of employment costs (Detail) Details 115 false false R116.htm 2406402 - Disclosure - Impairment charges - Summary of impairment charges (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ImpairmentChargesSummaryOfImpairmentChargesDetail Impairment charges - Summary of impairment charges (Detail) Details 116 false false R117.htm 2406403 - Disclosure - Impairment charges - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ImpairmentChargesAdditionalInformationDetail Impairment charges - Additional information (Detail) Details 117 false false R118.htm 2408402 - Disclosure - Share of profit after tax of equity accounted units - Summary of share of profit after tax of equity accounted units (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareOfProfitAfterTaxOfEquityAccountedUnitsSummaryOfShareOfProfitAfterTaxOfEquityAccountedUnitsDetail Share of profit after tax of equity accounted units - Summary of share of profit after tax of equity accounted units (Detail) Details 118 false false R119.htm 2409402 - Disclosure - Finance income and finance costs - Summary of finance income and finance costs (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinanceIncomeAndFinanceCostsSummaryOfFinanceIncomeAndFinanceCostsDetail Finance income and finance costs - Summary of finance income and finance costs (Detail) Details 119 false false R120.htm 2409402 - Disclosure - Taxation - Summary of taxation charge (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/TaxationSummaryOfTaxationChargeDetail Taxation - Summary of taxation charge (Detail) Details 120 false false R121.htm 2409403 - Disclosure - Finance income and finance costs - Summary of finance income and finance costs (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinanceIncomeAndFinanceCostsSummaryOfFinanceIncomeAndFinanceCostsParentheticalDetail Finance income and finance costs - Summary of finance income and finance costs (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 121 false false R122.htm 2409403 - Disclosure - Taxation - Summary of prima facie tax reconciliation (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/TaxationSummaryOfPrimaFacieTaxReconciliationDetail Taxation - Summary of prima facie tax reconciliation (Detail) Details 122 false false R123.htm 2409404 - Disclosure - Taxation - Summary of prima facie tax reconciliation (Footnotes) (Detail) Notes http://www.riotinto.com/role/TaxationSummaryOfPrimaFacieTaxReconciliationFootnotesDetail Taxation - Summary of prima facie tax reconciliation (Footnotes) (Detail) Details 123 false false R124.htm 2409405 - Disclosure - Taxation - Summary of tax relating to components of other comprehensive income or loss (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/TaxationSummaryOfTaxRelatingToComponentsOfOtherComprehensiveIncomeOrLossDetail Taxation - Summary of tax relating to components of other comprehensive income or loss (Detail) Details 124 false false R125.htm 2409406 - Disclosure - Taxation - Summary of tax relating to components of other comprehensive income or loss (Footnotes) (Detail) Notes http://www.riotinto.com/role/TaxationSummaryOfTaxRelatingToComponentsOfOtherComprehensiveIncomeOrLossFootnotesDetail Taxation - Summary of tax relating to components of other comprehensive income or loss (Footnotes) (Detail) Details 125 false false R126.htm 2410402 - Disclosure - Earnings per ordinary share - Summary of earnings (loss) per ordinary shares (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/EarningsPerOrdinaryShareSummaryOfEarningsLossPerOrdinarySharesDetail Earnings per ordinary share - Summary of earnings (loss) per ordinary shares (Detail) Details 126 false false R127.htm 2410403 - Disclosure - Earnings per ordinary share - Summary of earnings (loss) per ordinary shares (Footnotes) (Detail) Notes http://www.riotinto.com/role/EarningsPerOrdinaryShareSummaryOfEarningsLossPerOrdinarySharesFootnotesDetail Earnings per ordinary share - Summary of earnings (loss) per ordinary shares (Footnotes) (Detail) Details 127 false false R128.htm 2411402 - Disclosure - Dividends - Summary of dividends paid (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/DividendsSummaryOfDividendsPaidDetail Dividends - Summary of dividends paid (Detail) Details 128 false false R129.htm 2411403 - Disclosure - Dividends - Summary of dividends per share (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/DividendsSummaryOfDividendsPerShareDetail Dividends - Summary of dividends per share (Detail) Details 129 false false R130.htm 2411404 - Disclosure - Dividends - Summary of dividends per share (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/DividendsSummaryOfDividendsPerShareParentheticalDetail Dividends - Summary of dividends per share (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 130 false false R131.htm 2411405 - Disclosure - Dividends - Summary of number of shares dividend distributed (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/DividendsSummaryOfNumberOfSharesDividendDistributedDetail Dividends - Summary of number of shares dividend distributed (Detail) Details 131 false false R132.htm 2411406 - Disclosure - Dividends - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/DividendsAdditionalInformationDetail Dividends - Additional information (Detail) Details 132 false false R133.htm 2412402 - Disclosure - Goodwill - Summary of goodwill (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/GoodwillSummaryOfGoodwillDetail Goodwill - Summary of goodwill (Detail) Details 133 false false R134.htm 2412403 - Disclosure - Goodwill - Summary of Allocated goodwill (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/GoodwillSummaryOfAllocatedGoodwillDetail Goodwill - Summary of Allocated goodwill (Detail) Details 134 false false R135.htm 2412404 - Disclosure - Goodwill - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/GoodwillAdditionalInformationDetail Goodwill - Additional information (Detail) Details 135 false false R136.htm 2412405 - Disclosure - Goodwill - Key assumptions calculation of fair value less costs of disposal (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/GoodwillKeyAssumptionsCalculationOfFairValueLessCostsOfDisposalDetail Goodwill - Key assumptions calculation of fair value less costs of disposal (Detail) Details 136 false false R137.htm 2412406 - Disclosure - Goodwill - Key assumptions calculation of fair value less costs of disposal (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/GoodwillKeyAssumptionsCalculationOfFairValueLessCostsOfDisposalParentheticalDetail Goodwill - Key assumptions calculation of fair value less costs of disposal (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 137 false false R138.htm 2413402 - Disclosure - Intangible assets - Summary of intangible assets (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/IntangibleAssetsSummaryOfIntangibleAssetsDetail Intangible assets - Summary of intangible assets (Detail) Details 138 false false R139.htm 2413403 - Disclosure - Intangible assets - Summary of intangible assets (Footnotes) (Detail) Notes http://www.riotinto.com/role/IntangibleAssetsSummaryOfIntangibleAssetsFootnotesDetail Intangible assets - Summary of intangible assets (Footnotes) (Detail) Details 139 false false R140.htm 2413404 - Disclosure - Intangible assets - Summary of exploration and evaluation expenditure (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/IntangibleAssetsSummaryOfExplorationAndEvaluationExpenditureDetail Intangible assets - Summary of exploration and evaluation expenditure (Detail) Details 140 false false R141.htm 2413405 - Disclosure - Intangible assets - Summary of exploration and evaluation expenditure (Parenthetical and Footnotes) (Detail) Notes http://www.riotinto.com/role/IntangibleAssetsSummaryOfExplorationAndEvaluationExpenditureParentheticalAndFootnotesDetail Intangible assets - Summary of exploration and evaluation expenditure (Parenthetical and Footnotes) (Detail) Details 141 false false R142.htm 2413406 - Disclosure - Intangible assets - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/IntangibleAssetsAdditionalInformationDetail Intangible assets - Additional information (Detail) Details 142 false false R143.htm 2414402 - Disclosure - Property, plant and equipment Property, plant and equipment - Summary of owned and leased assets (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PropertyPlantAndEquipmentPropertyPlantAndEquipmentSummaryOfOwnedAndLeasedAssetsDetail Property, plant and equipment Property, plant and equipment - Summary of owned and leased assets (Detail) Details 143 false false R144.htm 2414403 - Disclosure - Property, plant and equipment - Summary of property, plant and equipment (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PropertyPlantAndEquipmentSummaryOfPropertyPlantAndEquipmentDetail Property, plant and equipment - Summary of property, plant and equipment (Detail) Details 144 false false R145.htm 2414404 - Disclosure - Property, plant and equipment - Summary of property, plant and equipment (Footnotes) (Detail) Notes http://www.riotinto.com/role/PropertyPlantAndEquipmentSummaryOfPropertyPlantAndEquipmentFootnotesDetail Property, plant and equipment - Summary of property, plant and equipment (Footnotes) (Detail) Details 145 false false R146.htm 2414405 - Disclosure - Property, plant and equipment Property, plant, and equipment - Summary of Right-of-Use Assets (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PropertyPlantAndEquipmentPropertyPlantAndEquipmentSummaryOfRightOfUseAssetsDetail Property, plant and equipment Property, plant, and equipment - Summary of Right-of-Use Assets (Detail) Details 146 false false R147.htm 2415402 - Disclosure - Investments in equity accounted units - Summary of Investments in equity accounted units (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/InvestmentsInEquityAccountedUnitsSummaryOfInvestmentsInEquityAccountedUnitsDetail Investments in equity accounted units - Summary of Investments in equity accounted units (Detail) Details 147 false false R148.htm 2415403 - Disclosure - Investments in equity accounted units - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/InvestmentsInEquityAccountedUnitsAdditionalInformationDetail Investments in equity accounted units - Additional information (Detail) Details 148 false false R149.htm 2416402 - Disclosure - Inventories - Summary of inventories (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/InventoriesSummaryOfInventoriesDetail Inventories - Summary of inventories (Detail) Details 149 false false R150.htm 2416403 - Disclosure - Inventories - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/InventoriesAdditionalInformationDetail Inventories - Additional information (Detail) Details 150 false false R151.htm 2417402 - Disclosure - Deferred Taxation - Reconciliation of changes in deferred tax liability asset (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/DeferredTaxationReconciliationOfChangesInDeferredTaxLiabilityAssetDetail Deferred Taxation - Reconciliation of changes in deferred tax liability asset (Detail) Details 151 false false R152.htm 2417403 - Disclosure - Deferred Taxation - Deferred tax liabilities and assets, prior to offsetting of balances (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/DeferredTaxationDeferredTaxLiabilitiesAndAssetsPriorToOffsettingOfBalancesDetail Deferred Taxation - Deferred tax liabilities and assets, prior to offsetting of balances (Detail) Details 152 false false R153.htm 2417404 - Disclosure - Deferred Taxation - Deferred tax liabilities and assets, prior to offsetting of balances (Footnotes) (Detail) Notes http://www.riotinto.com/role/DeferredTaxationDeferredTaxLiabilitiesAndAssetsPriorToOffsettingOfBalancesFootnotesDetail Deferred Taxation - Deferred tax liabilities and assets, prior to offsetting of balances (Footnotes) (Detail) Details 153 false false R154.htm 2417405 - Disclosure - Deferred Taxation - Recognised and unrecognised amounts in deferred tax assets (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/DeferredTaxationRecognisedAndUnrecognisedAmountsInDeferredTaxAssetsDetail Deferred Taxation - Recognised and unrecognised amounts in deferred tax assets (Detail) Details 154 false false R155.htm 2417406 - Disclosure - Deferred Taxation - Recognised and unrecognised amounts in deferred tax assets (Footnotes) (Detail) Notes http://www.riotinto.com/role/DeferredTaxationRecognisedAndUnrecognisedAmountsInDeferredTaxAssetsFootnotesDetail Deferred Taxation - Recognised and unrecognised amounts in deferred tax assets (Footnotes) (Detail) Details 155 false false R156.htm 2418402 - Disclosure - Trade and other receivables - Summary of trade and other receivables (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/TradeAndOtherReceivablesSummaryOfTradeAndOtherReceivablesDetail Trade and other receivables - Summary of trade and other receivables (Detail) Details 156 false false R157.htm 2418403 - Disclosure - Trade and other receivables - Summary of trade and other receivables (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/TradeAndOtherReceivablesSummaryOfTradeAndOtherReceivablesParentheticalDetail Trade and other receivables - Summary of trade and other receivables (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 157 false false R158.htm 2419402 - Disclosure - Assets and liabilities held for sale - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/AssetsAndLiabilitiesHeldForSaleAdditionalInformationDetail Assets and liabilities held for sale - Additional information (Detail) Details 158 false false R159.htm 2419403 - Disclosure - Assets and liabilities held for sale - Summary of major classes of assets and liabilities classified as held for sale (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/AssetsAndLiabilitiesHeldForSaleSummaryOfMajorClassesOfAssetsAndLiabilitiesClassifiedAsHeldForSaleDetail Assets and liabilities held for sale - Summary of major classes of assets and liabilities classified as held for sale (Detail) Details 159 false false R160.htm 2420402 - Disclosure - Other financial assets - Summary of other financial assets including non-quasi equity loans to equity accounted units (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OtherFinancialAssetsSummaryOfOtherFinancialAssetsIncludingNonQuasiEquityLoansToEquityAccountedUnitsDetail Other financial assets - Summary of other financial assets including non-quasi equity loans to equity accounted units (Detail) Details 160 false false R161.htm 2420403 - Disclosure - Other financial assets - Summary of other financial assets including non-quasi equity loans to equity accounted units (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OtherFinancialAssetsSummaryOfOtherFinancialAssetsIncludingNonQuasiEquityLoansToEquityAccountedUnitsParentheticalDetail Other financial assets - Summary of other financial assets including non-quasi equity loans to equity accounted units (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 161 false false R162.htm 2421402 - Disclosure - Cash and cash equivalents - Summary of cash and cash equivalents (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/CashAndCashEquivalentsSummaryOfCashAndCashEquivalentsDetail Cash and cash equivalents - Summary of cash and cash equivalents (Detail) Details 162 false false R163.htm 2421403 - Disclosure - Cash and cash equivalents - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/CashAndCashEquivalentsAdditionalInformationDetail Cash and cash equivalents - Additional information (Detail) Details 163 false false R164.htm 2422402 - Disclosure - Borrowings and other financial liabilities - Summary of detailed information about borrowings (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/BorrowingsAndOtherFinancialLiabilitiesSummaryOfDetailedInformationAboutBorrowingsDetail Borrowings and other financial liabilities - Summary of detailed information about borrowings (Detail) Details 164 false false R165.htm 2422403 - Disclosure - Borrowings and other financial liabilities - Summary of detailed information about borrowings (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/BorrowingsAndOtherFinancialLiabilitiesSummaryOfDetailedInformationAboutBorrowingsParentheticalDetail Borrowings and other financial liabilities - Summary of detailed information about borrowings (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 165 false false R166.htm 2422404 - Disclosure - Borrowings and other financial liabilities - Summary of borrowings and other financial liabilities (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/BorrowingsAndOtherFinancialLiabilitiesSummaryOfBorrowingsAndOtherFinancialLiabilitiesDetail Borrowings and other financial liabilities - Summary of borrowings and other financial liabilities (Detail) Details 166 false false R167.htm 2423402 - Disclosure - Leases Leases - Summary of Lease Payments (Details) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/LeasesLeasesSummaryOfLeasePaymentsDetails Leases Leases - Summary of Lease Payments (Details) Details 167 false false R168.htm 2423403 - Disclosure - Leases - Summary of capitalised finance leases (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/LeasesSummaryOfCapitalisedFinanceLeasesDetail Leases - Summary of capitalised finance leases (Detail) Details 168 false false R169.htm 2423404 - Disclosure - Leases - Narrative (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/LeasesNarrativeDetail Leases - Narrative (Detail) Details 169 false false R170.htm 2424402 - Disclosure - Consolidated net cash/(debt) - Analysis of changes in consolidated net cash/(debt) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ConsolidatedNetCashDebtAnalysisOfChangesInConsolidatedNetCashdebtDetail Consolidated net cash/(debt) - Analysis of changes in consolidated net cash/(debt) (Detail) Details 170 false false R171.htm 2424403 - Disclosure - Consolidated net cash/(debt) - Analysis of changes in consolidated net cash/(debt) (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ConsolidatedNetCashDebtAnalysisOfChangesInConsolidatedNetCashdebtParentheticalDetail Consolidated net cash/(debt) - Analysis of changes in consolidated net cash/(debt) (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 171 false false R172.htm 2425402 - Disclosure - Trade and other payables - Summary of Trade and other payables (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/TradeAndOtherPayablesSummaryOfTradeAndOtherPayablesDetail Trade and other payables - Summary of Trade and other payables (Detail) Details 172 false false R173.htm 2425403 - Disclosure - Trade and other payables - Summary of Trade and other payables (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/TradeAndOtherPayablesSummaryOfTradeAndOtherPayablesParentheticalDetail Trade and other payables - Summary of Trade and other payables (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 173 false false R174.htm 2426402 - Disclosure - Provisions, including post-retirement benefits - Summary of Provisions, including post-retirement benefits (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ProvisionsIncludingPostRetirementBenefitsSummaryOfProvisionsIncludingPostRetirementBenefitsDetail Provisions, including post-retirement benefits - Summary of Provisions, including post-retirement benefits (Detail) Details 174 false false R175.htm 2426403 - Disclosure - Provisions, including post-retirement benefits - Summary of Provisions, including post-retirement benefits (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ProvisionsIncludingPostRetirementBenefitsSummaryOfProvisionsIncludingPostRetirementBenefitsParentheticalDetail Provisions, including post-retirement benefits - Summary of Provisions, including post-retirement benefits (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 175 false false R176.htm 2428402 - Disclosure - Share capital - Rio Tinto plc - Summary of share capital (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareCapitalRioTintoPlcSummaryOfShareCapitalDetail Share capital - Rio Tinto plc - Summary of share capital (Detail) Details 176 false false R177.htm 2428403 - Disclosure - Share capital - Rio Tinto plc - Summary of share capital (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareCapitalRioTintoPlcSummaryOfShareCapitalParentheticalDetail Share capital - Rio Tinto plc - Summary of share capital (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 177 false false R178.htm 2428404 - Disclosure - Share capital - Rio Tinto plc - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareCapitalRioTintoPlcAdditionalInformationDetail Share capital - Rio Tinto plc - Additional information (Detail) Details 178 false false R179.htm 2429402 - Disclosure - Share capital - Rio Tinto Limited - Summary of share capital (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareCapitalRioTintoLimitedSummaryOfShareCapitalDetail Share capital - Rio Tinto Limited - Summary of share capital (Detail) Details 179 false false R180.htm 2429403 - Disclosure - Share capital - Rio Tinto Limited - Summary of share capital (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareCapitalRioTintoLimitedSummaryOfShareCapitalParentheticalDetail Share capital - Rio Tinto Limited - Summary of share capital (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 180 false false R181.htm 2429404 - Disclosure - Share capital - Rio Tinto Limited - Additional Information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareCapitalRioTintoLimitedAdditionalInformationDetail Share capital - Rio Tinto Limited - Additional Information (Detail) Details 181 false false R182.htm 2430402 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of financial assets by categories (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementSummaryOfFinancialAssetsByCategoriesDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of financial assets by categories (Detail) Details 182 false false R183.htm 2430402 - Disclosure - Other reserves and retained earnings - Summary of other reserves and retained earnings (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OtherReservesAndRetainedEarningsSummaryOfOtherReservesAndRetainedEarningsDetail Other reserves and retained earnings - Summary of other reserves and retained earnings (Detail) Details 183 false false R184.htm 2430403 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of financial liabilities by categories (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementSummaryOfFinancialLiabilitiesByCategoriesDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of financial liabilities by categories (Detail) Details 184 false false R185.htm 2430403 - Disclosure - Other reserves and retained earnings - Summary of other reserves and retained earnings (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/OtherReservesAndRetainedEarningsSummaryOfOtherReservesAndRetainedEarningsParentheticalDetail Other reserves and retained earnings - Summary of other reserves and retained earnings (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 185 false false R186.htm 2430404 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementAdditionalInformationDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Additional information (Detail) Details 186 false false R187.htm 2430405 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Capital and liquidity risk management - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementCapitalAndLiquidityRiskManagementAdditionalInformationDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Capital and liquidity risk management - Additional information (Detail) Details 187 false false R188.htm 2430406 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of capital and liquidity risk management (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementSummaryOfCapitalAndLiquidityRiskManagementDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of capital and liquidity risk management (Detail) Details 188 false false R189.htm 2430408 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Maturity analysis for non-derivative financial liabilities and derivative financial liabilities (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementMaturityAnalysisForNonDerivativeFinancialLiabilitiesAndDerivativeFinancialLiabilitiesDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Maturity analysis for non-derivative financial liabilities and derivative financial liabilities (Detail) Details 189 false false R190.htm 2430409 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Commodity price risk - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementCommodityPriceRiskAdditionalInformationDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Commodity price risk - Additional information (Detail) Details 190 false false R191.htm 2430410 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of notional aluminium forward sales contracts embedded in power contracts (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementSummaryOfNotionalAluminiumForwardSalesContractsEmbeddedInPowerContractsDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of notional aluminium forward sales contracts embedded in power contracts (Detail) Details 191 false false R192.htm 2430411 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of impact of hedging instrument on statement of financial position (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementSummaryOfImpactOfHedgingInstrumentOnStatementOfFinancialPositionDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of impact of hedging instrument on statement of financial position (Detail) Details 192 false false R193.htm 2430412 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of changes in market price relevant to alumina purchase price swaps outstanding (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementSummaryOfChangesInMarketPriceRelevantToAluminaPurchasePriceSwapsOutstandingDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of changes in market price relevant to alumina purchase price swaps outstanding (Detail) Details 193 false false R194.htm 2430413 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of credit risk (Details) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementFinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementSummaryOfCreditRiskDetails Financial instruments and risk management Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of credit risk (Details) Details 194 false false R195.htm 2430414 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Credit risk - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementCreditRiskAdditionalInformationDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Credit risk - Additional information (Detail) Details 195 false false R196.htm 2430415 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of borrowings in a hedge relationship (Details) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementFinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementSummaryOfBorrowingsInHedgeRelationshipDetails Financial instruments and risk management Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of borrowings in a hedge relationship (Details) Details 196 false false R197.htm 2430417 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Summary by currency, Group's net debt, after taking into account relevant cross currency interest rate swaps and foreign exchange contracts (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementSummaryByCurrencyGroupsNetDebtAfterTakingIntoAccountRelevantCrossCurrencyInterestRateSwapsAndForeignExchangeContractsDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Summary by currency, Group's net debt, after taking into account relevant cross currency interest rate swaps and foreign exchange contracts (Detail) Details 197 false false R198.htm 2430418 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Foreign exchange risk - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementForeignExchangeRiskAdditionalInformationDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Foreign exchange risk - Additional information (Detail) Details 198 false false R199.htm 2430419 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Gains or Losses Associated with Ten Percent Strengthening of US Dollar (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementGainsOrLossesAssociatedWithTenPercentStrengtheningOfUsDollarDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Gains or Losses Associated with Ten Percent Strengthening of US Dollar (Detail) Details 199 false false R200.htm 2430420 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Interest rate risk - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementInterestRateRiskAdditionalInformationDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Interest rate risk - Additional information (Detail) Details 200 false false R201.htm 2430421 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of derivative financial instruments (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementSummaryOfDerivativeFinancialInstrumentsDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of derivative financial instruments (Detail) Details 201 false false R202.htm 2430422 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of fair value of financial instruments (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementSummaryOfFairValueOfFinancialInstrumentsDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of fair value of financial instruments (Detail) Details 202 false false R203.htm 2430423 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of financial instruments carried at fair value (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementSummaryOfFinancialInstrumentsCarriedAtFairValueDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of financial instruments carried at fair value (Detail) Details 203 false false R204.htm 2430424 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of financial instruments carried at fair value (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementSummaryOfFinancialInstrumentsCarriedAtFairValueParentheticalDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of financial instruments carried at fair value (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 204 false false R205.htm 2430425 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of changes in fair value of Level 3 financial assets and financial liabilities (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementSummaryOfChangesInFairValueOfLevel3FinancialAssetsAndFinancialLiabilitiesDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of changes in fair value of Level 3 financial assets and financial liabilities (Detail) Details 205 false false R206.htm 2430426 - Disclosure - Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of Nominal Amount of Bond (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/FinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementSummaryOfNominalAmountOfBondDetail Financial instruments and risk management - Summary of Nominal Amount of Bond (Detail) Details 206 false false R207.htm 2431402 - Disclosure - Contingencies and commitments - Summary of capital commitments (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ContingenciesAndCommitmentsSummaryOfCapitalCommitmentsDetail Contingencies and commitments - Summary of capital commitments (Detail) Details 207 false false R208.htm 2431403 - Disclosure - Contingencies and commitments - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ContingenciesAndCommitmentsAdditionalInformationDetail Contingencies and commitments - Additional information (Detail) Details 208 false false R209.htm 2431404 - Disclosure - Contingencies and commitments - Summary of aggregate amount of future payment commitments under purchase obligations outstanding (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ContingenciesAndCommitmentsSummaryOfAggregateAmountOfFuturePaymentCommitmentsUnderPurchaseObligationsOutstandingDetail Contingencies and commitments - Summary of aggregate amount of future payment commitments under purchase obligations outstanding (Detail) Details 209 false false R210.htm 2431405 - Disclosure - Contingencies and commitments - Summary of subsidiaries and joint operations contingent liabilities (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ContingenciesAndCommitmentsSummaryOfSubsidiariesAndJointOperationsContingentLiabilitiesDetail Contingencies and commitments - Summary of subsidiaries and joint operations contingent liabilities (Detail) Details 210 false false R211.htm 2432402 - Disclosure - Average number of employees - Summary of average number of employees (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/AverageNumberOfEmployeesSummaryOfAverageNumberOfEmployeesDetail Average number of employees - Summary of average number of employees (Detail) Details 211 false false R212.htm 2432403 - Disclosure - Average number of employees - Summary of average number of employees (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/AverageNumberOfEmployeesSummaryOfAverageNumberOfEmployeesParentheticalDetail Average number of employees - Summary of average number of employees (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 212 false false R213.htm 2433402 - Disclosure - Principal subsidiaries Principal subsidiaries - Principal in subsidiaries (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalSubsidiariesPrincipalSubsidiariesPrincipalInSubsidiariesDetail Principal subsidiaries Principal subsidiaries - Principal in subsidiaries (Detail) Details 213 false false R214.htm 2433403 - Disclosure - Principal subsidiaries - Subsidiaries financial information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalSubsidiariesSubsidiariesFinancialInformationDetail Principal subsidiaries - Subsidiaries financial information (Detail) Details 214 false false R215.htm 2434402 - Disclosure - Principal joint operations - Summary of principle joint operations (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalJointOperationsSummaryOfPrincipleJointOperationsDetail Principal joint operations - Summary of principle joint operations (Detail) Details 215 false false R216.htm 2434403 - Disclosure - Principal joint operations - Summary of principle joint operations (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalJointOperationsSummaryOfPrincipleJointOperationsParentheticalDetail Principal joint operations - Summary of principle joint operations (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 216 false false R217.htm 2435402 - Disclosure - Principal joint ventures - Summary of joint ventures (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalJointVenturesSummaryOfJointVenturesDetail Principal joint ventures - Summary of joint ventures (Detail) Details 217 false false R218.htm 2435403 - Disclosure - Principal joint ventures - Summary of joint ventures (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalJointVenturesSummaryOfJointVenturesParentheticalDetail Principal joint ventures - Summary of joint ventures (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 218 false false R219.htm 2435405 - Disclosure - Principal joint ventures - Summary financial information for joint ventures by fair value (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalJointVenturesSummaryFinancialInformationForJointVenturesByFairValueDetail Principal joint ventures - Summary financial information for joint ventures by fair value (Detail) Details 219 false false R220.htm 2435406 - Disclosure - Principal joint ventures - Reconciliation of financial information for joint ventures by carrying value (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalJointVenturesReconciliationOfFinancialInformationForJointVenturesByCarryingValueDetail Principal joint ventures - Reconciliation of financial information for joint ventures by carrying value (Detail) Details 220 false false R221.htm 2435407 - Disclosure - Principal joint ventures - Reconciliation of financial information for joint ventures by carrying value (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalJointVenturesReconciliationOfFinancialInformationForJointVenturesByCarryingValueParentheticalDetail Principal joint ventures - Reconciliation of financial information for joint ventures by carrying value (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 221 false false R222.htm 2436402 - Disclosure - Principal associates - Summary of principal associates (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalAssociatesSummaryOfPrincipalAssociatesDetail Principal associates - Summary of principal associates (Detail) Details 222 false false R223.htm 2436403 - Disclosure - Principal associates - Summary of principal associates (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalAssociatesSummaryOfPrincipalAssociatesParentheticalDetail Principal associates - Summary of principal associates (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 223 false false R224.htm 2436404 - Disclosure - Principal associates - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalAssociatesAdditionalInformationDetail Principal associates - Additional information (Detail) Details 224 false false R225.htm 2436405 - Disclosure - Principal associates - Reconciliation of financial information for principal associates by carrying value (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalAssociatesReconciliationOfFinancialInformationForPrincipalAssociatesByCarryingValueDetail Principal associates - Reconciliation of financial information for principal associates by carrying value (Detail) Details 225 false false R226.htm 2436406 - Disclosure - Principal associates - Summary information for joint ventures and associates that are not individually material to the group (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PrincipalAssociatesSummaryInformationForJointVenturesAndAssociatesThatAreNotIndividuallyMaterialToGroupDetail Principal associates - Summary information for joint ventures and associates that are not individually material to the group (Detail) Details 226 false false R227.htm 2437401 - Disclosure - Purchases and sales of subsidiaries, joint ventures, associates and other interests in businesses - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PurchasesAndSalesOfSubsidiariesJointVenturesAssociatesAndOtherInterestsInBusinessesAdditionalInformationDetail Purchases and sales of subsidiaries, joint ventures, associates and other interests in businesses - Additional information (Detail) Details 227 false false R228.htm 2439402 - Disclosure - Directors' and key management remuneration - Summary of aggregate remuneration calculated in accordance with UK companies act 2006 (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/DirectorsAndKeyManagementRemunerationSummaryOfAggregateRemunerationCalculatedInAccordanceWithUkCompaniesAct2006Detail Directors' and key management remuneration - Summary of aggregate remuneration calculated in accordance with UK companies act 2006 (Detail) Details 228 false false R229.htm 2439403 - Disclosure - Directors' and key management remuneration - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/DirectorsAndKeyManagementRemunerationAdditionalInformationDetail Directors' and key management remuneration - Additional information (Detail) Details 229 false false R230.htm 2439404 - Disclosure - Directors' and key management remuneration - Summary of aggregate compensation representing the expense recognised under IFRS (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/DirectorsAndKeyManagementRemunerationSummaryOfAggregateCompensationRepresentingExpenseRecognisedUnderIfrsDetail Directors' and key management remuneration - Summary of aggregate compensation representing the expense recognised under IFRS (Detail) Details 230 false false R231.htm 2440402 - Disclosure - Auditors' remuneration - Auditors' remuneration (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/AuditorsRemunerationAuditorsRemunerationDetail Auditors' remuneration - Auditors' remuneration (Detail) Details 231 false false R232.htm 2440403 - Disclosure - Auditors' remuneration - Auditors' remuneration (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/AuditorsRemunerationAuditorsRemunerationParentheticalDetail Auditors' remuneration - Auditors' remuneration (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 232 false false R233.htm 2441402 - Disclosure - Related-party transactions - Summary of transactions and balances with equity accounted units (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactionsSummaryOfTransactionsAndBalancesWithEquityAccountedUnitsDetail Related-party transactions - Summary of transactions and balances with equity accounted units (Detail) Details 233 false false R234.htm 2442402 - Disclosure - Exchange rates in US$ - Summary of principal exchange rate used in preparation of financial statements (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ExchangeRatesInUsSummaryOfPrincipalExchangeRateUsedInPreparationOfFinancialStatementsDetail Exchange rates in US$ - Summary of principal exchange rate used in preparation of financial statements (Detail) Details 234 false false R235.htm 2443401 - Disclosure - Events after the balance sheet date (Details) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/EventsAfterBalanceSheetDateDetails Events after the balance sheet date (Details) Details http://www.riotinto.com/role/EventsAfterBalanceSheetDate 235 false false R236.htm 2444402 - Disclosure - Share-based payments - Charge has been recognised in income statement for Rio Tinto's share-based incentive plans, and the related liability (for cash-settled plans) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareBasedPaymentsChargeHasBeenRecognisedInIncomeStatementForRioTintosShareBasedIncentivePlansAndRelatedLiabilityForCashSettledPlansDetail Share-based payments - Charge has been recognised in income statement for Rio Tinto's share-based incentive plans, and the related liability (for cash-settled plans) (Detail) Details 236 false false R237.htm 2444403 - Disclosure - Share-based payments - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareBasedPaymentsAdditionalInformationDetail Share-based payments - Additional information (Detail) Details 237 false false R238.htm 2444404 - Disclosure - Share-based payments - Summary of performance share plans (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareBasedPaymentsSummaryOfPerformanceSharePlansDetail Share-based payments - Summary of performance share plans (Detail) Details 238 false false R239.htm 2444405 - Disclosure - Share-based payments - Management Share Plans, Bonus Deferral Plans, Global Employee Share Plans and UK Share Plan (combined) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/ShareBasedPaymentsManagementSharePlansBonusDeferralPlansGlobalEmployeeSharePlansAndUkSharePlanCombinedDetail Share-based payments - Management Share Plans, Bonus Deferral Plans, Global Employee Share Plans and UK Share Plan (combined) (Detail) Details 239 false false R240.htm 2445402 - Disclosure - Post-retirement benefits - Summary of fair value of plan assets (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PostRetirementBenefitsSummaryOfFairValueOfPlanAssetsDetail Post-retirement benefits - Summary of fair value of plan assets (Detail) Details 240 false false R241.htm 2445403 - Disclosure - Post-retirement benefits - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PostRetirementBenefitsAdditionalInformationDetail Post-retirement benefits - Additional information (Detail) Details 241 false false R242.htm 2445404 - Disclosure - Post-retirement benefits - Summary of maturity of defined benefit obligations (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PostRetirementBenefitsSummaryOfMaturityOfDefinedBenefitObligationsDetail Post-retirement benefits - Summary of maturity of defined benefit obligations (Detail) Details 242 false false R243.htm 2445405 - Disclosure - Post-retirement benefits - Summary of geographical distribution of defined benefit obligations (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PostRetirementBenefitsSummaryOfGeographicalDistributionOfDefinedBenefitObligationsDetail Post-retirement benefits - Summary of geographical distribution of defined benefit obligations (Detail) Details 243 false false R244.htm 2445406 - Disclosure - Post-retirement benefits - Summary of total expense recognised in the income statement (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PostRetirementBenefitsSummaryOfTotalExpenseRecognisedInIncomeStatementDetail Post-retirement benefits - Summary of total expense recognised in the income statement (Detail) Details 244 false false R245.htm 2445407 - Disclosure - Post-retirement benefits - Summary of total amount recognised in other comprehensive income before tax (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PostRetirementBenefitsSummaryOfTotalAmountRecognisedInOtherComprehensiveIncomeBeforeTaxDetail Post-retirement benefits - Summary of total amount recognised in other comprehensive income before tax (Detail) Details 245 false false R246.htm 2445408 - Disclosure - Post-retirement benefits - Summary of amount recognised in balance sheet (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PostRetirementBenefitsSummaryOfAmountRecognisedInBalanceSheetDetail Post-retirement benefits - Summary of amount recognised in balance sheet (Detail) Details 246 false false R247.htm 2445409 - Disclosure - Post-retirement benefits - Summary of funding policy and contributions to plans (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PostRetirementBenefitsSummaryOfFundingPolicyAndContributionsToPlansDetail Post-retirement benefits - Summary of funding policy and contributions to plans (Detail) Details 247 false false R248.htm 2445410 - Disclosure - Post-retirement benefits - Summary of movement in net defined benefit liability (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PostRetirementBenefitsSummaryOfMovementInNetDefinedBenefitLiabilityDetail Post-retirement benefits - Summary of movement in net defined benefit liability (Detail) Details 248 false false R249.htm 2445411 - Disclosure - Post-retirement benefits - Summary of movement in present value of obligation (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PostRetirementBenefitsSummaryOfMovementInPresentValueOfObligationDetail Post-retirement benefits - Summary of movement in present value of obligation (Detail) Details 249 false false R250.htm 2445412 - Disclosure - Post-retirement benefits - Summary of movement in plan assets (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PostRetirementBenefitsSummaryOfMovementInPlanAssetsDetail Post-retirement benefits - Summary of movement in plan assets (Detail) Details 250 false false R251.htm 2445413 - Disclosure - Post-retirement benefits - Summary of movement in effect of the asset ceiling (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PostRetirementBenefitsSummaryOfMovementInEffectOfAssetCeilingDetail Post-retirement benefits - Summary of movement in effect of the asset ceiling (Detail) Details 251 false false R252.htm 2445414 - Disclosure - Post-retirement benefits - Summary of main assumptions rate for valuations of plans (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PostRetirementBenefitsSummaryOfMainAssumptionsRateForValuationsOfPlansDetail Post-retirement benefits - Summary of main assumptions rate for valuations of plans (Detail) Details 252 false false R253.htm 2445415 - Disclosure - Post-retirement benefits - Summary of main assumptions rate for valuations of plans (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PostRetirementBenefitsSummaryOfMainAssumptionsRateForValuationsOfPlansParentheticalDetail Post-retirement benefits - Summary of main assumptions rate for valuations of plans (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 253 false false R254.htm 2445416 - Disclosure - Post-retirement benefits - Results summary of sensitivity analysis (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PostRetirementBenefitsResultsSummaryOfSensitivityAnalysisDetail Post-retirement benefits - Results summary of sensitivity analysis (Detail) Details 254 false false R255.htm 2445417 - Disclosure - Post-retirement benefits - Results summary of sensitivity analysis (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/PostRetirementBenefitsResultsSummaryOfSensitivityAnalysisParentheticalDetail Post-retirement benefits - Results summary of sensitivity analysis (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 255 false false R256.htm 2447402 - Disclosure - New Standards and Interpretations Adopted in the Current Year - Schedule of impact on equity attributable to owners of Rio Tinto due to adoption of IFRS 16 and IFRIC 23 (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/NewStandardsAndInterpretationsAdoptedInCurrentYearScheduleOfImpactOnEquityAttributableToOwnersOfRioTintoDueToAdoptionOfIfrs16AndIfric23Detail New Standards and Interpretations Adopted in the Current Year - Schedule of impact on equity attributable to owners of Rio Tinto due to adoption of IFRS 16 and IFRIC 23 (Detail) Details 256 false false R257.htm 2447403 - Disclosure - New Standards and Interpretations Adopted in the Current Year - Summary of impact of transition to IFRS 16 (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/NewStandardsAndInterpretationsAdoptedInCurrentYearSummaryOfImpactOfTransitionToIfrs16Detail New Standards and Interpretations Adopted in the Current Year - Summary of impact of transition to IFRS 16 (Detail) Details 257 false false R258.htm 2447404 - Disclosure - New Standards and Interpretations Adopted in the Current Year - Additional information (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/NewStandardsAndInterpretationsAdoptedInCurrentYearAdditionalInformationDetail New Standards and Interpretations Adopted in the Current Year - Additional information (Detail) Details 258 false false R259.htm 2498402 - Disclosure - Rio Tinto financial information by business unit - Schedule of financial information by business unit (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/RioTintoFinancialInformationByBusinessUnitScheduleOfFinancialInformationByBusinessUnitDetail Rio Tinto financial information by business unit - Schedule of financial information by business unit (Detail) Details 259 false false R260.htm 2498403 - Disclosure - Rio Tinto financial information by business unit Rio Tinto financial information by business unit - Schedule of financial information by business unit (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.riotinto.com/role/RioTintoFinancialInformationByBusinessUnitRioTintoFinancialInformationByBusinessUnitScheduleOfFinancialInformationByBusinessUnitParentheticalDetail Rio Tinto financial information by business unit Rio Tinto financial information by business unit - Schedule of financial information by business unit (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 260 false false R9999.htm Uncategorized Items - rio-20191231.xml Sheet http://xbrl.sec.gov/role/uncategorizedFacts Uncategorized Items - rio-20191231.xml Cover 261 false false All Reports Book All Reports rio-20191231.xml rio-20191231.xsd rio-20191231_cal.xml rio-20191231_def.xml rio-20191231_lab.xml rio-20191231_pre.xml http://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019-01-31 http://xbrl.ifrs.org/taxonomy/2019-03-27/ifrs-full http://xbrl.sec.gov/country/2017-01-31 http://fasb.org/srt/2019-01-31 http://xbrl.sec.gov/currency/2019-01-31 true true